Lomellina is part of the so-called Rice Triangle: it’s a triangle made by the towns of Pavia, Vercelli and Novara. Here most of the Italian rice is cultivated (approx. 90%), which is also half of the European production.
Rice has shaped our landscape, our culture, and our history, not to mention our kitchen. From the hard work of the mondine (the girls who worked all day in the rice fields) to the modern tractors, there is so much to discover about rice cultivation and rice transformation.
During a guided tour through the rice fields and a local farm, you will get to know how rice is sown, watered (it sprouts under water!), dried, and cleaned, but you’ll also see in person what happens after the harvest, when rice is cleaned, de-husked, and packaged.
This tour is available all year round, but the best months I suggest are May, when many rice fields are flooded, and September, when the fields are golden yellow and ready for the harvest.
WHAT YOU’LL SEE DURING THE RICE TOUR: After a walking tour in the rice fields, we visit a farm in Lomellina, where rice is cultivated, dried, and cleaned. There you’ll also be able to buy fresh, local rice.
DURATION: 90/120 minutes
ENTRANCE: All entrances are free
COST OF THE GUIDED TOUR IN ENGLISH: From 170€
ACCESSIBILITY: The tour is accessible for people in wheelchairs.
MEAL: In the farm it is possible to enjoy lunch or dinner and taste different dishes made with rice (advance booking required).
IF YOU WANT TO DISCOVER MORE I suggest adding to this tour a visit to a historical town near the farm, in Lomellina, as Vigevano or Lomello, to take a look at the history and stunning cultural heritage of this area.
CONTACT ME TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION OR TO BOOK A GUIDED TOUR IN ENGLISH:
serena.scansetti@gmail.com
tel. +39 349 1612279