Mantua is no longer just a jewel of Renaissance art and architecture, with frescoes by Mantegna and palaces designed by Giulio Romano and Leon Battista Alberti. It is now also Italy’s greenest city. The city has taken first place in the latest Ecosistema Urbano (Urban Ecosystem) report published by Legambiente, Italy’s leading environmental organisation. Of the more than 100 Italian cities assessed, Mantua is the only one to score above 80 out of a possible 100 points, achieving 81.29.
Trento comes second with 76.53 points, followed by Bolzano with 75.47. Mantua’s success comes as no surprise to environmental experts. The Lombardy city, home to just over 50,000 people and roughly halfway between Milan and Venice, has consistently ranked among the top performers. It came second last year, seventh two years ago and second again in the 2023 edition.
