Ferrara is located in the Emilia-Romagna region between Bologna and Padua. Prince genus d'Este ruled in the city and the area between the years 1200 - 1500 and built a city and a region of prosperity and in full harmony with nature, art and architecture. Delizie Estensi is a great example of palaces and villas built for the court. The town itself is surrounded by one of the two best preserved city walls in Italy.
In Ferrara you will also find the world's oldest osteria (small eatery), which is found in the Guinness Book of Records. A must is the Strada dei vini e sapori (food and wine route), certifying that the Emilia-Romagna is a major gastronomic centre. If you need a little diversion, it is about 50 kms to the wide sandy beaches of Comacchio. And if that's not enough, the Po Delta Park is also nearby. And no, it's not a theme park, but one of Europe's largest wetland and nature reserves where you can enjoy nature and rent a kayak or canoe.
It is still possible to see the many beautiful and well-preserved buildings from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period in Ferrara. The castle Castello Estense (named after the d'Este family) is in the middle of the city surrounded by moats. The centre of town is also surrounded by ramparts and walls (totaling 9 km) from the Middle Ages. These walls belong to some of the most well-preserved in all of Italy together with them in the city of Lucca.
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Here are lots of things to see for the culturally interested such as churches, museums, important villas and palaces. Worth visiting are Palazzo dei Diamanti, whose name derives from the 8500 diamond-shaped marble stone that the facade is clad in. Today, the Ferrara art gallery is housed in the palace. There are several green areas such as parks and gardens where you can stroll around in and many restaurants in the city. Ferrara has been included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since1995 because of its beauty, its cultural significance and how well preserved it is.
