The guided tour of Modena will make you discover a historical and artistic side of a town land of engines, good food and Panini stickers, walking through the streets of the historic centre that contain all its beauty. It starts from one of Modena's historic buildings, the imposing Palazzo Ducale, a wonderful baroque architecture built by one of the Dukes of Modena to house the Estense Court, a magnificent palace built by the most famous artists of the 17th century such as Bernini and Borromini (external visit).
Today the building is the seat of the Italian Military Academy with military ceremonies and performances on one of the main squares with a fountain in the centre with elegant water games. A few steps away we can admire the Municipal Theatre dedicated to one of the most illustrious citizens of Modena, the tenor Luciano Pavarotti appreciated all over the world with a bronze statue in memory of him; it is the main opera house in the town built in the mid-19th century and offers a rich programme of shows for opera and ballet lovers.
Walking through the streets we enter the historic centre and the heart of the town with its many pastel-colored arcades with cafes and restaurants where you can taste all the typical products of the area, up to Piazza Grande, the most famous square that contains the jewels of Modena, a Heritage UNESCO, starting with the Romanesque-style Cathedral.
Inside, we visit the church dedicated to S. Maria Assunta which amazes for its facade with three large portals with marble statues of two lions at the main entrance and a suggestive decorated crypt; next to the Cathedral we see the beautiful Ghirlandina Tower, the bell tower visible from every part of the town.
On the ancient square we also find the magnificent 17th century Town Hall with elegant arcades and the Clock Tower and in front of the entrance to the building we can still observe the “stone of the harangue” with its various uses over time, all to discover!
The tour continues with a nice walk through the alleys of the former Jewish ghetto and ends in one of the most particular places in Modena, the Albinelli Historical Market (closed on Sundays and in the afternoon, visible on opening days and times), a covered market where every day many stalls sell the typical products of the culinary tradition of Modena, a fundamental stop for all visitors.
