Modena
Since 1997, its Piazza Grande with the famous Cathedral and the Ghirlandina are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our walk starts from Piazza Roma and the imposing seventeenth-century Ducal Palace, built by the Este family and now headquarters of the Military Academy, that prepares officers of the Italian Army and Carabinieri.
Then we walk through the magnificent old town, exploring its narrow streets, admiring Renaissance palaces, reaching the church La Pomposa, where the famous historian Ludovico Antonio Muratori lived, the Novi Sad Park, recently reopened as a large open-air archaeological park. We can pretend to be ancient Romans, walking on an ancient roman road, immersed in a landscape that's very similar to what a traveler might have seen 2000 years ago.
Then we head towards the heart of the city. Passing by the Museums' Palace, we reach Piazza Grande with its magnificent cathedral and the Ghirlandina tower. The Cathedral is a jewel of art and architecture, one of the richest and best preserved "stone book" of the Middle Ages. We admire Wiligelmo reliefs, the apses, the monumental doors and its interior, that invites to meditation and prayer. Alongside, the Ghirlandina tower, recently restored, stands on the entire Po Valley. The Square has always been the beating heart of the city, the economic, political and social centre of Modena.
From here we continue to the Albinelli Market and then Corso Grand Canal with the Community Theatre, named after the famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
And with so much history, we have a glance at the shops of the beautiful Via Emilia ...
From here, depending on the time available, we can begin to discover other unique and hidden places in the city. The tour, in fact, may have different durations and, depending on the hours that are required, the price is slightly different:
