← Verdi Marathon·Day trip

Busseto: Verdi's Town on a Tuesday

The marathon finish town on a quiet day, with the theatre, the composer's birthplace in a nearby village and a lunch of cured pork from the plain.

DurationDay trip
TransitTaxi or regional bus from Salsomaggiore Terme, about 25 to 40 min
DepartsSalsomaggiore Terme

After the Verdi Marathon: Busseto

The Route: Salsomaggiore Terme → Busseto → Roncole Verdi → Salsomaggiore Terme Logistics: A short taxi ride or a regional bus. A car makes the villages easier. Marathon Month: February Duration: Day trip

Salsomaggiore Terme ──(taxi or bus ~25-40 mins)──> Busseto ──(short taxi)──> Roncole Verdi
                     <──────────────(same route back)──────────────────────────┘

You finished the Verdi Marathon in Piazza Verdi on Sunday, tired and with a medal and probably no memory of the buildings. Go back on Tuesday. The Verdi birthplace museum is closed on Mondays, and Tuesday is the first day it opens.

February in Busseto. The Po plain in February is flat, foggy and cold, with a low sun when the mist lifts. The town is quiet, the streets are wet cobbles and the shop shutters close for lunch. In most years the days are damp, though conditions vary. Wear a coat and shoes with grip.

Salsomaggiore to Busseto is a drive of roughly 25 to 40 minutes. A taxi is the easy option and a regional bus via Fidenza may be possible, though the Tuesday timetable needs checking at the tourist office or the operator. The event shuttle that ran on race day does not run on Tuesday.

The Town

Busseto is a small town with arcaded streets and a central square, Piazza Verdi, which holds the finish line on race day. The Teatro Verdi stands on the square. Check the theatre's visiting days and times before going, because small-town theatres in winter often limit tours. A slow walk round the centre takes under an hour on flat ground.

Casa Barezzi, in the town, is the house of Verdi's early patron. Check opening times and tickets in advance.

Roncole Verdi

Verdi was born in the village of Roncole, a few kilometres from Busseto. The birthplace museum, at Via della Processione 1, is open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:30 to 12:30 and from 14:30 to 17:00, with the last admission shortly before closing. A full ticket costs about EUR 5 (approximately GBP 4.30), and a combined ticket for three sites is listed at about EUR 12 (approximately GBP 10.30). Hours and prices change, so check the museum's website before going. The house is small and the visit is short.

Eating

The plain around Busseto is known for cured pork. Ask for culatello, a cured ham from the area, with torta fritta, a fried bread, and look for the local sparkling red wine. Check opening days, because small restaurants in the town close one weekday and some close on Tuesday.

Getting Back

Return to Salsomaggiore by the same taxi or bus, and fix the pick-up time before you set out. Late-afternoon buses can be few, and a taxi back from a small town needs booking ahead.