The Zenith of the hospitality: story of my trip to Voghera, Lombardy region, Italy

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As we walk the short stretch of highway that takes us from our city in Voghera, past the trucks from the port of Genoa carrying the goods in the province of Pavia, the thought immediately flies to many centuries ago, when on the road connecting the Valley with Straffora the sea, instead of the truck were the mules loaded with salt. Yes, because from Voghera, given its strategic location, was passing the famous Lombard Street rooms, along which goods were transported from the north, including wool, and always the same road came in the plain of salt loads, material invaluable for storing food and for tanning leather.
A beautiful green city, solar, human scale, and with an important history behind it, dating from Neolithic times: the mild climate of Voghera and the presence of water courses were already appreciated by prehistoric man. The city's location has been, over the centuries, his joy, but his cross: on the one side was a place of transit and stopover for many pilgrims to Rome or even in the Holy Land, unfortunately, not the war ' were spared, beginning with the armies of the Great Massimo Clemente and Attila, respectively 387 and 452 AD, to the bombings of World War II. But the footprint of the pilgrims, and their spiritual message, has prevailed over the long suffering: so San Bovo, a French knight, after many glorious battles, in which he had distinguished himself for being able to defend his country with valor, but subsequently changed his life, devoting himself to meditation and pilgrimage, became the patron saint of Voghera.
Arriving in town, drive along the road, the inner ring road, which we learn later, during our walk, which is developed on the track of those that were once the city walls torn down between 1821 and 1830, hence the decision to expand and modernize the town, following a significant demographic change.
Voghera is the birthplace of several celebrities from the world of culture, as the writer Alberto Arbasino, pianist and film composer Pino Calvi, who was born here in 1930, in addition to the Futurist painter Ambrogio Casati, 1897.
We walk, therefore, on stones with a certain history, when once settled in the comfortable rooms of Hotel Restaurant Zenit c'avviamo to explore the city. The eighteenth-century cathedral of San Lorenzo Martire is a breathtaking beauty, admire it in the middle of a sunny and beautiful square surrounded by the beautiful streets of Old Town.
Another is a must Castle, built by the Visconti in the second half of the fourteenth century. Front and around we found very nice green area with trees and plants bordered by a quiet road, yet lively, with shops and buildings characteristic.
If weather were the pilgrims to stay in Voghera, today they are tourists and for business people who are in the area. So we told the lady Mary, the owner of the hotel restaurant for thirty years now Zenit, but after our day of relaxation in this lovely city of art, we sit at the table. We welcome a familiar, friendly and fun, where you chat with the managers and you can taste the authentic dishes of the area. After the pretzels with the appetizer, the mixed meats, Russian salad and veal with tuna sauce appetizer, we take the crepes with cheese, while our friends opted for a seasonal risotto, with mushrooms. "With us everything is fresh, our cuisine is authentic, we do not use canned stuff, everything is homemade, with quality ingredients, to ensure freshness. We also prepare the delicious dishes of fish, by appointment, "explains Mrs. Mary. After the first, we begin to think about what to choose as the second, when he met Joan, the daughter of the owner. "Our dishes are so good because we really like our work," says with genuine love. "As we work, we enjoy talking with people and prepare good meals for all, is our life. I love when I get a bus full of tourists, our work allows me to meet many new people, "said Joan, while we decide for the latter: skewered meats, and mixed fried meats and vegetables. Washed down with fine wines Oltrepò Pavia, and end the meal with a delicious tart with strawberries, while our friends choose a colorful fruit salad with ice cream.
We will return soon to follow the ancient salt route leading to Voghera, as we found ourselves very well, and we still have many historical and artistic gems to be discovered. After all, traveling is the spice of life.

Frances Bertha