Villanova sull'Arda

Villanova sull'Arda is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) northwest of Bologna and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of Piacenza. The commune borders on the municipalities of Besenzone, Busseto, Castelvetro Piacentino, Cortemaggiore, Monticelli d'Ongina, Polesine Parmense, San Pietro in Cerro, Stagno Lombardo. Notable residents Sant'Agata was the home for over 50 years of the opera composer Giuseppe Verdi who was born in the village of Le Roncole in 1813, who lived in the nearby town of Busseto, and who bought the land and built the Villa Verdi in 1848 Local facts The Giarola River Park Island: This is located in the flood plain of the River Po and is an example of environmental restoration after the intense mining of sand. Festivals: the "Cherry Festival" is held in the second week of June, and the "Festival of the Frog and Catfish" takes place on the last Sunday of May in the village of Soarza. Sports associations: At Villanova there is a basketball team, (Villanova Basketball Pro) a competitor in the CIS championship held in the Piacenza-Cremona-Lodi regions. Transportation Villanova sull'Arda has a railway station on the Cremona–Fidenza line. Direct connections are available from Cremona, while some trains run directly from Parma to both Busseto and Villanova sull'Arda without changing. References Notes Sources Villa Verdi official website with information on how to visit (in English) External links Busseto Tourist Office website