Somewhere in Northern Italy, around the settings of Call Me By Your Name

The first time I read the book was in July 2018 and, when I saw the film, I fall in love with the scenario and the places recorded on it.   Differently from the book, where the love story is settled in the Ligurian Riviera, the film director chose to set it in the North of Italy,  around the Cremasco countryside and Lake Garda.

I was so enchanted that I decided to book a week-end there and I’ll bring you with me trying to share the same emotions I felt in this experience.

So, prepare yourself for an highly CMBYN blog content…

 Book the room

I’ve arrived in Crema in the late evening and quickly went out to have a first look around. I think walk in a unknown city during summer evenings is one of my favorite things to do. Firstly because It’s not too hot as during the day time.  Moreover it’s also a good chance to have a first look of what you want to see in details the day after with the sunlight.

What you definitely need to see:

• Crema’s cathedral and the main square

Reference to the film CMBYN at the minute 10:25, when after breakfast Elio brings Oliver around the city to open a bank account in Italy and see the sorrundings.

The scene records the beautiful front side of the cathedral and the “Arco del Torrazzo”. A monumental renaissance door that connects the main square of the cathedral to the main road, XX ( twenty ) September street.

XX September street is a very common name for streets in Italy. Indeed, the 20th of September 1870 is the date when also the state of the church become part of Italy. For Italian history this signed a big step closer to the realization of an unified country.

The little table where the two protagonists discuss around and the book Elio is reading in the scene are now at the info point, in front of the church entrance, with the famous bikes from the film and some materials that helps you discover the city. You can find in particular maps and leaflets to guide you around the place of the film.

Few steps from the main square I’ll like to mention a shop ( for vinyls passionate ): “Freak Music Snc”. A well equipped place where to buy and bring home for example the iconic soundtrack of CMBYN. You can listen at it once back home and live again the film’s atmosphere. Luca Guadagnino, the film director, has chosen many songs of the ’80, like “Love My Way” by The Psychedelic Furs. These song are associate to others specially created for the film from the musician Sufjan Stevens.

For example, this is a part of my favourite song from the film,

Mystery of Love

“Oh, to see without my eyes

The first time that you kissed me

Boundless by the time I cried

I built your walls around me”

…

• Lunch in Crema

For lunch you have to try the specialities of this part of Italy and a place where to do it is the “Trattoria Quin”, near the cathedral. The main thing to try is a first course made of a particular type of dumpling with a sweet filling, the “tortelli cremaschi”. A very particular dish for its contrast between the sweet and the salty taste, to eat with a glass of red wine typical of this part of Italy, the Lambrusco.

After lunch, thanks to the bike borrowed my from the owner of my accomodation, I decided to take a ride outside the city in the countryside. Biking through old farmhouses and small villages I ended up after 12 kilometers in the place I was enchanted by when I saw Call Me By Your Name the first time:

• Fontanile quarantina