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Exploring Ferrara | Where to Eat in Ferrara | Where to Stay in Ferrara

When the legendary Ferrarese filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni called his beloved hometown “a city that you can see only partly, while the rest disappears to be imagined,” perhaps he was referring to the low-lying mist that rolls in off the Adriatic each winter and shrouds Ferrara’s winding knot of medieval alleyways, turreted palaces, and ancient wine bars—once inhabited by the likes of Copernicus—in a ghostly fog. But perhaps Antonioni was also suggesting that Ferrara’s striking beauty often conceals a dark and tortured past.

Though it was settled as early as the 6th century AD, Ferrara’s history really begins with the arrival of the Este, who first made their appearance in the city in 1196. For more than three centuries the dynasty ruled with an iron fist: brother killed brother, son fought father, husband murdered wife. The majestic moated castle, now the architectural gem of the historic center, was originally built as a fortress to protect the ruthless Este dukes from their own citizens—and deep within it they kept generations of political dissidents in dank cells. The greatest of the dukes, Ercole I (1433–1505), attempted to poison a nephew who challenged his power, and when that didn’t work he beheaded him. Though the Jews were already well established in Ferrara as early as the 1380s, it was Ercole I who invited Sephardic Jews exiled from Spain to settle in Ferrara, thus giving form to one of the liveliest Jewish communities in Western Europe. The maze of twisting cobblestone streets in the ghetto witnessed the persecution of its Jews once fascist Italy was officially at war with Nazi Germany in October 1943. This tragedy was documented in Giorgio Bassani’s semiautobiographical book and Vittorio De Sica’s film, The Garden of the Finzi-Continis.

Today you’re likely to be charmed by Ferrara’s prosperous air and meticulous cleanliness, its excellent restaurants and coffeehouses, and its lively wine bar scene. You’ll find aficionados gathering outside any of the wine bars near the Duomo even on the foggiest of weeknights. Though Ferrara is a UNESCO World Heritage site, the city still draws amazingly few tourists—which only adds to its appeal.

Getting Here

Ferrara is 47 km (29 miles) northeast of Bologna and 74 km (46 miles) northwest of Ravenna. Train service is frequent from Bologna (usually three trains per hour) and takes either a half hour or 45 minutes, depending upon which train type you take. It’s a two-hour ride from Florence, and trains go almost every hour. The walk from the station is easy but not particularly interesting. If you’re driving from Bologna, take the RA1 out of town; then the A13 in the direction of Padova, exiting at Ferrara Nord. Follow the SP19 directly into the center of town. The trip should take about 45 minutes.

Visitor Information

Ferrara Tourism Office.
Castello Estense, Piazza Repubblica | 44100 | 0532/299303 | www.ferrarainfo.com | Piazza Municipale 11 | 44100 | www.ferrarainfo.com.

Exploring Ferrara

If you plan to explore the city fully, consider buying a Card Musei (“museum card,” €17, valid for one year) at the Palazzo dei Diamanti or at any of the museums around town; it grants admission to every museum, palace, and castle in Ferrara. The first Monday of the month is free at many museums.

Top Attractions

Castello Estense.
Massive Castello Estense, the former seat of Este power, dominates the center of town. The building was a suitable symbol for the ruling family: cold and menacing on the outside, lavishly decorated within. The public rooms are grand, but deep in the bowels of the castle are chilling dungeons where enemies of the state were held in wretched conditions—a function these quarters served as recently as 1943, when antifascist prisoners were detained there. In particular, the Prisons of Don Giulio, Ugo, and Parisina have some fascinating features, like 15th-century graffiti protesting the imprisonment of lovers Ugo and Parisina, who were beheaded in 1425 because Ugo’s father, Niccolò III, didn’t like the fact that his son was cavorting with Niccolò’s wife.

The castle was established as a fortress in 1385, but work on its luxurious ducal quarters continued into the 16th century. Representative of Este grandeur are the Sala dei Giochi, extravagantly painted with athletic scenes, and the Sala dell’Aurora, decorated to show the times of the day. The tower, the terraces of the castle, and the hanging garden—once reserved for the private use of the duchesses—have fine views of the town and the surrounding countryside. You can cross the castle’s moat, traverse its drawbridge, and wander through many of its arcaded passages at any time. Do note that the entrance price is substantially higher if there’s a special exhibition on. | Piazza Castello | 44100 | 0532/299233 | www.castelloestense.it | Castle €8, tower €2 extra | Castle: Tues.–Sun. 9:30–4:45. Tower: Tues.–Sun. 10–4:45. Ticket office closes at 4:45.

Quick Bites: Caffetteria Castello. Caffetteria Castello is spectacularly situated amid centuries of history. The second floor provides a great place to break for coffee while touring the castle or to mingle with locals enjoying the lunchtime buffet. Right next door is a small book-and-gift shop. | Largo Castello | 144100 | 0532/299337 | Tues.–Sun. 9:30–5:30.

Duomo.
The magnificent Gothic Duomo, a few steps from the Castello Estense, has a three-tier facade of slender arches and beautiful sculptures over the central door. Work began in 1135 and took more than 100 years to complete. The interior was completely remodeled in the 17th century. | Piazza Cattedrale | 44100 | 0532/207449 | Mon.–Sat. 7:30–noon and 3–6:30, Sun. 7:30–12:30 and 3:30–7:30.

Museo Ebraico (Jewish Museum).
The collection of ornate religious objects in the Museo Ebraico bears witness to the long history of the city’s Jewish community. This history had its high points—1492, for example, when Ercole I invited the Jews to come over from Spain—and its lows, notably 1627, when Jews were enclosed within the ghetto, where they were forced to live until the advent of a united Italy in 1860. The triangular warren of narrow cobbled streets that made up the ghetto originally extended as far as Corso Giovecca (originally Corso Giudecca, or Ghetto Street). When it was enclosed, the neighborhood was restricted to the area between Via Scienze, Via Contrari, and Via di San Romano. The museum, in the center of the ghetto, was once Ferrara’s synagogue. All visits are led by a museum guide. | Via Mazzini 95 | 44100 | 0532/210228 | €4 | Tours: Sun.–Thurs. at 10, 11, and noon.

Palazzo dei Diamanti (Palace of Diamonds).
The Palazzo dei Diamanti is so called because of the 12,600 small, pink-and-white marble pyramids (or “diamonds”) that stud its facade. The building was designed to be viewed in perspective—both faces at once—from diagonally across the street. Work began in the 1490s and finished around 1504. Today the palazzo contains the Pinacoteca Nazionale, which has an extensive art gallery and rotating exhibits. | Corso Ercole I d’Este 19–21 | 44100 | 0532/244949 | www.artecultura.fe.it | €10 | Open daily 9–7.

Palazzo Schifanoia.
The oldest, most characteristic area of Ferrara is south of the Duomo, stretching between the Corso Giovecca and the city’s ramparts. Here various members of the Este family built pleasure palaces, the best known of which is the Palazzo Schifanoia (schifanoia means “carefree” or, literally, “fleeing boredom”). Begun in the late 14th century, the palace was remodeled between 1464 and 1469. The lavish interior is well worth visiting—particularly the Salone dei Mesi, which contains an extravagant series of frescoes showing the months of the year and their mythological attributes. | Via Scandiana 23 | 44100 | 0532/244949 | www.artecultura.fe.it | €6 | Tues.–Sun. 9–6, call ahead to confirm.

Via delle Volte.
The 2-km-long (1-mile-long) Via delle Volte—one of the best-preserved medieval streets in Europe—clearly evokes Ferrara’s past. The series of ancient volte (arches) along the narrow cobblestone alley once joined the merchants’ houses on the south side of the street to their warehouses on the north side. The street ran parallel to the banks of the Po River, which was home to Ferrara’s busy port.

Worth Noting

Casa Romei.
Casa Romei ranks among Ferrara’s loveliest Renaissance palaces. Built by the wealthy banker Giovanni Romei (1402–83), it’s a vast structure with a graceful courtyard. Mid-15th-century frescoes decorate rooms on the ground floor; the piano nobile (main floor) contains detached frescoes from local churches as well as lesser-known Renaissance sculptures. The Sala delle Sibelle has a very large 15th-century fireplace and beautiful wood-coffered ceilings. | Via Savonarola 30 | 44100 | 0532/234130 | www.artecultura.fe.it | €3 | Tues.–Sun. 8:30–7.

Museo della Cattedrale.
Some of the original decorations of the town’s main church, the former church and cloister of San Romano, reside in the Museo della Cattedrale, which is across the piazza from the Duomo. Inside you’ll find 22 codices commissioned between 1477–1535; moving early-13th-century sculpture by the Maestro dei Mesi; a mammoth oil on canvas by Cosmé Tura from 1469; and an exquisite Jacopo della Quercia, the Madonna della Melograno. Though this last work dates from 1403–1408, the playful expression on the Christ child seems very 21st century. | Via San Romano 1 | 44100 | 0532/244949 | www.artecultura.fe.it | €7 | Tues.–Sun. 9–1 and 3–6.

Palazzina di Marfisa d’Este.
On the busy Corso Giovecca is the Palazzina di Marfisa d’Este, a grandiose 16th-century palace that belonged to a great patron of the arts. It has painted ceilings, fine 16th-century furniture, and a garden containing a grotto and an outdoor theater. | Corso Giovecca 170 | 44100 | 0532/207450 | www.artecultura.fe.it | €4 | Tues.–Sun. 9–1 and 3–6.

Where to Eat in Ferrara

Il Don Giovanni.
$$$$ | MODERN ITALIAN | Just down the street from Castello Estense, this warm and inviting restaurant offers a handful of tables inside a lovely 17th-century palace. Chef Pier Luigi Di Diego and partner Marco Merighi pay strict attention to what’s seasonal, and the menu reflects this. Here tortellini are stuffed with guinea fowl and sauced with zabaione (custard), Parmesan, and prosciutto crocante (fried prosciutto). Equally inventive is the delicate tegame di pernice rossa ai frutti di bosco (partridge in a fruit sauce), which delights the palate. Next door, the same proprietors run the less expensive, but more crowded, La Borsa. This trendy wine bar has excellent cured meats, cheeses, lovely primi and secondi, plus a fantastic wine-by-the-glass list. (Note the wine bar is open for lunch; the restaurant isn’t.) | Average cost: €65 | Corso Ercole I d’Este 1 | 44100 | 0532/243363 | www.ildongiovanni.com | Reservations essential | Closed Mon. No lunch.

Fodor’s Choice | L’Oca Giuliva.
$$ | EMILIAN | Food, service, and ambience unite in blissful harmony at this casual yet elegant restaurant minutes from Piazza Repubblica. You enter through a tiny wine bar, where you could enjoy a glass of wine and a snack or proceed directly into the restaurant. Two well-appointed rooms in a 12th-century building provide the backdrop for exquisitely prepared local foods. The chef has a deft hand with area specialties and executes them either in tradizionale (traditional) or rivisitata (updated) style. Particularly impressive are the primi, especially the cappellacci di zucca al ragù (pumpkin-stuffed pasta). It might be the best version in town. Meat-and-potatoes folk can opt for the salama da sugo (a salty, garlicky boiled sausage served over mashed potatoes), and adventurous sorts might try the trancio di anguilla (roasted eel) with polenta on the side. The amazing wine list is complemented by a terrific cheese plate. | Average cost: €35 | Via Boccanale di Santo Stefano 38 | 44100 | 0532/207628 | www.ristorantelocagiuliva.it | Closed Mon. No lunch Tues.

Osteria al Brindisi.
$ | WINE BAR | Ferrara is a city of wine bars, beginning with this one—allegedly Europe’s oldest—which opened in 1435. Copernicus drank here while a student in the late 1400s, and the place still has a somewhat undergraduate aura. Most of the staff and clientele are twentysomethings. Perfectly dusty wine bottles line the walls, and there are wooden booths in another small room for those who want to eat while they drink. A young staff pours terrific wines by the glass, and offers three different sauces (butter-and-sage, tomato, or ragù) with its cappellacci di zucca. Those in search of lighter fare might enjoy any of the salads or the grilled vegetable plate with melted pecorino. | Average cost: €10 | Via degli Adelardi 11 | 44100 | 0532/209142 | www.albrindisi.net.

Quel Fantastico Giovedì.
$$ | EMILIAN | Locals and other cognoscenti flock to this sleek eatery just minutes away from Piazza del Duomo. Two small rooms (one white, the other with red accents) have linen tablecloths and jazz playing softly in the background. Chef Gabriele Romagnoli uses primo local ingredients to create gustatory taste sensations: his sformatino di patate more closely resembles a French gratin, but he sauces it with salamina e Parmesan, thus rendering it deliciously Ferraresi. Fish also figures prominently on the menu, including a well-priced tasting menu. The wine list is divine, and the service, led by hands-on gregarious proprietor Mara Farinelli, is top-notch. | Average cost: €33 | Via Castelnuovo 9 | 44100 | 0532/760570 | www.quelfantasticogiovedi.com | Reservations essential | Closed Wed. No lunch Tues.

Zafferano.
$$ | EMILIAN | Veneto-born Chef Renzo Geminiano has worked outside Italy, and it shows in his inventive cuisine. He clearly knows the classics—and how to tweak them to make them dazzle. Chef Renzo runs this small, intimate restaurant with his wife, sommelier Stefania Angelini (a native of Ferrara). It’s a favorite of many locals who want to eat well. The menu’s divided into fish and meat, and choosing is agonizing. In winter, much game is on offer. The carpaccio di cervo e finocchi (venison carpaccio served with slivers of fennel atop a wild berry coulis) is a perfect way to start out the proceedings; following it with deboned quail and artichokes is heavenly. Stefania waits tables and offers her wine expertise: the list is carefully culled and well priced. | Average cost: €38 | Via Fondo Banchetto 2/a, | Ferrara | 44100 | 0532/763492 | www.zafferanoristorante.it.

Where to Stay in Ferrara

Duchessa Isabella.
$$$$ | HOTEL | An elegant 16th-century palace is now a luxurious hotel just slightly off the centro storico. Named for Isabella d’Este, a Renaissance woman of wealth and taste, it has opulent public rooms with high wood-coffered ceilings and damask drapes on the piano nobile. Rooms—in pastel colors of pink, yellow, or blue—have comfortable beds and large bathrooms. The terrific restaurant offers local specialties in swank surroundings: when it’s warm, you can also enjoy this tasty fare on a flower-filled terrace. Pros: lovely staff; garden; spared the noise from the centro storico. Cons: rooms’ decidedly feminine touch not to all tastes. TripAdvisor: “a bit past her prime,” “a letdown,” “very romantic.” | Rooms from: €299 | Via Palestra 68/70 | 44100 | 0532/202121 | www.duchessaisabella.it | 21 rooms, 6 suites | Closed Aug. | Breakfast.

Hotel Ripagrande.
$$ | HOTEL | The courtyards, vaulted brick lobby, and breakfast room of this 15th-century noble’s palazzo retain much of their lordly Renaissance flair. Rooms are decidedly more down-to-earth. But standard doubles and some of the enormous bi- and tri-level suites have faux-Persian rugs, tapestries, and cozy antique furniture. Top-floor rooms and suites resemble a Colorado ski lodge, complete with terraces, and are roomy—which makes them especially good for families. Everything here, including the room service, is impeccable. The location is quiet but fairly convenient. Pros: beyond-helpful staff; good choice for families. Cons: staff goes home at midnight. TripAdvisor: “the perfect hotel to stay,” “welcoming,” “great location.” | Rooms from: €150 | Via Ripagrande 21 | 44100 | 0532/765250 | www.ripagrandehotel.it | 20 rooms, 20 suites | Breakfast.

Locanda Borgonuovo.
$ | B&B/INN | In the early 18th century it began life as a convent, which was then suppressed by Napoléon. Now it’s a delightful bed-and-breakfast in the heart of town. The Orlandini family are the attentive proprietors, and they live on the floor above. In fact, their living room (temporarily transformed with linen tablecloths) doubles as the breakfast room. Guest rooms have comfortable beds and flowers in the window boxes. When it’s warmer, you can sit outside on a small terrace with a pergola. This place books quickly, as many performers at the city’s Teatro Comunale stay here. Both mother Adele and son Filippo are very hands-on and eager to help make your stay as wonderful as possible. Pros: phenomenal breakfast featuring local foods and terrific cakes made in house; bicyles can be borrowed for free. Cons: steep stairs to reception area and rooms; must reserve far in advance. TripAdvisor: “great location,” “very kind and warm hosts,” “perfectly charming.” | Rooms from: €95 | Via Cairoli 29 | 44100 | 0532/211100 | www.borgonuovo.com | 4 rooms, 2 apartments | Breakfast.

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