Southern Lombardy Travel Guide

Much of Lombardy's wealth is concentrated in the cities and towns of the broad Po plain, which forms the southern belt of the region. It's a wealth that is obvious throughout the area in the well-preserved medieval towns and the ugly industrial estates that surround them, not to mention the pollution - the Po is Italy's most polluted river, and air pollution in Milan is sometimes so dangerous that the traffic police don gas masks.

Despite all this, the area is well worth exploring. Milan may be polluted, but it's an upbeat city, with some great classical and contemporary art galleries and a splendid cathedral, as well as world-famous designer stores and a lively night scene. As a first taste of Italy it can be daunting; given time, though, and taken on its own, contemporary terms, it is a stimulating place to be. Pavia , to the south, is a pretty medieval town that makes a cheaper - and rather more peaceful - alternative base for this part of Lombardy, its cobbled streets and ancient churches taking a firm back seat in terms of sights to its Certosa , just outside. Heading east, Cremona was the birthplace of the violin and home of Stradivari, and has a neat, well-preserved centre, though it's not the kind of place you'd want to stay long. Mantua , in the far eastern corner of the region, is by contrast Lombardy's most visually appealing city, at least from a distance, although what you really come for are the remains of the powerful Gonzaga family, who ruled here for 300 years from their extravagant ducal palace and their later Palazzo Te, on the outskirts of the city, which contains some of the finest (and most steamily erotic) fresco-painting of the entire Renaissance.