Breme
The land of the “Dolcissima” red onion
The Lombardy municipality of Breme is located in lower Lomellina, near the Po and Sesia rivers, in the province of Pavia. More tractors than cars traverse its streets, yet up to 12,000 visitors gather there in June for a festival dedicated to an ancient vegetable that is a precious commodity for this small country village: the red onion, a record-breaking vegetable that can weigh over a kilogram there. Known as “la Dolcissima” (the “Sweetest”), it is sweet and digestible enough to be eaten raw and is grown in rich, fertile alluvial soil without any pesticides by twenty producers and is also exported abroad.
Throughout the whole town, you can eat onions prepared in every possible way: raw in salads, in soups or omelettes, made into preserves, and so on. There are also plenty of historical gems for visitors to explore in Breme, accompanied by the local villagers who act as expert guides, narrating the history of their Abbey of San Pietro and the Crypt.
The Abbey of San Pietro dates back to the 10th century but was later restored in the 16th century. The Crypt, with its aisles and beautiful columns, remains a testimony to the year of its construction. We also recommend visiting the 17th-century Obelisk of St Charles Borromeo and the Romanesque parish church dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta
