Roncoferraro is just outside Mantua and is an important residential area with 7259 inhabitants: its economy is based on agriculture and stock-breeding, but craftwork and services are growing.
It was inhabited by the Romans, and it became important in the middle ages because of the "corti", id est courts of San Cassiano and San Giovanni .
Today, Roncoferraro looks like a little Romanesque rural centre: San Nicola di Casaletto church in Fissero (XI century), Santi Cosma e Damiano shrine in Barbassolo (XII century), and Casale bell tower (XI century).
South of Roncoferraro, you get to Governolo, where Mincio river floods into the Po. By tradition, here pope Leo I stopped Attila the Hun in 452. Not far from the riverbank, the parish church (1756-1805) stands; it hosts a working organ by Montesanti, recently restored, which was built for S. Andrea basilica in Mantua.
In Governolo, you may see the famous locks, which allow navigation between Mincio and Po rivers.
Events:
Risotto festival, in June - San Giovanni Battista festival, in July - Governolo centenary festival, in August