Trip to Cava Manara, in the company of three kings, and the cyclists headed to Sanremo

content:
photos:
Vote this travel review

A cycling competition that has made history and that continues to inspire millions of people? Goes from here. A region long contested by the Savoy and the Austrians? Here it is. The place where one of the most important heroes of the Risorgimento has fought an important battle? And 'this. Our desire to break away from the big city for a day discovering a new place of peace and pleasure of our region, this time led us to Cava Manara, a common site on the Po, not far from the confluence of the Ticino near Pavia. This beautiful town has always been at the crossroads of Adventist important, that if time were of a war, now are of a sporting, cultural, tourist and gastronomic.
Whether it's a place destined to be special, they had already understood the Ligurian tribes who populated this land since ancient times. In the thirteenth century the town was called Cava Tavern, a name that could refer to the neighboring cultivated land to vineyards Oltrepò Pavese, while the current name assigned to the Quarry in 1863, is a tribute to Luciano Manara, just a patriot who Cava Manara fought a major battle at the head of the Lombard Sharpshooters.
Starting our ride in the historic center, a typical cross arch that leads into town. After a few steps away from colored houses that look a bit 'Ligurian ones, we come to the parish church dedicated to St. Augustine. Chatting with passers-by we discover that the devotion to the saint of this city has its origin in a miraculous event. In fact, during the passage of the saint's relics, aimed at Pavia, forty pilgrims would have seen him appear alive, as he left the church in clothes pontificiali, saying "I am Augustine."
Beside the church, there is a wide square with views of the hills Oltrepò. Here stands the baroque Palazzo Olevano, also mentioned as a castle, the residence of the homonymous dynasty that ruled this area for several centuries. At the margins of this viewpoint are the remains of an ancient fort, with some sections of arches with small bastions, connected by an air bridge to the eighteenth-century walls.
But in Cava Manara is not only the historical center to draw attention to its surroundings are also of great interest. The village Torre de 'Torti, of medieval origins in the eighteenth century was fought between the Savoy and the Austrians. The territory belonged to the first, but the Austrians refused to deliver them, so from 1710 to 1738 there was created a no man's land, which does not mind at all that some thug on the run in order to find the right way, could find refuge here without the risk of being caught.
The village was once common to Gerrechiozzo its own. The opening, in the nineteenth century, of the National Road Giovi gave way to the development of a new center, called Three Kings, by the name of a famous tavern in the area. The village became the capital of the Three King City, then in 1871 joined Cava Manara.
"This was the very place where cyclists of Milan - San Remo stopped for a break. Witness the word "stop cyclists" and the shield on the front, repainted by me to return to his life faded colors ", we learn from Mr. Charles Abbiati, owner of Hostaria Three Kings, in Togliatti. We decided to do as the cyclists for over a century, face the challenging race, and stop for dinner at the Inn which gave its name to the village. We settle in the room where the orange the dominant color of the environment is drawn also from the bottom of the glasses, as well as in the green room, set with glasses with a green background. "The food and wine have always been a passion of mine. After twenty years in the marketing world, work that had led me to travel the world, I returned to my origins realizing my dream of opening a restaurant, "he tells his story, Mr. Charles. The menu is based on traditional dishes with a touch of internationality here and there, even during the evenings of Thursday. We begin with a platter of cured meats, fried frogs and bleak, and the terrine of foie gras. We follow these with the typical appetizers of salami risotto, pasta, ravioli with braised agnolotti cheese. In the second choice of our group is divided between the wild boar, pheasant with lemon, potato rosti with the cost, the frogs in the stew and grilled eel. Let's water them with the goodness of Barbera and Bonarda Oltrepò, while some of us taste the pure delight of South African wine.
Our crown the evening with great homemade desserts and gourmet dinner, even if after this we would be very difficult to jump riding a bike, we go home happy and excited to have visited these places filled by the myth of cycling.

Frances Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

www.comune.cavamanara.pv.it
www.hostaria3re.it
Hostaria Three Kings
Via Togliatti, 47, Fraz. Three Kings Cava Manara (PV)
0382/553949