Looking for feedback: Ferrara, Cremona, Bresica, Treviso

We really enjoyed our stay in Ferrara. Very pleasant and uncrowded. Lots of culture highly recommend. Likewise we found Treviso very nice, great strolling along the canals. Home of tiramisu what more can I say.
Brad

Just left Ferrara a few days ago. Tons to see and do there although the town and sites are more spread out than some of the historic Italian cities and has a fair amount of blah general housing that is less exciting than Modena or some of the smaller towns. There are some many things that the Ferrara pass - which also pays from some of your city tax - is one of the few passes I've gotten.

Estense Castle, Rotonda Foschini (quick look), Palazzo dei Diamanti, Pinacoteca Nazionale di Ferrara, Museo della Cattedrale, Museo Archeologico Nazionale were all on the list but I couldn't get to all of them. Watch for afternoon closures in timing.
If you do Palazzo Schifanoia try and include nearby Monastero di Sant'Antonio in Polesine but the hours are restricted. (Especially informative if you've seen Scroveni Chapel.)

Brescia has some amazing Roman ruins continued into a really interesting, sprawling and unusual museum Santa Giulia, great piazza attached to great piazza attached to great piazza for walking and castle on top of the hill to top everything else off. I would take the metro one stop to Vittoria to avoid wandering through "everyday Italy by the train station" but then Piazza della Vittoria flows into Piazza della Loggia which flows into Piazza Paolo VI with the two cathedrals or wander Corso Giuseppe Zanardelli which is a wandering pedestrian shopping area. I liked the towns kind of hip arty vibe and I really enjoyed my time there, but saw little hint of tourism outside the castle and museums. Say "Hi" to the floating rhino for me!

I've never been but have heard nothing but good things about Treviso - even from our Venetian hosts really like it which is saying something.

Sounds like a great trip,
=Tod

If you're going to Treviso, you might also consider Trieste.

Its not a small place, but not on the tourist trail so you've probably never seen it before.

It was the port city for the Austria-Hungary Empire so it'll have these different vibe than the other Italian cities you'll be going to.

Of the towns you mentioned, I’ve stayed in Cremona & Ferrara. I would recommend both of them. Cremona has a gorgeous cathedral with lots of beautiful frescoes. And the clock tower has a museum as you climb up inside it. The Stradivari museum is excellent. Go in a weekend if you want to attend a concert.

Others mentioned Ferrara, another great option. And it’s a direct train from Ferrara’s small train station over to Ravenna to see the amazing mosaics!

I've stayed in three of the four towns you mentioned and also in Trieste. Brescia is the one I've missed. I would rank them Ferrara, Cremona, Treviso, Trieste, though we were lucky enough to attend a wonderful concert conducted by Kurt Masur in Cremona which was definitely a highlight.

I haven't visited Treviso. Of the other three Ferrara is the most interesting, the historical centre is quite compact and walkable but there's lots to see so worth a few nights.
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2023/12/ferrara-trip-report.html
Cremona and Brescia are both good for a day each.
If you haven't been to Mantova, that's better than either and definitely needs longer

Oh,I really liked Mantova, also! I was there for two nights a few years ago & thoroughly enjoyed it. I stayed at Palazzo Arrivabene B&B, and that will give you an added benefit of a historical, beautiful old place to stay. I stayed in the room with the ancient slide lock for the room. : )

I planned to take my adult daughter there last year but sadly had to cut it out of our itinerary because of her short available time.

Treviso ---

We really enjoyed the historical center of Treviso for six nights one September. It feels like a small town unless you walk into the newer sections. Many streets in the lovely old part of Treviso are either pedestrian-only (often narrow and porticoed) or have so little traffic they are usually full of people walking. This makes Treviso a wonderfully relaxing town to be in. Many buildings have frescoed walls and look quite Venetian. There are small canals and bridges and there were flowers everywhere. Several museums and churches with the late medieval/early Renaissance art I like best. Walk on top of the encircling walls, too.

Be sure to hunt down the wire mesh sculptures of Mario Martinelli in Treviso --- it's like street art but it's permanent art that looks like shadows on the city walls.

Ferrara ---

We spent 4 nights in Ferrara in early December one year and did not get to the end of everything we wanted to see and do and eat there. We'd love to return some time.

Don't miss the interesting frescoes at Palazzo Schifanoia.

We especially enjoyed a visit to the Monastero di Sant’Antonio in Polesine. Three 14th century chapels with school of Giotto frescoes that have several interesting oddities in them. To see the chapels, ring the monastery bell & ask to visit the frescoes. A little nun will give you a tour. After the chapels, I wonder if she shows everybody where the nuns collect holy water from. I won't describe it so that it's a surprise! No photos allowed. No charge, but at the end of the tour, donate a bit or buy a couple of postcards. The monastery is closed for a few hours in the middle of the day. My husband is thoroughly tired of two decades of keeping me company to see art like this, but he LOVED this whole experience.

We enjoyed eating at I Tri Scalin — it was recommended by my husband's Ferrarese cooking class for its traditional food. Also Trattoria da Noemi.