Piacenza
Where to Eat in Piacenza
• Osteria del Trentino da Marco – A rustic gem tucked away in Piacenza’s heart. Here, Chef Marco serves up rich, buttery tortelli and perfectly grilled meats. Expect no-nonsense service, a well-worn wooden counter, and a wine list full of local reds.
• IO Luigi Taglienti – A contemporary dining experience where Michelin-starred chef Luigi Taglienti reinvents regional flavors with surgical precision. His risotto is an art form, layered with unexpected flavors, and the desserts? You will want them! This is where modern techniques of cooking meets Piacenza’s deep culinary roots.
• Antica Corte Pallavicina – Just outside Piacenza, in the countryside, this Michelin-starred haven is a pilgrimage site for food lovers. Chef Massimo Spigaroli’s kitchen is a shrine to culatello, the prized aged ham, and the tasting menu takes you on a slow, decadent journey through the Po Valley’s best ingredients.
• Ristorante D’Una Volta – Old-world charm, warm hospitality, and a tortelli di zucca so delicate it barely needs a fork. This is the kind of place where time slows down, and every bite feels like a love letter to tradition.
• Ristorante Pizzeria Bella Napoli – When you need a break from tortelli and tagliatelle, this is where you come for a wood-fired pizza that’s as good as anything you’d find in Naples. A crisp, blistered crust and simple, high-quality toppings make all the difference.
• Osteria del Trentino da Marco: A rustic gem tucked away in Piacenza’s heart. The menu is a celebration of local flavors, with highlights like the rich tortelli and perfectly grilled meats. The warmth of the staff matches the coziness of the atmosphere, making it a true Piacenza experience.
• Ristorante Vecchia Piacenza Nuova Gestione: A blend of rustic charm and refined flavors, their risotto al Gutturnio is a nod to the region’s wine heritage.
• Trattoria Da Mauro: Known for its hearty, home-style cooking, this trattoria is a local favorite for dishes like pisarei e fasö, a comforting pasta and bean dish that embodies Piacenza’s love for simple, flavorful comfort food.
Gelato & Chocolate
Bardini: A hidden gem in Piacenza where gelato is pure craftsmanship. Using high-quality ingredients and time-honored techniques, Bardini delivers rich, velvety scoops that celebrate the essence of each flavor. From creamy classics to seasonal fruit sorbets, every bite is a testament to passion and precision.
And then there’s the wine. Piacenza is part of the Colli Piacentini wine region, known for its Gutturnio and Malvasia. Many local wineries offer tastings, and it’s worth dedicating an afternoon to exploring their offerings.
Piacenza—where the past meets the present in quiet harmony.
Nestled in the fertile Padana Valley along the Po River, Piacenza sits at the end of the ancient Via Emilia, offering a serene escape in northern Italy. This is a city that reveals its layered Gothic history through quiet streets lined with noble mansions and piazzas where time seems to linger. The heart of it all beats in Piazza Cavalli, framed by the elegant Palazzo Gotico and dominated by the striking Farnese equestrian statues. Nearby, the city’s Cathedral and Palazzo Farnese stand as testaments to centuries of shifting rulers and artistic ambition.
When the weather is nice—spring and autumn are the best times to visit—walks along the Facsal or the banks of the Po feel like a meditating moment. But if you came to Emilia-Romagna for the food (and why wouldn’t you?), Piacenza won’t disappoint. This is the “food valley” of Italy, home to a hat trick of DOP-cured meats lCoppa Piacentina DOP, Pancetta Piacentina DOP, and Salame Piacentina DOP which pair effortlessly with local DOC wines like Gutturnio. The pasta is pure comfort—pisaréi e fasö, tiny hand-rolled dumplings with creamy beans, and anolini, small stuffed pasta often bathed in rich broth
Beyond the Table
Piacenza isn’t just about eating—it’s about history, art, and the landscapes Hemingway once admired. The Ricci Oddi Modern Art Gallery houses Gustav Klimt’s long-lost Portrait of a Lady, a piece that disappeared for decades before mysteriously reappearing in a gallery wall. If medieval grandeur is more your speed, the Palazzo Farnese Civic Museums hold everything from Etruscan artifacts to a perfectly preserved chariot from the Roman era.
For something truly magical, venture outside the city to Grazzano Visconti, a fairytale-like castle town that feels frozen in time, or explore the Trebbia River Valley, where rugged hills and emerald waters set the scene for hikes, swims, and slow afternoons with a bottle of Ortrugo wine.
Piacenza, Unfiltered
This is a city that doesn’t beg for attention—it rewards curiosity. You’ll find its magic in the details: the curve of a Romanesque arch, the hum of conversation in a backstreet trattoria, the way a slice of Coppa Piancentina DOP melts in your mouth
