The hidden stage from Mantua

We woke up early in the morning on our 9th day on the road. We already had visited Zurich, Lugano, Lake Como (the beautiful towns of Menaggio, Bellagio, Varenna and Tremezzo), Milan, Turin and Cremona. A long day was waiting for us: going to Mantua and spending few hours, then heading toward the city of love birds – Verona 🙂 .

The train station in Cremona is quite small, but is frequently passed by trains which stop in Mantua. Traveling by train in Italy is quite cheap. If I remember correctly, a ticket to our destination was around 6 euros, and the trip would last around 50 minutes.

As we arrived in Mantua, a cold grey weather welcomed us. From the train station, you can easily walk to the small, but full of history town. Due to the nasty weather, the old city seemed unfriendly, but as we walked toward its core, we were able to discover its shy beauty.

We had a lovely walk on the narrow pedestrian streets. Suddenly, medieval tall buildings began to rise. As we were getting closer to Piazza Sordello, we were able to admire the imposing walls of Palazzo Ducale di Mantova. Close to the palace, Mantua Cathedral was keeping its warm doors open for us.

The white interior walls were decorated with the famous Carrara marble. Its long and elegant columns imposed us a respectful silence. As we were raising our sights to the sumptuous ceiling, the wide windows made the fine details glow in natural light. We got closer to the shrine, and the sky started falling on us, as it was raining with armies of angels coming from the tall dome frescoes. To be honest, in my eyes, this was one of the most beautiful  cathedrals I have visited until now.

As we were leaving the cathedral, the weather got colder. We had one more important stop – and that was in the wonderful world of theater.  On our way, we had the impression, that the old town of Mantua was build on arches and columns, as all its beautiful buildings were watching us, suspended from high above. Soon we reached our destination – Teatro Bibiena (also known as Teatro Scientifico, Teatro Accademico or Teatrino della Accademia Filarmonica).

As we entered the hall, just like magic, we were transferred into a new world. I was surprised to see seats even on the stage. The whole room was giving me the impression that you can be seen from every corner or angle. A diffuse light protected each seat and the weight of the balconies which was hosting the boxes was overwhelming. In a hidden corner, a stone spiral staircase was allowing us to experience a complete view of the entire room. Suddenly, as I was resting on a red velvet bench, I heard the gentle music of an overture. Smooth violins and cellos started whispering. I could see with the eyes of my mind, the heavy curtains opening, leaving a cloud of light dust behind them and with that revealing the main characters of the drama. All, like living ghosts, were saying with great talent, their best lines. A sudden thunder of applause opened my eyes woke me up to reality. This theater was not built by human hands!

When leaving the curious theater, a tender rain started. It was high time to leave to the train station. We had a second chance to admire the old city of Mantua. Even if it had an urgent need of restoration, a particular beauty was floating all around.

Next stop: Verona! 🙂