Things to Do and See in Lodi

As the capital of the province of the same name, Lodi has a distinctly medieval character, starting with the ruins of the Visconti castle, built in 1370 just inside the city walls. The heart of the city is Piazza della Vittoria, surrounded by characteristic arcades lined with the Duomo—the oldest place of worship—and the Town Hall, extending all the way to the churches of San Francesco and San Lorenzo, dating back to the 13th century. The Santuario dell’Incoronata is one of the most significant examples of Lombard Renaissance architecture; it features a central plan in the Bramante style, with beautiful stucco work and frescoes created in collaboration with the leading artists of Lodi and Lombardy. Other major monuments worth mentioning are the former convents of San Cristoforo and San Domenico in Lodi, now the seat of the Province of Lodi; only a few ruins remain of the Visconti Castle. The Lodi Bridge, or Ponte sull’Adda, is of fundamental importance to the city because, in addition to its architectural uniqueness, it connects the city with neighboring towns. In the rest of the province, we recommend visiting the numerous museums dedicated to rural life, such as those in Cavacurta, Cavenago d’Adda, Livraga, Mairago, Montanaso Lombardo, and Sant’Angelo Lodigiano; to admire the splendid historic villas and castles, be sure to visit the towns of Borghetto Lodigiano, Sant’Angelo Lodigiano—home to its Visconti Castle, one of the best-preserved in Lombardy—Camairago, and Castiglione d’Adda. In Codogno, don’t miss the paintings in the 16th-century Collegiate Church of San Biagio and the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Caravaggio. Meanwhile, in Lodi Vecchio, the 4th-century Romanesque Basilica of San Bassiano—featuring exquisite frescoes dating back to the first half of the 14th century—is a must-see, as is the Cistercian Abbey of Saints Peter and Paul in Abbadia Cerreto, Villa Biancardi in Casalpusterlengo, and Villa Litta Carini in Orio Litta.