Duomo Hotel Cremona

An elegant hotel in the heart of the city of music

The Hotel Duomo and restaurant is very close to
the cathedral, which can be seen in the background

In a central location, the Hotel Duomo is the ideal choice for visitors who want to explore the historic city of Cremona in Lombardy.

Situated in Via Dei Gonfalonieri, the Duomo Hotel is just a few metres away from Cremona’s main square, Piazza Duomo, where the Romanesque cathedral and its huge Torrazzo, (bell tower), are a magnificent sight.

The Duomo Hotel is housed in a traditional brick building with pretty, wrought-iron balconies. It has its own restaurant next door, which serves guests with a generous buffet breakfast and offers a full a la carte menu at lunch times and in the evenings.

The hotel opened in 1959, taking its name from the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, usually referred to simply as il Duomo. Although housed in an historic building, the hotel’s guest rooms are presented with immaculate décor in a contemporary style. The rooms have air conditioning, direct dial telephone, satellite television, internet connection, mini bar and safe.

There are plenty of bars, restaurants and shops near the Duomo Hotel and it is a comfortable walk from the main attractions of the city and the railway station.

The Piazza Duomo is one of the most
elegant central squares in Italy

Cremona is famous for the invention of the modern violin in 1566 and as the birthplace of composers Claudio Monteverdi and Amilcare Ponchielli.

Andrea Amati, who created the modern violin from the medieval fiddle, was followed into the profession by his sons, Antonio and Gerolamo and apprentices Andrea Guarneri and Antonio Stradivari, whose violins became recognised as the best in the world.

In Via Ugolani Dati, you will find the Museo Stradivariano, which is within the Museo Civico ‘Ala Ponzone’. The collection of items in the Stradivarius museum is displayed in the elegant rooms of a former palace.

Visitors can see how the contralto viola was constructed in accordance with the classical traditions of Cremona, view instruments commemorating Italian violin makers in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and look at more than 700 relics from Stradivari’s workshop.

Piazza Duomo, which is also sometimes referred to as Piazza del Comune, is considered one of the best preserved medieval squares in Italy. The decorative Duomo is connected by a loggia to il Torrazzo, which measures more than 112 metres in height and is the tallest bell tower in Italy and the third tallest, brickwork bell tower in the world. There is also a beautiful, octagonal Romanesque baptistery.

In the streets running off Piazza Duomo you will see the workshops of liutai (luthiers) who continue to keep up the tradition of violin making in Cremona.

Ristorante Pizzeria Cremonese has a
spacious main dining room 

Restaurant recommendation:

A short walk from the Duomo Hotel you will find Ristorante Pizzeria Cremonese in Piazza Roma, which is open every day at lunch time and in the evenings, and serves a big selection of classic Italian and Cremonese dishes.

There is a large, comfortable main room with plenty of tables and the family-run restaurant has friendly staff, who provide excellent service.

Check Hotel Duomo availability with Booking.com

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Hotel Luna Venice

Stay at the hotel where Lord Byron enjoyed the food

The Baglioni Hotel Luna has its own jetty, which
allows guests to arrive by gondola or water taxi

The iconic Hotel Luna is the oldest hotel in Venice and is also one of the most centrally located, as it is just a short walk from Piazza San Marco and easily accessible from the Grand Canal if you arrive by gondola, water taxi or vaporetto (water bus).

The poet Lord Byron and his old university friend. John Hobhouse, dined in the restaurant at the Hotel Luna on 15 November 1816 and Hobhouse recorded in his journal that ‘the eating was good.’

The Hotel Luna’s history is known to date back as far as the 12th century because it was recorded as having given shelter to the Knights Templar in 1118. The hotel was built on the site of a former church and convent.

By 1574, the hotel had become known as Locanda della Luna, but the actual building in which Byron and Hobhouse dined was erected in the 18th century. The interior was decorated with frescoes by pupils of the great Venetian artist, Giambattista Tiepolo, which guests can still admire today while having their breakfast.

The Luna Hotel has recently been renovated and spacious new suites have been added with terraces that have beautiful views of the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and the lagoon.

The hotel’s award-winning Canova restaurant serves lunch and dinner, offering diners dishes created using modern interpretations of traditional Venetian cooking.

Harry's Bar, once a favourite celebrity haunt, is
just a few steps from the Luna's entrance

You can arrive at the Hotel Luna in style, travelling down the Grand Canal and alighting at the hotel’s private jetty, but there is also an entrance from Calle Vallaresso. This is very handy for visiting the famous Harry’s Bar and the stylish boutiques and shoe shops situated along there, making the hotel convenient for shopping, sightseeing, and experiencing daily life in the centre of the city. But although the Hotel Luna is right at the centre of things, the interior is always quiet and peaceful.

The Hotel Luna is now privately owned by Baglioni Hotels. The high ceilings and original features have been carefully preserved and it has been beautifully redecorated in Venetian style, with Murano glass chandeliers and beautiful furniture and fabrics.

Editor’s note: “I have been lucky enough to stay at the Hotel Luna twice and found the location perfect for exploring Venice, as it is both handy for the lagoon and all the main sights of the city. I loved the hotel’s unique atmosphere and the way its history and traditions have been carefully preserved over the centuries. Staying at the Hotel Luna certainly helped to make my visits to the historic city of Venice magical.”

How to find the Baglioni Hotel Luna:

A few steps from Piazza San Marco, the Hotel Luna has entrances on Calle Vallaresso and Calle larga de l'Ascension, two narrow alleyways off Salizada San Moise, which is the street one joins when leaving the piazza through the archways beneath the Museo Correr, at the end opposite the Basilica. The nearest vaporetto stop is San Marco Vallaresso, right outside Harry’s Bar. For guests arriving by water taxi or gondola, the Luna’s landing stage is next to the entrance on Calle larga de l’Ascension.

Book a room at the Baglioni Hotel Luna

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