Modena
Introduction
Modena sits on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, and serves as the seat of the province that shares its name. It is a substantial city rather than a small town, so expect the amenities and bustle of an urban centre alongside the flatter, agricultural landscape of the valley that surrounds it.
Before you go
Modena is known worldwide for its famous natives, including Enzo Ferrari and Luciano Pavarotti, and for its gastronomic products: tortellini, Lambrusco wine, balsamic vinegar, and Parmesan cheese. Since the 1970s it has become one of Italy's richest and most socially advanced towns, with an extensive network of cycling paths, cinemas, libraries, and one of the oldest universities in Europe. The town sits at the crossroads between the Brenner motorway and the Autostrada del Sole, about 40 km from Bologna, an important railway and airport node. For information and assistance once you arrive, the IAT Modena tourist office is on Piazza Grande.Getting there
Most travellers reach Modena by air via Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport, which sits about 40 km from the city. A direct SACA bus connects the airport to Modena roughly every two hours and takes around 50 minutes; you buy your ticket on board. Alternatively, you can fly into Milan, which has plenty of budget flights and good onward connections, and continue from there.
- By train: Fast trains run hourly from Milan, taking about 75 minutes via Parma and Reggio Emilia, and continue from Modena to Bologna for connections to Rome. A slower regional train from Milan stops at Codogno, Piacenza, Fidenza and Parma, but the following fast train overtakes it. Modena railway station lies 500 m north of the city centre, and there is no left-luggage office.
- By bus: The Autostazione on Via Bacchini is the hub for a large network of suburban buses linking Modena with the main towns of the surrounding province, including Carpi, Sassuolo, Fiorano, Campogalliano, Correggio, Soliera, Vignola, Pavullo, Nonantola and Maranello. Fares depend on which of the province's districts you travel through, and your ticket is valid for a limited time once you board.
- By car: The A1 Milano-Napoli motorway serves the city, with exits at Modena Nord (about 5 km from the centre) and Modena Sud (about 10 km out). Modena also marks the southern end of the A22.
Getting around
Modena's historic centre is compact and easily walked, with the most important buildings — including the Cathedral, the Torre della Ghirlandina and Piazza Grande, and the Ducal Palace — found inside the line of the former city walls. You can reasonably plan a day of sightseeing on foot without using any transport at all.
For longer hops, the city is served by a trolleybus network and an ordinary bus service, all provided by SETA. Urban services run from early morning until around midnight, with a night urban line covering part of the late evening, and extra-urban buses fan out through the surrounding province to towns such as Carpi, Sassuolo, Fiorano, Maranello, Vignola and Pavullo. Buy tickets on the bus from the automatic ticket machine, outside the railway station, or at the autostazione, or through the Roger mobile app; the "Mi Muovo" pass covers the wider region, and short-stay visitors may find the multi-trip "Mi Muovo Multibus" ticket useful. Two radio taxi services operate around the clock, including for trips into the province, with booking by SMS. Driving brings complications: the Via Emilia runs straight through the middle of town, but the historic centre is a restricted zone open only to residents, commercial operators and tourists staying at hotels in the centre with a special permit, monitored by the automated Modena City Pass system. Outside that zone, parking is partly free and partly paid, generally free on Sundays, public holidays and at night. You can also take a free yellow bicycle from the Tourist Information Office on Piazza Grande by filling in a form and paying a deposit, with a valid ID and legal age required; further rental points at Novi Sad Park and the Policlinico have more limited hours and close on Sundays.
Where to stay
For a central base, look to the streets around Corso Canalgrande and Via Cervetta, where you'll find mid-price and smart, stylish hotels within easy reach of the historic core. If you're arriving by train and watching your budget, there's a basic hostel on Via Sant' Orsola, a block south of the railway station.
- Ostello San Filippo Neri — basic hostel on Via Sant' Orsola, a block south of the railway station.
- PHI Canalgrande — decent central mid-price hotel on Corso Canalgrande.
- Hotel Cervetta — smart, stylish hotel on Via Cervetta.
- Villa Gaidello Bed & Breakfast — a large farm estate of renovated farmhouses dating back to the 1700s and 1800s, surrounded by lush grounds, on Via Gaidello.
- Hotel Real Fini Baia Del Re — a business hotel outside the city along the highway, on Via Vignolese.
If you'd rather trade the centre for open country, the farmhouse estate at Villa Gaidello offers renovated historic buildings and lush grounds, while Hotel Real Fini Baia Del Re suits business travellers who want to be near the highway rather than in the middle of town.
Food & drink
For traditional Modenese cooking, head to Trattoria Aldina on Via Luigi Albinelli, where the specialities are tortellini, veal escalope in balsamico sauce, and brassato, beef in red wine sauce. For something sweet, Antica Pasticceria S. Biagio on Via Emilia Centro is known for its barozzi (chocolate cake) and rosine. Coffee lovers should seek out La Messicana Torrefazione on Via Farini, where coffee tasting is at its best, and Caffetteria Giusti is also on Via Farini. At the very top end, Osteria Francescana on Via Stella, under head chef Massimo Bottura, holds three Michelin stars and is regarded as one of the world's best restaurants; reservations are mandatory and you should plan months ahead. For drinking, the streets to explore are Via Taglio, Via Gallucci, and Piazza della Pomposa, where you'll find many cafés and pubs, wine bars, and brunch-cafés. Caffè Concerto sits on Piazza Grande, and Baluardo della Cittadella, also known as Giovani di Tien An Men Square, is another spot for a drink.What to see and do
Start at Piazza Grande, the UNESCO-listed heart of the city and its centre of life. On Saint's Day (31 January) in honour of San Geminiano, and on the Thursday before Lent, it becomes festive and crowded. Look for the units of measure - pole, tile, brick and fathom - engraved in the apse of the cathedral, a reminder of the piazza's role in honest trading. The cathedral itself, the Ghirlandina bell tower and the town hall can all be explored with an audioguide, available in several languages from the cathedral museums or the Tourist Information Office on the piazza; a combined ticket covers the tower, the historic rooms of Palazzo Comunale, the Municipal Vinegar Factory and the cathedral museums.
Beyond the centre, the Palazzo dei Musei houses the Este family's paintings and books, while the Palazzo Ducale is now the headquarters of the Military Academy, whose museum displays weapons, flags, uniforms and drums. For gardens, head to the Giardini Pubblici, the former ducal gardens, and the Botanical Gardens; the Palazzina dei Giardini, built as a greenhouse, now hosts the Galleria Civica. Churches worth seeking out include Sant'Agostino, a pantheon for the Estense family, the ancient Santa Maria della Pomposa, San Francesco, San Biagio del Carmine, the Jesuit San Bartolomeo and the Benedictine San Pietro. Car enthusiasts can visit the Enzo Ferrari Home Museum, the house where Enzo Ferrari was born in 1898, with its yellow aluminium exterior and multimedia exhibits, or arrange a guided tour of the Automobili Pagani factory by reservation. Other motoring collections include the Righini private collection, the Stanguellini museum and the Umberto Panini museum of cars and motorcycles. In the evening, take in a performance at the Luciano Pavarotti Municipal Theatre, Teatro Storchi, Teatro delle Passioni or Cinema Teatro Michelangelo, or watch Modena FC play at the Stadio Alberto Braglia. To see how balsamic vinegar is made, contact the tourist office, which will book an acetaia tour for your chosen day. Events include the International Festival of Military Bands in the first half of July, Modena World of Motors in early April, and the Philosophy Festival in mid-September, shared with Carpi and Sassuolo.
When to go
Modena has a humid subtropical climate with continental influences, which means hot summers and cool, snowy winters. In summer, expect high temperatures and humid conditions; this is the peak season for heat, so plan indoor activities during the hottest parts of the day. Winters are cool and can bring snowfall, and cold weather and occasional snow may affect travel and outdoor plans, so pack accordingly.Three days in Modena
Day one: Start in Modena itself, using the city as your base for the three days. Begin at Piazza Grande, the heart of the historic centre, and let the streets around it set the pace for your stay. The IAT Modena office is the place to pick up local information before you wander further. In the evening, eat in the city and drink Lambrusco, the local sparkling red wine that comes from the countryside around Modena.
Day two: Head out into the surrounding area. Modena sits in the Po Valley, in Emilia, and the towns nearby are easy to reach. Carpi, Sassuolo, Fiorano, Campogalliano and Correggio are all within the province, and Fiorano is tied to the name of Enzo Ferrari. If you want a larger city for the day, Bologna is close by, and Parma and Reggio Emilia lie along the same route. Return to Modena in the evening.
Day three: Use the day to travel further or to go deeper into the local food. Parmesan is the area's best-known product, and Lambrusco is its everyday wine. Luciano Pavarotti is another name associated with the city. If you are leaving, Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport is the nearest airport, and the rail line runs through Modena towards Milan, Piacenza, Fidenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Rome and beyond, with the Brenner and the Autostrada del Sole among the main routes through this part of Italy.