Pavarotti house and Mantua

Before leaving Modena area, we drove 20 mins outside of town to visit Luciano Pavarotti house, which is now turned into a museum. It was such a poignant and intimate experience to learn about his incredible life and walk his rooms. Pavarotti was not only one the worlds best tenors, but he also was someone who truly democratized opera and made it accessible to the masses. He was such a prominent humanitarian figure and full of life. The audio guide did a great job bringing the house to life.

We then drove an hour north to Mantua, where we did a VoiceMap tour, learning about this city that was quite a center in medieval times, fighting for dominance with Bologna and Venice. There were Ducales that were ruling Mantua for centuries and they built some incredible palaces. The main 16 century Palace of Ducales is enormous - 500 rooms, 35 courtyards. We left it for tomorrow. But in the afternoon I went to the Palace of Te - a summer villa built by one of the Ducales in 1525. The guy was quite a Don Juan and it is reflected in voluptuous frescoes covering the palace. Many are depicting the allegories of Greek myths about love affairs and beauty. The frescoes were so incredibly realistic, detailed and in incredible condition. Very comparable quality to Sistine chapel. After feasting my eyes and soul on amazing art, I went for dinner to indulge in traditional Mantua pumpkin ravioli. Very delicious!Read more