A DIAMOND IS FOREVER

Discover Ferrara, a Renaissance jewel nestled in the verdant Po Valley, on a full-day excursion from Bologna.

The history of Ferrara is inextricably linked to the reign of the powerful Este family, who governed the city from 1242 to 1597. As passionate art lovers, collectors and patrons, the enlightened members of the Este dynasty attracted some of the most prominent talents of their time, fostering the development of schools of painting, ambitious city plans, chivalric literature and music, thus paving the way for Ferrara to become a thriving cultural hub. Masters such as Andrea Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini and Piero della Francesca took up residence at the court of Ferrara, while the city’s university, founded as far back as 1391, drew academics and scholars of the calibre of Ludovico Ariosto, Copernicus and Paracelsus.

Your chauffeur will pick you up at your accommodation in Bologna and drive you to Ferrara. Your private guide will be waiting at the meeting point ready to accompany you on a journey back in time to Ferrara’s age of splendour. As you explore the historic centre, you will certainly notice its beautifully preserved Renaissance urban fabric. We owe Ferrara’s present appearance to the genius of architect Biagio Rossetti who was entrusted with the planning of Ferrara’s expansion by Duke Ercole I d’Este in 1484. The resulting “Erculean Addition” is reputed to be among the most outstanding examples of Renaissance urban design, and has, since 1995, earned Ferrara a place among UNESCO’s World Heritages Sites.

The trail will lead you past the striking Palazzo dei Diamanti, a true masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. The building derives its name from the 8,500 marble ashlars jutting from its facades, carved in the shape of precious stones. According to legend, an authentic diamond, placed here by Ercole I and taken from his own crown, is still hidden within the walls of the palazzo. It is said that the Duke’s master builder, the sole repository of his lord’s secret, had his tongue removed and his eyes put out to ensure that the jewel would remain concealed forever. A little knowledge is indeed a dangerous thing!

Amble along Corso Ercole I D’Este and reach the city’s most famous landmark, the imposing Estense Castle. In 1385, following a vehement uprising against tax increases, Niccolò II d’Este was urged to erect mighty defences to protect himself and his family from their subjects. Originally built as a military fortress, the castle was later turned into a magnificent princely residence and embellished with roof terraces, marble balustrades, sumptuous frescoes and a Renaissance-style courtyard. The sound of horses’ hooves, the clang of knights’ armour and the clink of prisoners’ chains still resonate as you cross the drawbridge over the medieval moat. The kitchen, private apartments, chapel and prison cells are still on view to the public allowing visitors a unique glimpse into the daily life and hidden intrigues of the royal court. Your guide will show you around the halls and animate your visit with gripping tales of ill-fated lovers, ambitious rulers and vengeful conspirators who played out their destinies within these walls.

A leisurely stroll will allow you to discover many of Ferrara’s picture-postcard landmarks: Piazza Duomo, graced by the stunning Gothic-Romanesque Cathedral of St. George; Piazza Trento e Trieste, for eight hundred years the heart of the city’s social and commercial life; the Palazzo Municipale, the Este family’s former residence and today the seat of the Town Hall. Not to be missed are also the characteristic arched alleys, fascinating survivors of medieval Ferrara.

After free time for lunch rejoin your driver and return to your accommodation in Bologna.