Travel Guide Ferrara

Ferrara is a town not often visited by tourists, although it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the region. The d'Este family, who reigned here from 1208 to 1598, transformed this small town in the middle of the marshes into an intellectual and artistic hotbed, attracting the greatest artists and minds of the Italian Renaissance. The atmosphere of the Renaissance is everywhere: in the colorful ceilings of the castle, in the many palaces and monumental churches, in the cloisters and gardens. Ferrara combines the solid architecture of Florence with the sensual melancholy of Venice, accentuated by the mists that surround it for most of the year. "Ferrara is a city reserved for the few", wrote art critic Federico Zeri. "As soon as you see it for the first time, you have the feeling you've always known it. In reality, one has only dreamed of the balance of its urban geometry, the mazes of its ancient alleys, and the vistas obscured by curtains of mist." Ferrara has also preserved some charming medieval corners. These can be found in the area south of the cathedral, in the former Jewish ghetto and along via delle Volte, the city's oldest street, picturesque with its covered passageways. In the center of town, the Castello Estense, symbol of the supremacy of the Dukes of Este, offers a harmonious transition between the medieval city and the new Renaissance quarters. Unesco has recognized the entire city as a World Heritage Site. Finally, far from being a sleepy belle in the middle of its plain, Ferrara is also a lively and attractive university town.