Ferrara and Renaissance Art

The first stop on this first day of the route is the city of Ferrara, which was part of one of the most important manors during the Renaissance. You can leave your car in this paid car park.

One of the most important Renaissance monuments to visit in Ferrara is the Castello degli Este, built at the end of the 14th century.
The castle has a square ground plan, with four towers and a water moat surrounding it, but the most interesting part of the castle is inside. There, you can visit several rooms with Renaissance frescoes, the kitchens, the orange tree garden and the lion tower. It is a good idea to climb this tower for nice views of the city. Pay attention to the ceilings, such as the one in the games room, where sports scenes are depicted.
You can buy your ticket in advance at this website.
Open Hours Wednesday- Monday 10:00- 18.00 Closed on Tuesday

Another important monument to see in Ferrara is the Cathedral, which is dedicated to the patron saints of the city: San Giorgio and San Maurelio. On the way between the castle and the cathedral, you will see some other buildings such as the Ducal Palace.
It is one of the most beautiful buildings in Ferrara, especially for its façade. You can walk around its perimeter and stroll around the Cathedral square and the Trento-Trieste square.
It is currently closed to the public, but it is worth visiting the surrounding area. If it is open when you take this route, be sure to go inside to see some of its frescoes.

After touring the cathedral area, you can walk through the medieval part of the city, where the Jewish quarter is also located. In one of the most beautiful streets, Via delle Volte, you can stop at this bakery to buy the typical ferrara bread, called coppia ferrarese and continue your route through the historic centre.
Open Hours Monday - Saturday: 7:00 - 19:30

Ferrara also has its ancient Jewish ghetto in the medieval part of the city. You can walk along via Vignatagliata and via Vittoria. On Via Mazzini you will also find the ancient synagogue which is now a museum. It is currently under restoration, but when you are in the city you can check if its museum is open.

You can choose one of the restaurants in the area for lunch, such as Osteria del Ghetto, where you can order typical Italian food.
Open Hours Tuesday - Sunday: 12:00 -14:30, 19:30 - 22:30

After lunch (even if you have a full belly) it's a good idea to walk to one of the most beautiful Renaissance palaces in the city: the Schifanoia Palace.
If you want to continue to feast your eyes on Renaissance frescoes, you'll love the interior of this palace.
Open Hours Tuesday - Sunday: 10:00 - 19:00
More information about the visit on this website.

One of the areas of the city with the most Renaissance palaces and buildings is the area known as Addizione Erculea. There, one of the most striking palaces is the Palazzo dei Diamanti (so called because of the shape of the white marble that decorates the exterior walls). Inside the palace is the Pinacoteca Nazionale, which can be visited.
Open Hours Tuesday - Sunday: 10:00 - 17:30 (you can enter half an hour before closing time)
You can buy your ticket in advance on this website.

After so many artistic visits and before continuing on to the next destination, you can have a coffee or an ice-cream. This place serves both and also has patisserie. It is located under a gallery, opposite Ariostea Square.
Open Hours Monday - Sunday: 6:00 - 1:00

Return to the car park, which is located a few metres from the square, and get ready to drive to the next destination on the route, where you will spend the night: Ravenna.

Welcome to Ravenna, another Italian city full of art. Find a centrally located hotel with parking, leave your things and go out to find a place to dine.

After dropping your bags at the hotel, you can go for a walk in the historic centre and choose an Italian restaurant to continue enjoying the food. Remember that you are in the Emilia Romagna region, famous for its cheeses, cured meats, hams, pasta, breads, meat and much more.
One place where you can dine is Al 45, where you will find traditional food.
Open Hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 12:00 - 14:30, 19:00-23:00 Sundays and Wednesdays: 19:00 - 23:00

Return to the hotel for a good rest!