Piazza delle Erbe Market
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning, Piazza delle Erbe fills with stalls selling local Mantuan produce — aged Grana Padano, pumpkin mostarda, fresh tortelli di zucca pasta and seasonal vegetables from the Po Valley. The square itself, framed by the Rotonda di San Lorenzo and the Torre dell'Orologio, is one of northern Italy's most beautiful market settings.
What to Buy and Taste
Look for sbrisolona, Mantua's crumbly almond tart sold in shards rather than slices, and mostarda mantovana — candied fruit in a fiery mustard syrup that locals spoon over bollito misto. Both travel well and make excellent gifts.
The cheese vendors typically offer tastes; try the local Grana Padano aged over 24 months, which has a deeper, nuttier flavour than younger versions. A wedge wrapped in paper keeps for days in a cool bag.
The Square Itself
The Rotonda di San Lorenzo, a round Romanesque church from 1082, sits slightly sunken below street level in the square's corner — it was literally buried by later buildings and only excavated in the late 19th century. Ducking inside costs €2 and reveals original Byzantine-influenced frescoes.
The adjacent Torre dell'Orologio (1473) still keeps accurate time. Sit at one of the café tables under the Broletto arcade with a cappuccino and watch the market unfold — this is a genuinely local scene, not a tourist performance.
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