What will you do in Ferrara, asked my mother and stared at me with an incredulous expression on her face. Actually, Ferrara (with Bologna) was in my travel plans for a long time. I was just waiting for the right opportunity for a prolonged weekend and occasion to visit them.
And yes, the Italian city of Ferrara was just how I expected, or even better. Most probably the weather also played and important role 😊. It was right at the end of October, but we were experiencing the long late summer, with warm, sunny weather and temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius.
We spent almost a whole day in the city, walking around the old town, having a nice lunch and chilling out and listening to local street artists.
A beautiful Renaissance city, located in Emilia Romagna region (Italy) is worth to discover. You can take a walking tour with a local guide, hop on a small electric train that brings you on a guided tour, or discover the city on your own.
The city lies on one of the streams of the Po River, and is, together with Po Delta, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ferrara became an artistic and cultural hub in medieval times. At that time the city was under the rule of the House of Este. The family played a similar role in the cultural development of Ferrara, as did the Medicis in Florence. Just walking through the city you will immediately soak up the charm of the architecture and culture.
The main and the most imposing building is without doubt the castle - Castello Estense. Located in the city centre, it captures your intention with great architecture and vivid orange/red colours of the bricks. The castle has four imposing towers and is surrounded by a moat. It is one of the few European castles that is surrounded by a moat (today artificially maintained). The outside of the castle is still as it was back in the 16th century.
Just a few meters from the castle we stop in a fascinating building - Rotonda Foschini. A building that has an elliptical shaped courtyard. Take a look at the sky and get the great view of the round building.
We stepped inside the main cathedral, Duomo di Ferrara, since the exterior was partly covered due to renovation, but unfortunately also the interior was all covered due to large renovation works that were going on inside the cathedral. Otherwise the cathedral and the bell tower look really nice with the with and pink marble.
Only a few steps away, is Piazza del Municipio, which is a courtyard of the old Palazzo Ducale in Ferrara. Here you can find the 15th-century Scalone d’Onore and a fascinating sundial calendar.
I was not very impressed by this square, so we quite quickly returned back to the Duomo and stopped under a clock tower. While me and my wife we were looking at the clock tower, our son, spotted a nice, small chocolate bar at the foot of the tower. Of course, we made a break for coffee and ice cream “gelato”.
We head towards the Jewish quarters. The Jewish community was an integral part of the fabric of Ferrara during the rule of the Este family. On Via Mazzini, you can find many houses which have been preserved as they were, except for the renovation of individual buildings.
We were planning to do some interior visits as well, like the The Palazzo Schifanoia or Casa Romei, but the main square around Duomo was so lively, with local art market and local street performers that we just sat down and enjoyed the vibes of the city.
The only “bad” thing about late autumn was that the days were shorter (the sun goes down quite quickly) and it was about time to reach our accommodation for the night. I’ve selected a private small hotel 10 minutes drive outside Ferrara, a nice rural location in an old farmhouse. A perfect conclusion to our visit in Ferrara.
And you know what my mother said when I showed here our pictures of Ferrara? She was so impressed and decided that she needs to visit it as well 😊
Thanks for reading,
feel free to leave a comment, I will be glad to reply to.
Best regards, @miljo76
