Mantova is a great place from where to discover Italy's rice fields and Italian rice industry.

The area east of the city, and bordering the province of Verona, contains the so-called rice route which stretches from Roverbella to Governolo taking in Castelbelforte, Porto Mantovana, San Giorgio, Castel D'Ario, Villimpenta and Roncoferraro.

All these towns are gastronomic centers for risotto.

Rice was first planted in the Po Valley in the 15th century, although history tells that it was Alexander the Great who introduced the crop in Europe in 324 BC.

Nevertheless, it took until the 19th century for the industry to become a major employer.

It was backbreaking work and even in the 1950's and 1960's around 200,000 female 'mondine' were 'walking in the mire, bent in the sun to pick up the rice' according to the APT del Mantovano.

Although modern methods are now used, a bronze statue at Roncoferraro remembers the era before mechanization, weedkillers and the mythical 'vialone nano' rice strain.

The various local feasts and gastronomic events have been reworked by the rice route towns to avoid overlapping.

Book your holiday to coincide with the following (approx dates):