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Italy
Emilia-Romagna
Province of Ferrara
Ferrara
Things to Do in Ferrara

Things to Do in Ferrara, Italy - Ferrara Attractions

Things to Do in Ferrara

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What travelers are saying

  • markr2306
    Cambridge, UK399 contributions
    Review of: Castello Estense
    The former home of Lucrezia Borgia
    This 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 empty
    Written June 26, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • markr2306
    Cambridge, UK399 contributions
    Review of: Centro Storico Ferrara
    stunning renaissance architecture and lots of life
    We 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 history
    Written June 26, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • Bernard
    London, UK210 contributions
    Review of: Palazzo dei Diamanti
    Lovely!
    A 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, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • Bernard
    London, UK210 contributions
    Review of: Museo di Casa Romei
    Excellent museum
    This was an excellent museum, small and well explained. Some very interesting architecture and wall paintings. Helpful staff and worth the visit.
    Written June 7, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • Maria M
    Moscow, Russia422 contributions
    Review of: Monastero di Sant'Antonio in Polesine
    Da vedere!
    Amazing 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, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • keithpI29YF
    12 contributions
    Review of: Via delle Volte
    Must visit ancient city.
    Unforgettable snippet of history Not to be missed. Off the beaten track. Make it part of visit to bologna or Padua.
    Written January 27, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • David
    2 contributions
    Review of: Museo Archeologico Nazionale
    Excellent
    Wonderful 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, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • Jivko V
    Sofia, Bulgaria1,543 contributions
    Review of: Ferrara Cathedral
    Impressive
    Very 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, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • Paul S
    San Diego, California356 contributions
    Review of: Le Mura di Ferrara
    Old Defensive Walls Become Walkway / Bikeway
    The 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, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • JCVH
    Scotland, UK477 contributions
    Review of: Stadio Paolo Mazza
    Underrated gem!

    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, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • Brun066
    Florence, Italy11,007 contributions
    Review of: Parco Massari
    Born as an "Italian-style" garden, then transformed into an "English-style" park
    This 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, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • piriot
    Stresa, Italy639 contributions
    Review of: Certosa di Ferrara - Cimitero Monumentale
    An odd monastery
    In 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, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • Bernard
    London, UK210 contributions
    Review of: Museo della Cattedrale
    Good collection
    A 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, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • john b
    Valparaiso, IN796 contributions
    Review of: Corso Ercole I d´Este
    Lovely walk
    Great houses/palaces to walk through to the Diamond Palace. Worth the stroll. Pak at the end around the corner.
    Written October 16, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
  • Adele W
    London, UK20 contributions
    Review of: Chiesa di Santa Maria in Vado
    Beautiful church with Miracle
    This 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, 2016
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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