Ferrara

Ferrara is a town of 129,048 inhabitants in the province of Ferrara, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is the capital of its province.

The municipality covers 404.36 km², with a density of 319 inhabitants per km².

The nearest airport is Bologna (BLQ), about 42 km away as the crow flies. Read our guide to the airport.

The Renaissance city of the Este

Ferrara was the capital of the Este dukes, who made it one of the great courts of the Renaissance and built the first modern town plan in Europe, the Addizione Erculea. City and Po Delta are a UNESCO site.

What to see

The moated Este Castle, with its four towers and drawbridges, stands in the very centre. The cathedral has a Romanesque and Gothic façade facing Piazza Trento e Trieste. The Palazzo dei Diamanti, covered with 8,500 diamond-shaped stones, hosts major exhibitions. Walk or cycle along the nine kilometres of city walls, among the best preserved in Italy, explore the medieval Via delle Volte and see the frescoes of Palazzo Schifanoia. Ferrara is the Italian city of bicycles.

Food

Cappellacci di zucca with butter and sage, salama da sugo, the coppia ferrarese bread and the pampepato chocolate cake.

Around Ferrara

The Po Delta Park with Comacchio and its canals, the abbey of Pomposa near Codigoro, Mesola with its castle and wood, and Bologna 30 minutes by train. Bologna airport is 45 minutes away.

Ferrara on the map

Nearby towns

All towns in the province of Ferrara →