Lombardy · Mantova
Curtatone
A commune of eight frazioni west of Mantova, anchored by the Grazie sanctuary and the 1848 battle that delayed Radetzky's advance.
Known for
SANTUARIO DELLE GRAZIE
1406 Gonzaga sanctuary in the Borghi più belli frazione of Grazie, with a wooden ex-voto wall unique in northern Italy.
1848 BATTLE
Tuscan and Neapolitan volunteers held the line on 29 May 1848 against Radetzky, slowing the Austrian advance toward Goito.
MADONNARI FAIR
Antichissima Fiera delle Grazie around Ferragosto, hosting the national chalk-pavement artists' gathering since 1973.
When to visit
Best · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Why come
Curtatone is a Mantova commune of eight frazioni in the Parco del Mincio, with its seat at Montanara and its most visited fraction at Grazie. The Santuario della Beata Vergine delle Grazie was commissioned in 1406 by Francesco I Gonzaga and stands on the edge of the Mincio's lower bend, surrounded by lotus flowers that bloom across the river in July and August. On 29 May 1848, Tuscan and Neapolitan volunteers held this stretch of ground against Austrian forces under Radetzky long enough for the Piedmontese army to reorganize at Goito the following day.
The battle is remembered nationally as Curtatone e Montanara. Every year around Ferragosto the Antichissima Fiera delle Grazie fills the square in front of the sanctuary; since 1973 the fair has hosted the Incontro Nazionale dei Madonnari, with over a hundred chalk artists working through the night on the pavement around the church.
The Sunday letter
We haven’t written Curtatone’s letter yet.
One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.
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What to see
Santuario della Beata Vergine delle Grazie
1406 Gonzaga sanctuary on the Mincio bend, with a unique wooden ex-voto wall lining the nave, and the burial of Baldassarre Castiglione.
Parco del Mincio
Riverine nature reserve around Grazie, with lotus flower expanses that bloom mid-July through August on the lower Mincio.
Monument to the Battle of Curtatone and Montanara
Memorial to the 1848 stand by Tuscan and Neapolitan volunteers against Austrian forces under Radetzky on 29 May.
Chiesa di San Silvestro
Romanesque-origin parish church in the frazione of San Silvestro, one of Curtatone's eight subdivisions.
The slow-trip planner
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We recommend
Where to eat and stay
Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to — a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.
La Locanda delle GrazieTrattoria
La Locanda delle Grazie has two Gambero Rosso prawns to its name.
Locanda delle GrazieRistorante
Locanda delle Grazie carries a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Living here
- Population 14,607
- Commuter belti
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Nearest airport Verona, 50 min drive
- Regional capital Milano, 2 h 14 min drive
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 25 m
- Population: 14,607
- Surface area: 67.47 km²
These figures were compiled from public directories — ISTAT, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata — and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
Close by
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