Piacenza,Italy

Just short of the regional border with Lombardy, Piacenza is worth a quick stopover if you’re in the area. Its picturesque centre boasts a beautiful Gothic town hall and a couple of august churches.
The train station is on the eastern edge of the old town, an easy 20-minute walk from the central square, Piazza dei Cavalli, where you’ll find thetourist office (0523 32 93 24;www.comune.piacenza.it; Piazza dei Cavalli 7; 9am-noon Mon & Sun, 9am-1pm & 3-6pm Tue-Sat Apr-Sep, 9am-1pm & 3-6pm Tue-Sat Oct-Mar).