Piacenza hills, between history and taste

Gianfranco Nalin

The itinerary I will share with you, between Piacenza and the Tidone Valley, is a journey – as you will see – where history, historical figures and taste are intertwined. My advice is to devote at least two days to it, as we Retired Travelers did (I see you Milanese, try to resist the temptation to make it all fit into a one-day trip!).

Our visit to Piacenza started at Palazzo Farnese for the exhibition The Splendors of Elisabetta Farnese. Portrait of a Queen. Antonio Iommelli, director of the Civic museums, accompanied us along the tour, telling us the story of this fascinating historical figure and how her life was woven together with the products of her territory. Though, to talk about her, it is impossible not to mention another great personality: Giulio Alberoni.

Cardinal Giulio Alberoni, a a distinguished protagonist of Piacenza’s history

«Not golden and silver coins, nor precious trinkets. Slices of coppa and salami!».

Cardinal Giulio Alberoni‘s words. He was a distinguished protagonist of Piacenza’s history and European history, who managed to influence the policies of the European courts of the 18th century with the help of – or rather, the aroma of – coppa and salami from Piacenza.

He came from humble origins (he was the son of a greengrocer), but he was an excellent diplomat and great communicator. Throughout his career, he knew how to make good use of the cured meats and wines of his territory to consolidate relationships.

Once he became general secretary to the French Vendôme and thus arrived at the court of Versailles, Cardinal Alberoni succeeded in two feats: getting to the court of Spain and convincing the Spanish aristocrats to accept Philip V, the grandson of the Sun King, as king. But also, persuading the Spanish ladies of the court that the best match for Philip V was the Duchess of Parma and Piacenza, Elisabetta Farnese, a “simple and proper” person, educated by her mother Dorothea of Neuburg, a German princess and sister of the Empress of the Holy Roman Empire.

Elisabetta Farnese, a woman of great culture

When in Madrid, it turned out that Farnese was anything but the simple woman that had been described by Alberoni. Instead, she was a woman of great culture, who spoke and wrote in four languages and knew how to rule. Of her, Frederick II of Prussia said: «The energetic heart of a Roman, the fierceness of a Spartan, the pertinacity of an Englishman, the shrewdness of an Italian, and the vivacity of a Frenchman concurred to form this singular woman».

Elisabetta Farnese, who was greedy for the cured meats of her native land, continued asking Alberoni to supply her royal pantry; and Piacenza’s cured meats continued to be used to promote court relations. This later led to Elisabeth’s son Charles III becoming king of the Two Sicilies, duke of Parma and Piacenza and finally king of Spain.

If you want to deepen the story of Alberoni, we recommend visiting the Collegio Alberoni with a guide. It is still an active seminary, but some of its rooms can be visited and house important works of art, including Flemish tapestries, a picture gallery and a Christ by Antonello da Messina. The visit also comprises the ancient library, with rare religious and scientific manuscripts so valuable that they were spared by Napoleon thanks to the secular vision of the founder, Cardinal Giulio Alberoni.

Salumificio Grossetti, La Palta Restaurant

At this point, you will imagine the desire we had to taste these fabulous PDO products that have made history! It happened on the second day. We went in search of the flavours of the area by bike, for a route along the trails of the Tidone Valley!

We followed the advice of the director of the Consorzio dei Salumi Piacentini and, after about an hour and a half of biking we reached Strà in the upper Tidone Valley, where a break at Salumificio Grossetti is mandatory. It is one of the 12 salami factories of the Consorzio Salumi Piacentini, right close to the bike trail. By booking in advance, here you can enjoy a guided tour of the workshops, taste the products, and understand why they have been a success among European aristocracy, and recently among the Tour de France 2024 cyclists.

After enjoying this snack, we stopped in Borgonovo Val Tidone, near Bilegno. A small place of old-fashioned houses, where we uncovered a hidden gem: La Palta restaurant. The two owners, Isa and Monica, combine local tradition with Isa’s Michelin cooking experience. Finally refreshed, we set out for Piacenza – and to perfectly complete the tour in a circle we went to the Civic museums of Palazzo Farnese, where one of Botticelli’s earliest paintings is on display.

Thanks to their ability to keep their most precious treasures hidden, while at the same time letting the world know about their products, the people of Piacenza have been able to forge bonds, avoid conflicts and enjoy the beauty and flavors of their hills in peace.