retiredmartin

February 2026. Pavia.

I was going to skip the architecture of Pavia and go straight back to Italian real ale, but Lana on her Retirement Chapter blog just got a great post out of Shirley, so how could I leave out the castle,

the bridge,

the cobbled streets,

and those beautiful shops.

In truth, Pavia didn’t look its best in the drizzle,

though it came to life at dusk, and the interiors of the Duomo,

and particularly the Church of Santa Maria (where I got told off for something) were stunning.

But it’s cask and cakes you’ve come for, so look at the top pic to see what a fiver buys you in Pasticceria Romea by the river.

Despite those calories, and that rushed pint, we just about made it back to Elvis at the station for 7.