On the road of the medieval pilgrims, among hills, wine and food: A day in Castel San Giovanni

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Along the ring road west of London, we meet the sign "Tidone", but immersed in the stress and fast it is hard to understand that we can address those written in a very short time in a dream place: a valley that also liked to Romans, as well as to Emiliani and Lombardi, people who during the long centuries of history have come in successive waves. Today, Castel San Giovanni, called the Gate of Tidone, is part of the province of Piacenza, Emilia Romagna and is an outpost which begins from here in these beautiful hills that once belonged to the Roman IX Legion of Liguria. In the Middle Ages the town was known as Castrum Sancti Johannis de Olubra Olubra and the term probably meant an ancient church, while on the Castrum, is a castle built from 1290 by Albert Scotus, lord of Piacenza. The fort was equipped with two doors, with a tower and a drawbridge, but today this impressive structure that remains is the memory of historical fact, the castle was demolished in 1822 to make way for wide avenues five-meter thick walls built on the track fortified.
Some locals tell us that the tower of the castle would later became the bell tower of the Collegiate Church of St. John the Baptist. The church, dating from the twelfth century, is the oldest in the city, and is known for its baroque portals, as well as a precious wooden crucifix in 1496 by the sculptor Giacomo del Maino and his son Giovanni Angelo.
The strategic location of the city had no military importance, however, only, but also religious. Throughout the Middle Ages, in fact, Castel San Giovanni was known for his "ospitalis domus", ie the hospitals, but were not in nursing homes, but many of the places where the pilgrims coming from Alessandria and Tortona, and to Rome along the ancient road Romea, stopped for a short answer.
The richness of the religious life of the city is also evidenced by the presence of other beautiful churches as the fifteenth-century old church of San Rocco and the Church of Torricella, the sixteenth century. But not only: Castel San Giovanni is also the birthplace of Cardinal Casaroli, and in 1988 we visited Pope John Paul II.
During our walk we also visit the eighteenth-century Villa Braghieri - Albesani, once the country home of the Marquis of Castel Scotti Wood, and now the town library and the Museum of Ethnography Tidone. Taking advantage of the beautiful spring day, we also do a ride out of town, going to visit some of the many castles of the surrounding countries, including the Castello di Borgonovo Val Tidone Pianello and Nibbiano.
The road takes us back in the green, for dinner, on the outskirts of Castel San Giovanni, on the first slopes of the hills of Piacenza, where we decide to stop at the quaint restaurant Vino e Cucina, located in Via Montanara. The porch that overlooks the valley, the garden where there are large patches of Mediterranean herbs, roses, geraniums and colorful, with a pergola where you eat outside in good weather: all this seems a corner of paradise on earth. "This restaurant is housed in a cottage completely restored with original materials of the late nineteenth century," he tells the owner, Ilaria Fortuna, who runs the restaurant with her husband Joseph Schisano, while we sit in the cozy, close to fireplace. From our table we can continue to enjoy the scenery through the large windows, as we begin to enjoy dinner to the warm ambience of the old inn. Since the restaurant offers Mediterranean cuisine type, based on both specialties of fish dishes on Piacenza, our group decided to try both proposals. We begin our dinner with a rich appetizer of Piacenza salami mixed with pickles, which we follow the ravioli with butter and sage, as well as the typical pisarei and beans. As we enjoy an excellent second cup roasted with a baked potato. Our friends "sailors" opting instead for the fish menu, which, as we explain, it changes every week as a bit 'all the proposals of the room, following the seasonal nature of raw materials. It starts with appetizers poached octopus and mussels marinara, followed paccheri swordfish and grilled skewers of shrimp with artichokes. Let's water these delicacies with excellent local wines, offered in conjunction with the menu and we conclude on a sweet note with desserts of fresh home.
After discovering the beauty of these places, in addition to the excellence of its cuisine and its wines, we are confident that in the future willingly follow the sign for Tidone.

Frances Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:
www.comune.castelsangiovanni.pc.it
www.ristorantevinoecucina.com
Via Montanara, 90 Castel San Giovanni (PC)
0523/849256