Pavia is a university city on the Ticino river, about 35 kilometres south of Milan. It was the capital of the Lombard kingdom during the early medieval period — the Lombards ruled here for over two centuries, and the city still carries traces of that era in its towers, churches, and the remains of the old palace. The University of Pavia, founded in 1361, is one of the oldest in the world and gives the city a lively, youthful character that belies its small size.
The Certosa di Pavia, a grand Carthusian monastery about 8 kilometres north of the city, is one of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance architecture and is well worth the short trip. In the city itself, the covered medieval bridge over the Ticino (Ponte Coperto) and the cluster of surviving medieval towers in the old centre are the main draws. Pavia's position on the southern edge of Lombardy, surrounded by rice paddies and vineyards, also makes it a good base for exploring the Po Valley wine country.