Cremona city of Music

Day 1° - Thursday May 16th 2024 – arrival in Cremona

Morning: Independent arrival at Milan central station.

1.00 pm: Transfer by bus from Milan station to Cremona.
Accommodation in a Hotel 4*, centrally located.

Afternoon: Meeting with the guide at the hotel.
Our discovery of the city of Cremona begins with a visit to Battistero and Torrazzo. 

Battistero is an architectural jewel of the Middle Ages: the building has a symbolic octagonal plan, with Romanesque elements combined with early Lombard Gothic decorative details. The works of art kept here catch the visitor's attention: the baroque altars, among which the polychrome sculpture by the important Cremonese carver Giacomo Bertesi stands out, the marble baptismal font, created by Lorenzo Trotti in 1531, the sculptural works coming from nearby Cathedral, the bronze statue of Arcangelo Gabriele. The majestic vault is an architectural work of great interest, a source of inspiration for numerous artists over the centuries.

Torrazzo is the very symbol of the city, and with its 112 meters of height it's the tallest bell tower in Europe. The façade facing the square is embellished by the astronomical clock created in 1583 by Francesco Divizioli. The climb (optional) follows the original staircase, until reaching the top of the garland, where an extraordinary view opens up over the city and the surrounding countryside.

Dinner in a selected restaurant.

Day 2° - Friday May 17th 2024 - Cremona 

Breakfast in the hotel.
Morning: Visit Cremona, with the Cattedrale and Palazzo Comunale. The visits will take place on foot, as the short distances allow us to fully enjoy the beauty of the historic center.

The Cattedrale is a monument of great beauty and high historical-artistic value. Numerous sculptural works of Romanesque and Gothic style decorate the main facade and the facades of the two transepts, while the interior presents an interesting pictorial cycle on the life of the Virgin and Jesus, created in the early sixteenth century by mannerist painters. The descent to the crypt which contains the monument to S. Omobono, the main patron saint of the city and the diocese and a fragment of a floor mosaic dating back to the 12th century is suggestive.

Palazzo Comunale was founded in 1206 with the typical architectural form of the Lombard broletto and subsequently expanded in 1245. The medieval structure of the palace did not undergo changes until the end of the 15th century. Starting from 1496 and then during the following century, the facade was modified by replacing the thirteenth-century three-lancet windows with rectangular windows and adding the new marble arengario placed against the central pillar of the facade. The internal space, which included a single large room for meetings of the people of the Municipality, was divided into new smaller rooms including the chapel, Sala del Consiglio dei Decurioni, and an access gallery, today the Salone dei paintings, seat of the City Council.

Light lunch with tasting in the wine shop.

Afternoon: We continue with the visit of Casa Vergani. For centuries overlooking Piazza S. Michele, the palace has its origins in the Renaissance period, traces of which are still visible in the ancient columns of the courtyard, depicting coats of arms of noble Cremonese families. But it was in the second half of the 19th century that the residence entered the history of the city through one of its most important symbols: the nougat. It is here that the famous Vergani company was born in 1881, where the founder Secondo Vergani started the production of the dessert which he would then export all over the world. The old production environments and original relics of its centuries-old history can still be found today.

After the visit, nougat tasting.

Free dinner and overnight stay in the hotel.

Day 3° - Saturday May 18th 2024 – Cremona

Breakfast in the hotel.
Morning: Visit to “Palazzo dell’Arte” violin museum with a guided tour of the collection of historical violins. This museum allows you to get to know the symbolic instruments of Cremonese lutherie, built more than 300 years ago by Stradivari, Amati and Guarneri. The museum has an engaging interactive itinerary that allows you to delve deeper into the theme of Cremonese violin making and the history of the violin. It also houses the collection of the Stradivari Museum, a unique corpus in the world which displays various documentation, original tools, drawings, autograph documents and various material belonging to Stradivari's workshop.

At the end of the visit we will listen to an exciting audition with one of the historic violins in the Giovanni Arvedi auditorium inside the museum.

Lunch at the violin museum restaurant 

Afternoon: Continue with a suggestive visit to a violin maker's workshop: violin making is an ancient tradition that has made the city famous throughout the world. The construction of the violin according to the classical Cremonese method will be illustrated, inspired by the models of the great masters of the past, the Amati, the Guarneri and Antonio Stradivari. The secrets of this ancient art will be revealed to us, made up of experience, love and great passion for music: the scent of natural paints, the wood exposed for seasoning, the large and small craftsman's tools, the drawings and “internal shapes” peculiar to the Cremonese tradition, the accessories and the final testing.

At the end return to the hotel. Free dinner.

Day 4° - Sunday May 19th 2024 – Cremona e departure 

Breakfast in the hotel and check-out of the rooms.
9.00 am: Departure by bus for Soncino. Along the ancient road of Cremona there is a stop in the place where the sixteenth-century Chiesa of Santa Maria delle Grazie stands, with the wonderful frescoes by Giulio Campi and the fratelli Scanzi that adorn the walls and vaults and the beautiful terracotta decorations. The visit continues with Rocca Sforzesca and medieval village of Soncino, with the buildings decorated with terracotta friezes, the mills and the ancient city walls; entrance to Casa degli stampatori it is possible to visit the old Jewish printing press from the 15th century, with a faithful reconstruction of a press from the 1400s and some interesting publications from past centuries. Brief stop in the Chiesa di S. Giacomo built in the 14th century where an ancient hospice for pilgrims once stood: inside it preserves "Compianto sul Cristo morto", a group of eight terracotta statues created by Agostino de Fondulis and the 15th century stained glass windows polychrome.

Lunch in Soncino in a selected restaurant.

At the end, transfer by coach to Milan station (arrival expected between 4.00 pm). Individual greetings and departures.

INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION FEES (minimum 15 people)

In a double room 1.265,00 euro
Supplement for double room for single use: 165,00 euro

LTHE PRICE INCLUDES:

• 4 nights at a 4* category hotel in Cremona with breakfast included;
• coach transfer from Milan Central Station / Cremona return;
• Companion assistance for the entire period;
• visit to the Violin Museum with audition ticket included;
• the visits indicated in the program and entrance fees included;
• restaurant dinner on May 16th, museum restaurant lunch on May 18th, lunch in Soncino on May 19th;
• light lunch tasting in a wine shop;
• visit to Casa Vergani and nougat tasting;
• Medical and baggage insurance

THE FEE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• journey to reach Milan;
• meals not indicated;
• tips, extras in general and anything not indicated under "the prices include"

• The organizer reserves the right to cancel the trip, NO LATER than 30 days before departure, if the minimum number of participants has not been reached. In this case, the amount paid would be refunded in full.
• The order of the visits can be changed for operational needs without however changing the contents

HOW TO BOOK:

The reservation becomes effective upon receipt of:
1. Travel contract that we will send you at the time of booking
2. Deposit required via bank transfer

ADVANCE PAYMENT:

Upon booking, a deposit of Euro 400.00 and any insurance premium for the "trip cancellation" policy are required.
Cancellation insurance can only be taken out when registering for the trip.

BALANCE:

30 days before departure (by April 16th 2024)

CANCELLATION

In the event of CANCELLATION by the customer, the following penalties will be applied, in addition to the insurance fee:

• 20% of the participation fee for cancellations by February 15th 2024
• 30% of the participation fee for cancellations by March 17th 2024
• 40% of the participation fee for cancellations by April 01st 2024
• 50% of the participation fee for cancellations by April 16th 2024
• 75% of the participation fee for cancellations by May 6th 2024
• from 7 May 2024 no refund in case of cancellation

Medical Baggage Policy included in the package

ADDITIONAL INSURANCE POLICIES

It is possible to sign up for the "Trip Cancellation" policy at the same time as booking the trip (regulations will be sent upon request)

Silver MBA insurance and the amount per share in a double room and/or double room for single use is:
- €21.00 per person up to 74 years of age
- €40.00 per person up to 74 years of age
It is possible to take out an additional policy which also covers cancellation in the event of previous illnesses (quotation on request).