Tortona: Museums, Fortress Traces and Urban Forest

Tortona combines art, archaeology, maritime history and green urban spaces with a railway connection that makes the town interesting for an individual trip to Italy. Several independent cultural experiences take center stage: the Museo civico di Tortona preserves archaeological finds from Julia Dertona and the surrounding area. Its collections on paleontology and palaethnology broaden the perspective beyond the town’s history alone.

Art and Unusual Museum Themes

The Pinacoteca of the Museo civico includes works from the 19th and 20th centuries. “Il Divisionismo” provides a particular highlight: the permanent exhibition, opened on May 26, 2012, documents a fundamental period of Italian art culture between the 19th century and the 20th. Anyone interested in painting and its development will find a clear focus here within Tortona’s cultural offerings.

The collection of the Pinacoteca della Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Tortona also focuses on an art-historical dialogue. An original collection of paintings by Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo is juxtaposed there with later targeted acquisitions of works by important artists. This range of museums is complemented by a reconstructed studio of the puppeteer Peppino Sarina with numerous stage materials from puppet theater. As a result, the cultural diversity extends from fine art to the history of puppetry.

Maritime History and Memorabilia

The Museo del Mare di Tortona contains around 1,500 exhibits. One of its particularly striking objects is the German ENIGMA cipher machine, displayed there as an object of exceptional historical significance. The museum also preserves memorabilia from the 1900 North Pole expedition of the Duca degli Abruzzi, Luigi Amedeo di Savoia. These themes give a stay in Tortona a maritime and expedition-history dimension, even though the town itself is not defined by a coastal setting.

Parco del Castello and the Traces of the Fortress

Parco del Castello is an extensive green area in the hilly part of Tortona, immediately next to the historic center. At its summit stands the Torre, regarded as a landmark of Tortona. Several ruins in the park bear witness to the ancient fortress, which towered over the settlement until its destruction, ordered by Napoleon in 1801. The historic character of the site is therefore not limited to museum interiors but is also evident in the landscape itself.

Parco del Castello includes the Bosco del Lavello. It is a rare example of an urban forest and complements the extensive green area with its own distinctive landscape focus. This creates a contrast in your day planning between collections, works of art and historical traces on the one hand, and hilly green space immediately next to the historic center on the other.

Travel and Excursions at Different Paces

Tortona railway station is a stop for Italo high-speed trains with direct connections to Genoa, Milan, Rome and Naples. The Swiss Federal Railways’ Zurich–Genoa EuroCity also serves the station. Regional and Intercity trains connect the area with other important Italian cities. These different rail connections are relevant for travelers who want to include Tortona in a longer trip through Italy.

For an active day out, the MTB-SCRIVIA route is available. It comprises a 24.10 km loop from Castelnuovo Scrivia to Tortona and back. Anyone looking for a religious and architectural focus instead of a cycling loop can consider the Basilica Santuario Madonna della Guardia, which was inaugurated in Tortona on August 29, 1931.

More Destinations

If you would like to compare more Italian destinations in addition to Tortona: Volpedo, Gabiano, Cereseto, Ponti, Alice Bel Colle, Cuccaro Monferrato, Sanico and Ombra.

For the higher-level travel overview: Alessandria.