Must-see attractions in Ferrara

  • Castello Estense or castello di San Michele in Ferrara - Italy

    Castello Estense

    Ferrara

    Complete with moat and drawbridge, Ferrara's towering castle was commissioned by Nicolò II d'Este in 1385. Initially it was intended to protect him and…

  • Museo Archeologico Nazionale

    Ferrara

    Housed within what is arguably Ferrara's most beautifully preserved palace – the 1505 Palazzo Costabili – the city's national archaeological museum is…

  • Palazzo Schifanoia

    Ferrara

    Dating to 1385, the Este's 14th-century pleasure palace suffered significant earthquake damage in May 2012 and the museum will be shuttered until 2020 for…

  • Palazzo dei Diamanti

    Ferrara

    Named after the spiky diamond-shaped ashlar stones on its facade, the late-15th-century 'diamond palace' was built for Sigismondo d'Este. It houses…

  • Certosa di Ferrara

    Ferrara

    Ferrara's monumental cemetery, designed by Borso d’Este in 1461, is an off-the-beaten path gem in Ferrara. Two snaking, semi-circlular arcades frame the…

  • Pinacoteca Nazionale

    Ferrara

    Ferrara's art gallery, housed on the 1st floor of the late-15th-century Palazzo dei Diamanti, is the perfect spot to contemplate the genius of the 16th-…

  • City Walls

    Ferrara

    Only Lucca in Tuscany can claim a more complete set of walls than Ferrara, though with a total circumference of 9km, Ferrara's are longer and among the…

  • Duomo

    Ferrara

    The outstanding feature of the pink-and-white 12th-century cathedral is its three-tiered marble facade combining Romanesque and Gothic styles on the lower…

  • Casa Romei

    Ferrara

    This palace was once owned by Giovanni Romei, a top administrator to the Este clan – and his importance shows in the architecture. The austere brick…

  • Spazio Espositivo

    Ferrara

    Tucked away on the ground floor of Ferrara's Palazzo dei Diamanti, this museum houses high-profile special exhibits.

  • Palazzo Municipale

    Ferrara

    Linked to the castle by an elevated passageway, the 13th-century crenellated Palazzo Municipale was the Este family home until they moved next door to the…

  • Museo Lapidario

    Ferrara

    Your ticket to Palazzo Schifanoia also gives entry to this nearby museum, which has a small, undocumented collection of Roman and Etruscan stele, tombs…

  • Museo della Cattedrale

    Ferrara

    This museum houses various artefacts from Ferrara's duomo, including a serene Madonna by Jacopo della Quercia, a couple of vigorous Cosimo Tura canvases,…

  • Museo del Risorgimento e della Resistenza

    Ferrara

    Next door to Pinacoteca Nazionale, this small museum exhibits documents, proclamations and posters from the Italian unification movement and WWII, as well…

  • Palazzo Massari

    Ferrara

    This early Renaissance palace houses three museums: the Museo Giovanni Boldini, dedicated solely to Ferrara-born Giovanni Boldini; the Museo dell…

  • Museo Giovanni Boldini

    Ferrara

    Established in 1938, this museum – closed through to 2023 for restoration after suffering earthquake damage in 2012 – is home to the most important…

  • Museo dell'Ottocento

    Ferrara

    Normally housing an impressive collection of 19th-century religious, literary and historical art, this museum will be closed through to 2023 for…

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