Seen from the point of view of a child, the Piacenza area can become an adventure.
Within the city walls lies a family-friendly historic centre: along the ancient walls there are areas for children to play, and Palazzo Farnese houses some very interesting collections that are perfect for a family visit.
Start by descending into the belly of an enormous palace to take a journey through the Carriage Museum, among royal vehicles, stagecoaches, sports carriages, fire engines and elegant sedan chairs. Palazzo Farnese also houses the Little Museum of Natural History, with coloured stones, fossil shells and animals.
The adventure continues in search of the Castello e Parco delle Fiabe (Castle and Fairy Tale Park) of Gropparello, a castle surrounded by woods, where you can let yourself be carried back into the past by entertainment and actors in costumes.
The last suggested landing place is among the rolling hills, where you can take a dive into the past in the village of Castell'Arquato. In this magic village among the lanes populated by low buildings, the stones of the houses host fossil shells. The final surprise is to find the sea, to be discovered in the Museo Geologico Cortesi (Cortesi Geological Museum) which houses fossils of dolphins, crabs and even whales.
The starting point of our itinerary is the magnificent Palazzo Farnese, home to the Civic Museums.
To see
The exhibition space of the palace houses the Little Museum of Natural History with its precious collections of minerals and fossil shells and about twenty specimens of animals from all over the world, some of which are on display for the first time.
After exploring nature, we move on to history: in the basement of Palazzo Farnese there is a vast and varied collection of carriages: royal, noble and sports carriages, but also a Sicilian cart, a fire engine and some sedan chairs.
Must-sees
For the more curious visitors, the museum's other collections include weapons and armour, a tondo attributed to none other than Botticelli, paintings celebrating the Farnese family and the Archaeological Museum, which houses, among other finds, the Etruscan Liver.
Given the size of the collections and their organisation into different sections, it is possible to divide your visit to Palazzo Farnese between the morning and the afternoon.
Tip
Strolling through the historic centre, along the narrow streets still laid out in the ancient Roman grid pattern, as well as seeing churches and palaces, you can stop for a bite to eat at a traditional trattoria or grab a quick batarò, a typical flatbread sandwich filled with Piacenza cold cuts, which is sure to satisfy everyone's palate.
The following morning we leave Piacenza behind, along the Strada Farnesiana, in order to reach the countryside, headed towards Carpaneto Piacentino.
Just before entering the city, it is necessary to turn right to begin the climb up the hill, accompanied by gentle slopes: after about 10 minutes you begin to recognize the silhouette of Gropparello Castle; it is possible to visit the rooms of the main floor, the keep and the walkway.
The collection of musical instruments is also worth a visit.
Curiosity
After opening the castle doors, in the park you enter a world of fairy tales and warriors waiting for visitors and involving them through paths in the woods, but... beware of ghosts! In fact, it is said that the spirit of a young girl who was imprisoned and died in the dungeons of the castle still calls for help on windy nights!
Let's go on to the last stop of this trip: the medieval village of Castell'Arquato, in Val D'Arda. On a slope of the lowest of Piacenza's hills stands this village. Mentioned among the most beautiful villages in Italy, it preserves winding streets and lanes that evoke its medieval foundation.
Must-see
To taste
For lunch, here we recommend chisolini (a mixture of water, flour, lard and yeast which is cut into rectangular shapes and fried) which can be tasted stuffed with local cold cuts; “anolini alla valdardese” (pasta filled with Grana Padano cheese and breadcrumbs, to be eaten in broth) and Vigolo's cake (pastry with a special and secret chocolate layer), accompanied - for adults - by one of the many local wines. Castell'Arquato is surrounded by hills, where some of the most famous local wines are produced, such as Monterosso Val D'Arda, Gutturnio, Malvasia and Ortrugo.
Before leaving, we suggest a walk along the Arda river which, on rainy days, still washes up small fossil remains.
