Historic Sites • Castles
Things to Do in Ferrara, Italy - Ferrara Attractions
Things to Do in Ferrara
Popular things to do
- Walking Tours
- Private Sightseeing Tours
- Historic Sites
- Cultural Tours
- Historical Tours
- Architectural Buildings
- Top Picks
- Food, Wine & Nightlife
- Points of Interest & Landmarks
- Day Trips & Excursions
- Luxury & Special Occasions
- Churches & Cathedrals
- Airport & Hotel Transfers
- Nature and Wildlife Tours
- Historic Walking Areas
- Art Museums
Book these experiences for a close-up look at Ferrara.
Top Attractions in Ferrara
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Historic Walking Areas
Art Galleries • Architectural Buildings
Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings
Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Churches & Cathedrals
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Historic Walking Areas
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Historic Walking Areas
Speciality Museums
Speciality Museums • Art Museums
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What travelers are saying
- markr2306Cambridge, UK399 contributionsThis is a fascinating historic castle and one of the main reasons we wanted to visit Ferrara. Unusually for a historic fortress the moat is full and you get a good feel for what it must have looked like during the Renaissance and when Lucrezia Borgia lived there.You can visit inside, and see the beauty of the ceilings although the rooms are emptyWritten June 26, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- markr2306Cambridge, UK399 contributionsWe loved hanging out around the old centre of Ferrara. We were lucky enough to see a full religious procession following singing outside the cathedral. the streets had lots of buskers and it was so enjoyable to sit at a pavement cafe, drinking coffee, and taking it all in. if you enjoy photography you must visit - there are stunning images everywhere you look, and the castle is very close by, with its full moat and historyWritten June 26, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- BernardLondon, UK210 contributionsA gem of a palazzo in a very interesting street lined with marvellous architecture. The outside is stunning, and the art inside worth a visit. Staff friendly and helpful.Written June 7, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- BernardLondon, UK210 contributionsThis was an excellent museum, small and well explained. Some very interesting architecture and wall paintings. Helpful staff and worth the visit.Written June 7, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- Maria MMoscow, Russia422 contributionsAmazing frescoes! This is a small monastery, and to see the internal church you should ring the bell, one of the nuns will open the door and let you in, guiding to the frescoes. A real hidden gem!Written February 8, 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- keithpI29YF12 contributionsUnforgettable snippet of history Not to be missed. Off the beaten track. Make it part of visit to bologna or Padua.Written January 27, 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- David2 contributionsWonderful building, with a beautiful garden perfect for sitting down and reading.
The museum itself is also great, with several very well preserved vases from Ancient Greece housed in spacious rooms.
Would definitely recommend as a must-see if interested in archeology and is nearby.Written June 12, 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. - Jivko VSofia, Bulgaria1,543 contributionsVery beautiful and impressive cathedral of Ferrara. It is dedicated to St. George and is located in the center, opposite the Town Hall.Written February 29, 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- Paul SSan Diego, California356 contributionsThe defensive walls around the old city center are today used as a walkway / bike way and parks. Makes for a pleasant walk with several of the old masonry gates still remaining.Written August 29, 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- JCVHScotland, UK477 contributions
Perhaps because of their somewhat ambiguous name, but more likely due to the fact they managed to be one of the few teams in Italy to not play in Serie A in the 1990s when the World was watching SPAL, Ferrara's club, are a football team that somewhat flies under the radar.
I'll be honest, I wasn't even aware they were from the area when I made my visit to Emilia-Romagna. I was aiming to go see Parma play on the Saturday and learning SPAL had a tie the following day was just a bonus.
Located around 15 minutes’ walk from the train station in the picturesque location of Ferrara, the Stadio Paolo Mazza stands as one of Italian football's unearthed jewels. Holding just over 16,000, with renovations to take it to this size done after the club's recent promotion to Serie A, the Paolo Mazza may be one of the Italian top flight's smallest grounds, but that also helps it become one of its most atmospheric.
It is helped by the fact that SPAL's fans, starved of even the recognition the Serie A football brings for decades, are now out to make the most of their top flight status and the stadium finds itself fairly close to full on most matchdays. The crowd are also boisterous and loud, and a completely unlikely contender for the title of one of the top Italian football crowds I've had the pleasure of sitting amongst.
This does raise some problems though, as it means that the cheap seats are almost always gone long before matchday. Indeed I ended up paying not far off €100 for my seat (a genuine record if you exclude what I paid a scalper for a CL Semi Final ticket) as they only had the most expensive left. Was it in a nice part of the main stand of the stadium? Yes, was it THAT nice? no.
To complicate matters further. the ticket windows at the stadium are the only place you'll really get the tickets if arriving on matchday. The club do have very nice (looking) shop in Ferrara centre, which is inexplicably closed on Sundays (I realise Italy is a Catholic country and shops close, but a football team's shop closing on the traditional football day seems a bit off no?) likewise there is no store at the stadium. It did appear as though there was a small one as part of the main stand, but one certain sections could access it. Given I was on the €100 tickets I shudder to think what they paid!
Unlike most Italian stadiums, there is also a distinct lack of stalls selling SPAL merch outside the ground. One boy with Forza SPAL scarves. Given that the club themselves aren't making money here with a shop I'm at a loss to understand why.
The stadium itself is obviously not new, having been built in the late 20s, but I was actually very impressed with it. As mentioned it has been recently renovated so the main and home stands are covered, the seating is new and it's generally pretty well maintained. With old school character and soul and more modern comforts it actually offers something of the best of both worlds.
With this said, the catering could do with some work, I had a pre-packed ham and cheese roll that wasn't totally disgusting, but tasted pre-packed. The beer on the other hand was pretty decent.
As alluded to earlier, what really made SPAL was crowd, whose anthem is to the tune of Auld Lang Syne. Charming stadium, great crowd, I'd vaguely heard of SPAL before the trip in question, and left somewhat enamoured with them. They may never hold the glamorous allure of Roma or Fiorentina, but they're a great little club with a proud fanbase.
If you're a football fan I'd absolutely recommend a trip to a game in this stadium. Or at least try to get tickets. Sadly, as per Italian norm, there’s nothing to see on non-matchdays, so you do have to time it right!Written August 15, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. - Brun066Florence, Italy11,007 contributionsThis park is located in the area of ​​the so-called "Herculean addition", that is, the northern area of ​​the walled city, the result of the "doubling" of the historic center designed and built from the end of the 15th century by the court architect Biagio Rossetti.
In this area the spaces have been rationally governed for 500 years, and they present, in addition to wide and mostly straight streets, buildings rather low and extended on the surface (as it is logical that it's, with so much new space available to the expansion of the city). There are therefore also spaces free from construction and occupied by meadows and trees. But the latter are generally private.
This public park is an exception; which also originates from a private green area, an annex of the nearby building which today is also called "Palazzo Massari". But the area previously belonged to the Bevilacqua marquises, and had a prevalent layout of a garden with geometric shapes (typical of the Italian Renaissance tradition), possibly decorated with fruit trees.
It is precisely to the Massari counts that we owe (starting from the mid-twentieth century) the current appearance of an "English garden" (this in Italy is the way of designating the "landscape garden"): that is, a garden characterized by the presence of huge trees, left free to grow, which recall the power and creativity of nature.
In fact, for the visitor entering from Corso Biagio Rossetti (south side) it's impossible not to notice the two Lebanon's cedars, so large and old that today they need metal prostheses to support the major branches.
But these are just some of the large trees that the park (acquired by the Municipality of Ferrara in 1936, and therefore open to the public) shows. The visitor will be able to discover them for himself, during a (recommended) visit to the park.Written October 25, 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. - piriotStresa, Italy639 contributionsIn the middle ages Borso d'Este built this as a monastery of the Cartucian monks who lived inside the stone wall without meeting anyone all their lives. The atmosphere of the cemetery is still haunting. Difficult to give points here, I wanted to get out, but the place with its history is touching to say the least.Written May 31, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- BernardLondon, UK210 contributionsA good collection of illuminated manuscripts. Also interesting designs for the church bell tower which was never completed. Easy to pass an hour or so here. The visit encompasses two large rooms with an array of sculpture and tapestry as well.Written June 7, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- john bValparaiso, IN796 contributionsGreat houses/palaces to walk through to the Diamond Palace. Worth the stroll. Pak at the end around the corner.Written October 16, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
- Adele WLondon, UK20 contributionsThis beautiful and impressive church is near Palazzo Schifanoia. It contains a Miracle dating back to 1171, when blood spurted out from the host for Holy Communion, accessible from a small staircase to the right of the main altar.
Unfortunately, the church was damaged in the 2012 earthquake and some sections are now cordoned off, however still worth the visit.Written August 10, 2016This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ferrara
- The top attractions to visit in Ferrara are:
- Castello Estense
- Centro Storico Ferrara
- Palazzo dei Diamanti
- Museo di Casa Romei
- Monastero di Sant'Antonio in Polesine
- The best outdoor activities in Ferrara according to Tripadvisor travelers are: See all outdoor activities in Ferrara on Tripadvisor
- The most popular things to do in Ferrara with kids according to Tripadvisor travelers are:
- Centro Storico Ferrara
- Museo Archeologico Nazionale
- Le Mura di Ferrara
- Museo di Casa Romei
- Castello Estense