Pavia Day Trip

Pavia is a quiet, historic university city on the river Ticino, south of Milan and easily reached by regional train from Milano Centrale or Rogoredo. Once the capital of the Lombard kingdom in the early Middle Ages, it has a remarkable collection of Romanesque churches, a famous covered bridge, one of the oldest universities in Europe and, just outside the city, the magnificent Certosa di Pavia. It makes a calm and rewarding day trip, with far fewer visitors than Lake Como.

The covered bridge

The Ponte Coperto, the covered bridge, crosses the Ticino with a roof supported by columns and a small chapel at its centre. The original bridge dated from the fourteenth century, but it was badly damaged in the Second World War and rebuilt in a similar form in the late 1940s. The view from the riverbank, with the old town rising behind the bridge, is the classic image of Pavia. Across the river lies the Borgo Ticino, a former fishermen's quarter with colourful houses and riverside restaurants.

The university

The University of Pavia was founded in 1361 and is one of the oldest in Europe. Its historic buildings on Strada Nuova have elegant courtyards surrounded by porticoes, decorated with plaques and statues of famous scholars, including the physicist Alessandro Volta, who taught here. Students give the city a lively atmosphere, and the historic colleges, such as the Collegio Borromeo, founded in the sixteenth century, add to its grandeur.

Romanesque churches

Pavia's churches are among the finest Romanesque buildings in Italy. San Michele Maggiore, built of golden sandstone, has a façade decorated with carved animals, monsters and figures; kings of Italy, including Frederick Barbarossa in 1155, were crowned here. San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro holds the tomb of Saint Augustine in a marble shrine, and the philosopher Boethius is also buried there. The cathedral, begun in 1488, has one of the largest domes in Italy.

Architecture beyond the bridge

The old town's streets reveal Romanesque brick churches, medieval towers and narrow lanes that open into small squares. Piazza della Vittoria, a long square at the heart of the city, is lined with arcades and cafés. The Castello Visconteo, built in the fourteenth century by Galeazzo II Visconti, now houses the city's museums, including a picture gallery and archaeological collections.

The Certosa di Pavia

A few kilometres north of the city stands the Certosa di Pavia, a monastery founded in 1396 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti as a family mausoleum. Its marble façade, covered with sculptures and reliefs, is one of the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, and the interior holds frescoes, altarpieces and the tombs of Gian Galeazzo and of Ludovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este. The great cloister is surrounded by the monks' individual houses. The Certosa can be reached by train to Certosa di Pavia station, followed by a walk, and visits follow the rhythm of the monastic community.

Food in Pavia

Pavia lies in the heart of rice country, and local menus feature risotto in many forms, including risotto alla certosina with freshwater fish and frogs. The Oltrepò Pavese hills to the south produce wines and salami, and the zuppa pavese, a broth with bread and egg, is a simple local classic.

Our view

Pavia suits travellers who enjoy history and a slower pace. We visit the Certosa in the morning, then continue into the city for lunch, the churches and a walk to the covered bridge at sunset. For contrasting day trips, see our guides to Lake Como and Bergamo. Back in Milan, a plate from our risotto guide continues the rice theme, and our three-day itinerary shows how to fit a day trip into a short stay.