Hotel Azzurra

Situated in the beautiful countryside outside Cerreto Guidi, Villa Petriolo is a magnificent Medici residence offering luxurious rooms in a setting of outstanding charm. In addition to the beauty of the villa and its garden, overlooked by the restaurant’s terrace, the location benefits from the property’s delicious home-produced ingredients, such as extra-virgin olive oil, wine, Cinta Senese pork, meat and chicken, produce from the kitchen garden and ancient grains. The kitchen reinterprets these rich ingredients with a modern twist, offering two tasting menus — one of which for vegetarians —

Situated in attractive countryside where the plains give way to rolling hills (a perfect destination for a Sunday outing), this simple yet well-kept trattoria serves all the usual traditional local specialities. The typical fresh pasta and the desserts are all home-made.

The 18C ceramic stove, bright, colourful decor (both period and vintage), long family tradition and excellent cuisine all contribute to making this restaurant which opened half a century ago a bastion of fine cuisine in Piacenza and the wider Po valley. Meat and fish both feature on the menu, although it is the latter that has become renowned as the restaurant’s speciality over the years. The excellent service is friendly and informal yet highly professional, while the extensive wine list also includes a good selection of wines by the glass.