Mantova in May Palazzo Ducale

It's our second day in Mantova, or our third counting our day there in June 2020. The morning is dedicated to Palazzo Ducale, a group of buildings built between the 14th and the 17th century mainly by the noble family of Gonzaga as their royal residence in the capital of their Duchy. The buildings are connected by corridors and galleries and are enriched by inner courts and wide gardens. We skip Sala Picta because we saw it on our previous visit. The rest of Palazzo Ducale is immense and there's just so much to see. We take nearly three hours without being sure we've really done it justice. Highlights include the Giardino Pensile and Refectory/Sala dei fiumi next to it, Isabella's grotta and studiolo, and the Corte Nuova.

We are quite tired by the time we come out, a lot of peering upwards is necessary as the most spectacular frescoes are often on the ceilings.

For lunch we go to a Tavola Calda called Nosari. Simple food but we get to eat the local ravioli with pumpkin and amaretti and the rain has let up enough to make sitting outside an option.

The weather is dry in the afternoon. On the way back into the centre, we stop to see the Nuvolari museum about the racing driver and sit and rest a while outside Palazzo Ragione. We've booked the visit to Palazzo Arco for mid-afternoon. The guided visit to the house with its antique furniture and paintings is reasonably interesting but the Zodiac room is absolutely spectacular 

and the garden with its conservatory with pond in the middle is also worth seeing.

After a last walk through the centre we stop to see Teatro Bibiena, a scientific theatre, small but perfect

 and then walk on to see the Mincio river and sit a while under the trees.

By now it's getting late and there's a long walk back to the car. Well, there would be but fortunately there's the free shuttle mini bus between Palazzo Ducale and Palazzo Te. Excellent! We have enjoyed our stay in Mantova.