Soncino
Member of I Borghi più belli d'Italia
In 1488 a Jewish family of printers produced the first complete printed Hebrew Bible here, and took the name Soncino from the town. A frontier stronghold on the Oglio between Milan and Venice, it is still partly ringed by about 2 km of walls, and guarded by the Sforza castle of 1473. Inside, separate squares hold the town hall, the parish church and the weekly market.
Highlights
- Rocca Sforzesca, with three square towers, one round tower and underground prisons
- Museo della Stampa in the Casa degli Stampatori
- Santa Maria delle Grazie, fully frescoed, with works by Giulio Campi
- San Giacomo and its leaning octagonal bell tower
- The castle that served as a set for Ladyhawke
Text adapted from Wikipedia (Soncino, Soncino, Lombardy), Wikivoyage (Soncino). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Population: 7,490
Things to see
Events through the year
- Carnival of Soncino
- Spring festival
- Medieval evening
- European Day of Jewish Culture
- Open-air painting contest
- Sagra di San LuigiThe town's own sagra
- Halloween in Rocca
- Historical re-enactment
- Root sagraBitter Soncino root, a crop grown only locally
- Feast of Saint Martin
Dates follow the traditional patterns in our sources: check locally before you travel.
Adapted from Wikipedia (Soncino), Wikivoyage (Soncino). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Specialities of Lombardy
Typical of the region rather than of this village.
- PizzoccheriBread and pasta
Casoncelli in una grande padellaPublic domainCasoncelliBread and pasta
Bresaola-Valt-IGPPublic domainBresaola della Valtellina (IT)Cured meat- GorgonzolaCheese
.jpg/500px-Sun-rice_(11027684905).jpg)
Adapted from Wikipedia (Cucina lombarda, Lombard cuisine). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to sleep
1 place to stay within 3 km
- Campsites 1
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Thermal baths nearby
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Nearby member villages
- Gradella · 26 km
- Monte Isola · 39 km
- Lovere · 49 km
- Castelponzone · 51 km
- Clusone · 54 km