The town of Crema, a small urban center a few miles outside of Milan, and renowned for its famous “Tortelli Cremaschi”, jumped onto the big screen in 2018 thanks to the Oscar winning movie Call Me By Your Nameby the gay Italian film director Luca Guadagnino.
The film tells the story of the relationship between Elio and Oliver which evolves from an initial friendship into mutual sexual attraction, and which eventually proves to be an essential element for their growth and development. As the movie made its way around the globe, Crema and the surrounding area have become renown as places of authentic love and carefree youth, but also of disillusion and solitude, those emotions that often mark a person’s coming of age.
The movie is also why Crema has been rediscovered as an excellent vacation destination. One can enjoy its architectural beauty by visiting the same places frequented by Elio and Oliver on their bicycle outings. You can see (and ride along) the dirt trails that go between Farinate and Ricengo, and that lead to “Laghetto dei Riflessi” or the “Lagoon of Mirrors”, an enchanting and magical place at the center of the affair between Elio and Oliver. Moscazzano, where Elio’s parents’ house is found, as well as Padino and Montodine, are just a short bike ride away from Crema.
The bicycle is always present in this part of the Pianura Padana due to the agricultural culture of the region, and the fact that many farmhouses in the area are only connected by dirt roads to this very day. Riding through this bucolic countryside is an experience not to be missed!
Crema stands out in the region for its architectural and historical richness. The Duomo Piazza, which dates back from the Roman era and which was fortified during the annexation to the Venetian empire, is the center of city life. It is here and in the surrounding buildings that Elio and Oliver meet with each other. The town hall’s arches, the renaissance facade of San Domenico theater, the San Agustin convent, the Santa Maria of the Cross Basilica, and the Venetian walls that envelop the historical center all recall the tranquility and beauty of this small Italian town. It is truly a place where life slows down and allows you to discover its beauty at your own pace, while perhaps discovering something new about yourself at the same time.
