Call Me by Your Name: a Crema Itinerary

Luca Guadagnino’s Oscar-winning Call Me by Your Name, based on the novel by André Aciman and scripted by James Ivory, turned Crema and its surroundings into a film-tourism destination. The film received 4 Oscar nominations (Best Picture, Timothée Chalamet for Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Song for “Mystery of Love” by Sufjan Stevens, who wrote two original songs for the film). The town even offers an official itinerary — on foot or by bike — through the film’s locations. Here are the main stops and where to treat yourself to a tasty break.

The locations in central Crema

The heart of the itinerary is the scenic Piazza del Duomo, where the scene of Elio and Oliver sitting at a café table is set. A short walk away, under the Torrazzo Arch, is the meeting between Elio and Marzia. Strolling through the arcades and squares of the centre feels like leafing through the film’s frames.

For a coffee or an aperitivo with a view of the Duomo, the natural stop is the Duomocafè, overlooking the very square that symbolises the film.

What to taste in Crema

Crema’s cuisine is a little surprise: try the tortelli cremaschi, with a sweet-spiced filling of amaretti, raisins and mostaccino — a truly unique dish. In summer, the ritual is gelato or granita in the shade of the arcades.

The itinerary through the natural locations

Outside the town, the film turns bucolic: the Laghetto dei Riflessi in Ricengo is where Elio and Oliver swim, surrounded by the Crema countryside. An ideal itinerary for a slow weekend of cinema, art and food.

You will find all the connected stops on the Call Me by Your Name page and the venues of Crema.

In short

Crema proves that film tourism can also be intimate and refined: a square, a café, a plate of tortelli. Start from the Duomocafè and let the film’s mood guide you.