Mantova in June

This is our first trip anywhere after over three months of Coronavirus lockdown. We are enticed down from our village at 1000 metres altitude in the Alps by Mantova offering free access to the Sala Picta of Palazzo Ducale for the first week of opening. Since we had been planning to visit Mantova when the emergency struck it seems particularly appropriate to make it our first trip. We are in the car early and decide to take the ordinary road to Mantova instead of the motorway. It's really exceedingly pleasant to be behind the steering-wheel of a car for pleasure after so many weeks during which the only trips anywhere were stressful excursions for essential groceries.

We've done our research and find it easy to park in the free car park at Campo Canoa. From here there would normally be a shuttle bus across the bridge which leads directly to Palazzo Ducale. As it is it's a pleasant walk with a splendid view of Mantova across the lake. 

We are early for our booking at Palazzo Ducale so spend some time wandering around the outside of the castle and moat before going into the main square of Mantova. Which is enormous. Or perhaps seems enormous because it is so empty. Just a handful of people, wearing masks, going about their business, and perhaps less than a dozen who seem tourists. The early morning sun in June is a little misty and in the ancient cobbled square, Piazza Sordello, surrounded by palaces and the red brick of Palazzo Ducale there's a still sleepy atmosphere. We wander around just looking for a while.

We've been told to arrive fifteen minutes early at the booking office where there's hand sanitizer and a temperature scanner. A couple of people arrive after us and keep their distance as instructed. Access to the Palazzo Ducale is precisely to the minute and since we are a little early we have to wait. Once again people are careful to stand well apart and we are waiting outside so everything feels ok. Nevertheless, the staff seem a little stressed about everything. We're told we can stay just five minutes in Sala Picta and when I, all things considered innocently, ask if it's the same under 'normal' i.e. paying circumstances, the lady is rather aggressive. I protest that this was a request for information, not a complaint, and she calms down a little, but everyone seems little tense.

The Camera degli Sposi ("bridal chamber"), also known as the known as the Sala picta ("painted chamber"), is a small jewel with its frescoes painted by Mantegna during the fifteenth century when Mantova was ruled by the Gonzaga. Apparently even in normal non-Covid circumstances you only get to spend 5 minutes there so it's probably worth reading up on it beforehand, or watching a video about the frescoes as we did the evening before. 

On the way out we get a brief glimpse of the next room and the castle courtyard and are also able to visit the Archaeological Museum. It's still quite early so we go into the church opposite Palazzo Ducale which is actually the Cathedral of Mantova dedicated to Saint Peter. The cathedral is an impressive building inside with fine ceilings and some fine paintings by Giulio Romano. We particularly like the frescoed dome full of angels.

Back outside in the warming sunshine we stroll on to Piazza delle Erbe, a few tables are set outside restaurants but just a couple are occupied in each establishment. Work is in progress on the outside of Palazzo della Regione which is closed but we can still admire the clock tower and other ancient buildings

before going into the Rotonda di San Lorenzo. As the name suggests it's a round church, built in brick, and is the most ancient church in the city (11th century), inspired by the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem. 

It reminded us of the Tempio of San Giovanni al Sepolcro which we visited in Brindisi. Entry is free but you can leave an offer if you want. By the time we come out it's getting on for twelve o'clock, too late to see the Concattedrale of Sant'Andrea which is about to close so we make our way to the very pleasant garden in Piazza Lega Lombarda where we find a shady bench for our picnic. We don't yet feel comfortable about the idea of eating out and it's so pleasant, cool and quiet in the small park that we don't miss it either.

The weather forecast when we set out had threatened thunderstorms around lunchtime but the rain continues to hold off and we make it as far as Palazzo del Te (which we decide not to visit this time), stop for a rest in the park and are nearly back under the arches of the centre before the first drops fall. We are then grateful for all the porticos because the rain becomes quite torrential and too much for our flimsy umbrellas to cope with. We shelter in front of Sant'Andrea for a while, watching the deluge, but it's nearly three o'clock now so we haven't long to wait to go in.

The first chapel on the left holds the tomb of Andrea Mantegna with a fine and unusual painting of Sacra Famiglia e famiglia del Battista by the artist. 

Access to the Basilica is free but it's worth putting a one euro coin into the box to illuminate not only this beautiful painting and chapel, but all the side chapels and the ceiling. The illumination box wasn't working when we put the coin in the day we were there but we found the custodian in the sacristy who activated the lighting. The crypt was unfortunately closed but the other highlight of this splendid Renaissance building, for us, were the superb trompe d'oeil candelabras each different from the other, absolutely fascinating.

We spend nearly an hour inside and by the time we come out energies are flagging. The sun has come out and so we have a last stroll through Piazza Sordello and then along the lakeside but a little warily because dark clouds are still looming..... Time to go back to the car, where I've left a couple of slices of cake. Then we decide to risk a visit to the Co-op (there are fewer Coronavirus cases in the area at the moment than where we live), then there's the longish drive home.......It was just so nice to have a day out!!