Fidenza and the Verdi's places

The itinerary starts from Roncole, a small hamlet not far from Busseto and the Great Po River.

Here, it is possible to visit:

• the house where the Maestro was born, once a modest home and now a museum.
• the church of San Michele where Verdi was baptized.
• Guareschi House where the family of the well-known writer Giovannino Guareschi lived.

Among the places dedicated to the Maestro, Busseto is above all the Verdi town par excellence.

Must-sees

• Piazza Verdi, overlooked by ancient stores, historic buildings, and the 13th-century fortress, home to the Town Hall and the Verdi Theater dedicated to the illustrious citizen.
• Casa Barezzi where everything speaks of the composer and there you can relive his training and career, as the passionate Antonio Barezzi supported the young artist's aptitude and later married his daughter Margherita.
• Renata Tebaldi Museum, home to a fascinating multimedia tour of the heritage of Italian melodrama, to stay on the musical theme.

Curiosity

After his early successes, Verdi bought Palazzo Orlandi, where he later lived with singer Giuseppina Strepponi after the death of his first wife.

The last place on this itinerary is Fidenza: in the town, formerly Borgo San Donnino and an important stop on the Via Francigena, we begin our visit from Piazza Grandi where we find the Medieval Tower, a crenellated tower from the second half of the 14th century.

Behind it we find the beautiful Cathedral dedicated to Martyr Donnino, whose splendid facade is attributed to master Benedetto Antelami.

The next point of interest within a 10-minute walk is Piazza Verdi, overlooked by the Magnani Theater, a historic theater built to a design by Maria Luigia's architect, Nicola Bettoli, also the author of Parma's Teatro Regio, which began in 1813, the year Maestro Giuseppe Verdi was born. A few steps from the theater we find the Palazzo Comunale, which overlooks Piazza Garibaldi.