Oh Là Là Ferrara: the most beautiful streets in Emilia-Romagna

Actually, I had promised my friend a cozy city trip to Bologna. Without big plans and “to do’s”. Without a well-timed sightseeing program and photo spot research. But I couldn’t completely give up the travel planning despite the travel decision made at short notice. Accordingly, he rolled his eyes when I came up with the idea of making a detour to Ferrara. Fortunately, my argument that “there are the most beautiful alleys in Emilia-Romagna” was convincing. And so we made a half-day detour to the Renaissance old town of Ferrara, which is only 20 minutes away from Bologna by train.

Mamma Mia, what beautiful alleys in the old town

I discovered on Pinterest that Ferrara, with its charming winding streets in the middle of the historic city center from the 14th century, which is classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, would be a worthwhile detour. I like to click there for inspiration through the abundance of great picture material. What caught my eye was a picture of Ferrara’s most famous alley, the “Via delle Volte”. It is considered one of the most beautiful streets in Italy. As a self-confessed alley lover, I couldn’t miss it. In addition to the Via delle Volte, Ferrara offers numerous other idyllic streets worth seeing. While we find some less frequented side streets deserted on this Sunday morning, the cyclists in the shopping arcades of Via Guiseppe Mazzini and Via San Romano are conspicuous. The “Ferraresi” prefer to cycle in the car-free city centre. The main attractions for tourists are the cathedral, whose western façade is currently scaffolded, and the enormous Renaissance palace “Castello Estense”. We strolled aimlessly through the city center and enjoyed all the pretty architectural details.

A great photo spot – insider tip?

Coincidentally, we strolled past the Teatro Communale di Ferrara. The view through the round arch into the inner courtyard made us so curious that we looked at the whole thing from the inside. If you change your perspective and look up, you will find a great photo motif.

Restaurant Tip

I don’t think I would have considered Ferrara as a destination if I hadn’t been familiar with the city thanks to a summer school in London a few years ago. One of the participants studied in Ferrara. I took advantage of this on site and asked her via messenger for culinary tips. Less than five minutes later, she got in touch with three great recommendations – including the Zazie restaurant (Via S. Romano, 62). Fresh smoothies, soups and light vegetarian dishes are served here. Perfect for lunch on a hot summer’s day.