Lodi

Lodi was founded by Federico Barbarossa in 1158 on the banks of the river Adda to the east of the ancient Laus Pompeia (now Lodi Vecchio) which was destroyed by the Milanese in 1111. The small town was built for strategic reasons and became the capital of the province in 1992. It has a grid of streets that lie around Piazza del Mercato and Piazza Maggiore (now Piazza della Vittoria) which form a lovely rectangular space surrounded by porticoes and overlooked by the Duomo. A town based on dairy produce and surrounded by fertile agricultural land, Lodi's historical center is still intact. In addition to the Duomo, you should really visit the Renaissance masterpiece the Incoronata, the splendid Romanesque church of San Francesco, the Palazzo Varesi and the lovely porticoes in the center.