5/5
We had originally made plans to go skiing in France but with the sudden outbreak of Omicron we decided to cancel and find somewhere a little more quiet to rest and have some good Italian food. I was literally scrolling around on Google maps looking for some place outside of Milan, and found Il Mulino Relais. Reviews looked good, rooms looked clean and stylish, and so we decided to book in for 4 nights. What a wonderful decision! I was so glad we decided to explore Piacenza and stay here.
Firstly, Piacenza turned out to be quite a wonderful gastronomic experience, but our stay at Il Mulino itself was really lovely. We stayed in the room with it's own entrance from the garden and that was really nice -- lots of privacy and a big window with natural light that opens out into the garden. We were here in the winter when there's loads of fog in the valley so it was actually incredibly quiet. There was breakfast provided everyday, with bacon and eggs cooked to your preference, and freshly pressed orange juice, amongst other offerings. Also, honey from a local honey farmer.
Everyone was so kind and helpful. We were able to Whatsapp with staff to make plans for breakfast, or request suggestions/assistance with reservations, etc. everything was so convenient. It seems they noticed I drink a lot of water so there were so many bottles of fresh water appearing in the room everyday, it was so funny but so kind. At one point I think I counted 8 or 10 bottles after our room was cleaned!
On our first night we had no plans, so the staff offered to make a reservation for us at Caffe Grande about a 10 min drive away and it turned out to be our favorite meal in Piacenza! We're big foodies so we were so thankful for that. It turned out to be better than the places I had found scouring the michelin guidebooks.
On the day we had a roadtrip to Parma, they also prepared a little bag of snacks and water for us! Honestly, it was all the little things. I loved it so much! More than going to Milan to shop etc., I really enjoyed my time in Piacenza, I felt it was such a healing trip and nice break from the city. Everyone was so hospitable and the food in this area is seriously so good.
It seems like so many people pop by as a stopover to other cities, but I'd say you could certainly spend a few days here and still make a trip to Parma. Even the Seravelle outlets are also only just over an hour's drive. Why not make Il Mulino Relais your base?
Hoping to be back!