Location: Ferrara
Top Things to do in Ferrara
Top 10 Free Things to do in Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna
Ferrara ([ferˈraːra] listen (help·info); Emilian: Frara) is a town and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital of the Province of Ferrara. In 2016 it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated 44 kilometres (27 miles) northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km (3 miles) north. The town has broad streets and numerous palaces dating from the Renaissance, when it hosted the court of the House of Este. For its beauty and cultural importance, it has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Restaurants in Ferrara
1. Monastero di Sant'Antonio in Polesine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 337 reviews
Reviewed By SelbyDale - Saint Paul, United States
This 17th century Benedictine monastery is the home for a small group of nuns that tend the complex. When you enter the church you will be on the side where one sits for services. On the other side of the grill is the decorated chapels with the beautiful frescoes by the school of Giotto. To see these, you must leave the church and turn immediately to the left where you will see a door with a doorbell. Ring and ask to see the chapel. They will buzz the door, but you must push it open to enter. A nun will meet you, take you to the church and give you a brief tour in Italian of each of the decorated chapels. You will not have a lot of time in the church. After, you will be taken to the tomb of Beatrice d' Este in the area of the gift shop. Here for sale are the soaps and candles made by the nuns and a box where you can leave a donation. We timed our visit for the end of the day so that we could attend the daily 17:00 Vespers service in the outer chapel. To see the frescoes, you will need to arrive at the church at least a half hour before closing--any later and you will be turned away. Hours to view the frescoes: Monday to Friday: 9.30-11.30/ 15.15-17.00. Saturday: 9.30-11.30/ 15.15-16.30.
2. Erculean Addition
3. Ferrara Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 813 reviews
This place is temporarily closed. THE CATHEDRAL (INTERNAL VISIT) CLOSED FROM MARCH 4 2019 FOR WORKS. RE-OPENED RE-OPENING: SEPTEMBER 2019.
Reviewed By asiyahnoemik - Pula, Croatia
Beautiful Cathedral, dedicated to St. George. It is located in the historic center opposite the Palazzo Municipale (Town Hall). The sacredness, the majesty and the beauty of the decorations and the frescoes leaves us breathless. The cathedral of Ferrara dates from the 12th century and bears witness to the historical periods of the city. The outstanding facade, divided into three sections, was begun in Romanesque style, still visible in the lower part. The facade is rich in scenes from the New Testament above the central door, the work of the sculptor Nicholaus (1135). The upper part was built some decades later in a Gothic style and besides the numerous small arches and the splayed mullioned windows presents an extraordinary Last Judgment by an unknown sculptor over the central loggia. The imposing Renaissance campanile (Bell tower), in pink and white marble, is an unfinished work attributed to Leon Battista Alberti. The interior of the church is rich in murals, paintings and sculptures by renowned Renaissance masters such as Nicolò Baroncelli and Domenico di Paris (bronze statues of the Crucifixion and of Saints George and Maurilius), Guercino (splendid canvas of the Martyrdom of St Lawrence), Bastianino (grandiose Last Judgment). The interior of the cathedral was rebuilt in 1712 in Baroque style. During our visit it was under reconstruction, but it does not diminish the splendor of the Cathedral. It is possible to enter the Cathedral at certain times.
4. Via delle Volte
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 970 reviews
Reviewed By ginam781 - Portland, United States
At nighttime, this medieval alley street (part of the Ferrara's historic Jewish Ghetto) transforms from a quiet sidestreet with plenty of old arches (thus, the name) to a magical doorway back to another era. The streetlamps glow and, barring the lack of authentic raw sewage or rotting animal carcases, you could be in the Middle Ages. Most of the old town of Ferrara has been power-washed, steam cleaned and made pretty (which I still enjoyed)... not Via delle Volte; I felt as if I could still sense the thousands of difficult lives who lived in this claustrophobic neighborhood. It was one of my favorite experiences in a recent trip to Italy.
5. Le Mura di Ferrara
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,128 reviews
Reviewed By Mairwen1
The best thing we did in Ferrara was to hire bikes and ride around the outside of the medieval walls. You can also walk along the top of the walls but I'd recommend riding if you have the time. Built mostly between 1493 - 1505, there are 9 km of walls. When they built it, they pulled out all stops to protect the city and used every defensive technique available in the 1400s. You can still many of these defences - city gates, solid bastions, large towers, arrowslits and a patrol path along the top. Smaller semi-circular towers were built at intervals along the path for the sentries. The path is very safe and easy to follow. You ride entirely on shared bike/walking paths (not roads). For the most part, the paths are flat and even with loose gravel (see photos). You can build up a bit of speed if you want. There are no really hilly stretches although there are parts with slight inclines. It is all quite manageable and fun for kids. TIPS: • We hired the bikes from the Hotel Annunciata (Piazza Republica) but that’s only because we were nearby. There are several other places which may or may not be better value or have better bikes. This place had a number of regular bikes available. For half a day, we paid €7pp (€5 if you are a guest). • Take some ID or a passport because you might need to show it to hire a bike • We joined the bike path by riding across the main piazza and exiting via Corsa Porta Reno • Wear older clothes. Even on a sunny day, there were some muddy puddles (there were only a couple but somehow I didn't pre-think this and wore white pants which was not a good idea). • Take a water bottle - there wasn't anywhere to get water.
6. Basilica di San Giorgio Fuori le Mura
7. Chiesa di Santa Maria in Vado
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 124 reviews
Santa Maria in Vado is a church located on Via Borgovado number 3 in Ferrara, Region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy.The church derives its name from a guado or fording (vado in dialect) that was located nearby. A church at the site was documented since the tenth century, but on Easter of 1171, a eucharistic miracle occurred when blood spouted from the host during consecration.[1] This made the church an object of pilgrimage. This miracle that appears to confirm transubstantiation resembles the subsequent events depicted in The Mass at Bolsena by Raphael.
8. Parco Massari
9. Centro Storico Ferrara
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,122 reviews
Reviewed By Mairwen1
We chose beautiful Ferrara for a day trip mainly because it was only around ½ an hour train trip from Bologna and it was very easy to walk between all the main historic sights. The entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it was a perfect day-trip. Our two big highlights were hiring bikes and cycling around the medieval city walls and finishing the day with drinks and aperitivo at the world’s oldest wine bar, Enoteca Brindisi. TIPS: i) From the station it is a 20 minute walk to the historic centre. We walked straight down Corso Porte Po to the Estense Castle. ii) The castle is a very handy place to start your visit because the tourist information is also here. iii) Allow a full day. We arrived in Ferrara with about 6 hours to explore. This was enough time to look at the castle, stroll through the historic centre and the main piazzas, browse through the weekend market, stop for lunch at Balebuste in the Jewish ghetto, hire bikes and cycle the city walls and finish with aperitivo in the late afternoon. iv) The cathedral is currently being renovated and is covered with hoardings so you can’t see much or go inside. The pretty pink and white tower around the corner can still be seen v) Much of the historic centre is a pedestrian only zone so it is perfect for strolling through or hiring a bike and riding around vi) Don't miss Enoteca Brindisi which has been serving wine since 1400s
