Ferrara and Surroundings

Things to do in Ferrara

The agritourism is located in particularly favorable location for those who wish to explore the surrounding area and for those who love history and the italian food!

 

 

Ferrara

Este Castle - FerraraFerrara, city of the Renaissance, UNESCO World Heritage
Lying in the middle of the Po Valley, Ferrara still has the atmosphere of the past, which blends in harmoniously with the lively atmosphere of the present.

Ferrara's most famous image is certainly that of its grand Renaissance, the age of splendour of the Estense court, which has left indelible signs everywhere: in the colossal Addizione Erculea project, in the impressive pictorial cycles belonging to the Quattrocento and Cinquecento and in the Last Judgement by Bastianino.
From 1995 on, UNESCO has included the historical centre of Ferrara in the list of World Cultural Heritage as a wonderful example of a town planned in the Renaissance and still keeping its historical centre intact.
The town planning criteria expressed in Ferrara had a deep influence on the progress of town planning in the following centuries.

The city symbols are the Castello Estense (Este Castle), begun in 1385 as a fort and completed in the 16th Century astride the two areas above, an architectural treasure with its Medieval Tower of Lions, subterranean dungeons, gothic chambers on the ground floor, and spacious halls with frescoes by Bastianino, Girolamo da Carpi and the Filippi father and sons (16th Cent. Game Room).
Palazzo dei Diamanti presents an interrupted geometric facade of stone worked to diamond shape.
Duomo (the Cathedral)
, constructed in Romanic-Gothic style between the 12th and 14th Centuries holding numerous frescoes, paintings and sculpture by Garofano, Guercino, and Bastianino (16th Century) together with numerous other monastic centers.

Ferrara can be explored by simply strolling through its streets, the actual annals of Renaissance time and culture, that amply suggest the city glorious past even today.
History stands on every corner, in its sumptuous palaces and winding Medieval alleys, and comes alive once again in the colours and music of the annual pageant of Palio di San Giorgio.
A truly special atmosphere reigns in the city center, where the rhythm of life is cadenced by the passing of hundreds of bicycles amidst the shores and coffee shops.

Bondeno

Rocca Possente - Stellata Bondeno - FerraraBondeno is a farming town whose history is closely tied to that of the nearby Po.

The town place-name probably derives from the former name for the river, Bondicus, mentioned in documents as Bondenum Roncaris and Bondenum Diaconi.

The term Bondeni was also used for the small waterways that flowed over the plain.

Being a border town it was fortified and within its territory stood many castles, such as the Rocca di Stellata, which can still be seen on the banks of the river.

Cento

Carnival CentoThe town of Cento is a small capital of art, cuisine and economy and also the point in which Ferrarese, Bolognese and Modenese traditions have blended harmoniously. Part of the dominion of the Bishop of Bologna from the 12th century, it was ceded to the Este family by Pope Alexander VI as part of negotiations for the marriage of his daughter Lucrezia Borgia to Alfonso d’Este.

Evidence of the liberty enjoyed by the townsfolk is the institution of the Partecipanza, a system of land sharing, which came into being in the Middle Ages and still exists today.
One of the ancient traditions of Cento is the Carnival, now an international appointment.

Sant'Agostino

Bosco Panfilia - Sant'AgostinoThis town was erected along the bank of the Reno river and was once known as "Sant’Agostino of the Swamps", given the area’s vulnerability to frequent flooding.

Finally, in 1767, the course of the river was diverted through the lagoons of the Poggio and the situation changed.

The land was progressively turned over to farming and life improved quickly.

The town’s new-found wealth and importance was reflected by its establishment as an autonomous Commune in 1816, followed by the construction of significant buildings.

Pomposa

The Abbey of PomposaThe Abbey of Pomposa is a complex of buildings that forms one of the most illustrious Benedictine Monasteries of the Middle Ages: the Basilica, the Refectory, the Chapter Room and the Court form the Abbey heart. The majestic Bell-tower was added in later epoch.

The Benedictine friars founded the Abbey in the 7th Century a.C, and by the Year 1000, the Abbey enjoyed wide prestige in the region and the Abbot was held in great consideration.
The Benedictine monks remained until the start of the 16th Century, when the entire monastic family moved to Ferrara.

The Abbey passed into private hands and was dedicated to agriculture before being declared a National Monument in the previous century.
The Abbey has hosted many numerous guests over the centuries, from Barbarossa to Dante Alighieri.
Constructed over the years in a mixture of Romanic and Byzantine styles, its treasures include masterpieces of both the Ferrarese and Bologna Schools of art.

Comacchio

Commacchio - TreppontiComacchio is the most original and fascinating historic town in the Po Delta.

Heir to ancient Spina, fought over by Ferrara and Ravenna, Popes and Emperors for centuries, its origins go far back: it rose up on 13 islets at the dawn of the Middle Ages and founded its urban and economic development exclusively on the water.

Fishing, fish-breeding in the lagoon and producing salt were the source of its prosperity and also of its setbacks as they brought it into conflict with Venice.

Today, Comacchio still boasts unique, intact architectural features; a town of canals, palaces and monumental bridges, inhabited by people with a strong sense of identity who are proud of their origins.

Po Delta Park - The Valli di Comacchio

Po Delta ParkComacchio Lagoons history and nature trail.
Although land reclamation has reduced their size, the marshes are still one of the largest lagoon systems in Italy.

They cover an area of more than 11,000 hectares between Comacchio and the river Reno and are connected to the sea via canals.
They form an environment of rare beauty within the Po Delta Park: in some places the stretches of brackish water are interrupted by rises in the land or divided by embankments and ancient sandbars, in others they extend freely like mirrors reflecting the ever-changing light of the sky.

The undisputed domain of rich birdlife, both sedentary and migratory, they offer a privileged setting for walks along the banks, excursions by boat and birdwatching.

The trip is made by boat and includes a stop at the old ‘casoni’ (fishing huts) restored and transformed into authentic displays where you will find in situ the furnishings and tools of the fisherman.
Tours run from March until the end of October.

Typical products

Ferrarese Cappellacci with pumpkin
“Cappellacci di Zucca Ferraresi” were mentioned for the first time in recipe books dating back to the Renaissance period when these delicacies were prepared for members of the Este family.
The cappellacci (know as caplaz in the local dialect) were referred to as “tortelli di zucca con il butirro” or pumpkin tortelli with butter.
The ingredients today are exactly the same as all that time ago except perhaps for the fact that cooks used to add spices like ginger or pepper that were in common use at that time but are not so popular nowadays.

Tradition would have it that the word in dialect (caplaz) comes from their vague resemblance to the shape of straw hats worn by local peasants.
The pumpkin normally used for cappellacci is violin-shaped and takes its name from its resemblance to the musical instrument. In the past, these vegetables were also used as water and wine gourds or for holding gunpowder.
When the pumpkin has been baked in the oven or steamed, Reggiano or Grana Padano Parmesan cheese is added along with salt, pepper and nutmeg. The filling is then ready to be wrapped in a hand-made pasta “tortello”.
This dish is currently awaiting IGP certification (Identificazione Geografica Protetta).

Cappellacci di zucca, cappelletti, pasticcio di maccheroniCappelletti with broth are a traditional recipe of Ferrarese cuisine. Their characteristic shape comes from Greek mythology: they look like a belly button, and they are referred to Venus's navel.
Cappelletti are a typical Christmas dish, slightly different fro their shape and substance from the more common tortellini.

According to tradition, different families use different recipes: the delicious "batù" (a tasty meat filling) is prepared using the very deepest cook's secrets.

The 'Pasticcio ferrarese di maccheroni' has noble origins dating back centuries. Its preparation is rather complicated and the result gives a very singular taste given the conjunction of flavourings used. In sum, it is short sweet pastry filled with ragout, béchamel sauce, mushrooms, nutmeg and truffle.

salama da suco e coppia ferrareseSalama da sugo
The undiscussed symbol of Ferrara’s gastronomy, the salamina, as it is affectionately called, ‘though a dish to be served at Christmas, is always present on the table of gourmets.
The first records on the salama da sugo date from the 15th century, with a letter by Lorenzo il Magnifico to Ercole II d'Este. A short poem, written in 1722 and entitled "Salameide" is dedicated to this delicious dish.
The term salama da sugo is also to be found in the famous Modern Dictionary by Alfredo Panzini. The salama is an unusual mixture of pork meat with spices and red wine, sometimes enriched with Marsala wine or Brandy, which acquires its unmistakable taste after a long seasoning period, during which it remains either hanging from the ceiling or "resting" under the ashes in a cool, airy and above all dark room. The writer and great gourmet Mario Soldati said that the salama "alone was a satisfactory and extremely satisfying meal".
The salama is still produced according to the tradition and can be bought in many butcher’s shops that guarantee the quality of their products.

Ferrara's bread - IGP
The typical bread of Ferrara has recently received from the EU the I.G.P mark (Protected Geographical Identification). Its origins are rooted in history. Before the 12th century bread in Ferrara had the classical shape of a bun.
The "Statuta Ferrariae" , dating from the year 1287 stated strict rules for the preparation of bread. But the "twisted" or "twined" bread, the ancestor of today’s coppia appeared only in 1536 during a dinner party offered by Messer Giglio in honour of the Duke of Ferrara.
But still in 1694 the famous scholar and historian Antonio Frizzi spoke in one of his works of the refined baking art in Ferrara, but made reference to different types of flours and shapes, which had already abandoned the boring bun in favour of an outstanding elegance.
The famous coppia (in dialect "ciupeta") of Ferrara has a central body called knot or ribbon with two twisted pointed breadsticks attached. Either crusty or soft, with or without olive oil, the bread of Ferrara is a great pride for Italian gastronomy.
Its secret is to be found in the quality of the water and the ingredients, as well as the air humidity, the manufacturing and leavening method and the correct temperature of the oven.
The specialities of Ferrara, and the coppia above all, have met with great success in international gastronomic events where the "masters of the white art" have prepared the famous coppia right under the eyes of their enthusiastic public.
Tourists walking by a bakery in Ferrara cannot resist the tempting smell of bread fresh from the oven penetrating the air. The writer Riccardo Bacchelli wrote: "This is the best bread in the world".

dolci ferraresi - pampapato, tenerina, ciambellaFerrarese Ciambella
A country shortbread with a lemon flavour, best served with local wines. The name "Brazadela" is used because it was served with right hand, while left hand served wine.
This ancient recipe comes from 1250, and it was prepared for very special events.

Pampepato of Ferrara
Although Ferrara's Pampepato cake has a very special past, laced with a pinch of history and fragrant spices, it's not pepato (peppered) at all. During the 1600s, the nuns of the Corpus Domini convent in Ferrara, drawing on an old recipe created by the great Renaissance cook Cristoforo da Messisbugo, created a cake to send to the great personages of the age. Cocoa had only recently arrived in Europe, thanks to Cortes.
It was expensive, a luxury commodity, reserved only for the few and added as if a jewel, a precious powder. In the form of a small pumpkin, the dough enriched with fine almonds or hazelnuts and tasty candied fruit, flavoured with the most fragrant spices and all covered with plain chocolate, the rich cake was ready and became the Pan del Papa (Bread of the Pope).
No need to guess to whom this little wonder was dedicated. But through time, poetics or some lost aspect of language the name was transformed into “Pampapato” and “Pampepato”, although it's really not pepato (peppered) at all.
For centuries, the two names have lived side by side, but the essence has not changed a bit. It is Ferrara's Christmas cake, its party cake, the cake that best represents the city's richness and refinery. It's the cake whose intense flavour and delicious aroma recall the tradition of a territory with a lot of stories and many strong tastes. The pleasure of a sweet story.

Torta tenerina
Tenerina pie is a traditional sweet from Ferrara. It is very flat, and it has a creamy heart. Famous since 1900s as Montenegrina Pie or Queen of Montenegro Pie, it has been created for Elena Petrovich, queen of Montenegro, wife of Vittorio Emanuele II the King of Italy. In Ferrara, we used to call it "torta tacolenta" (sticky pie) because of its thickness.
This pie has a sweet and creamy heart of chocolate, and it is served with an icing sugar topping.

winesBosco Eliceo wines - DOC
Over the centuries, wine growing in Ferrara has always meant the Uva d’Oro vine, whose origins, it has been suggested, can be traced back to the Etruscans of the flourishing city of Spina.
The vine was probably grafted in the Valli region in 1528, when the duke Ercole II d’Este married Renata di Francia, daughter of the Louis XII, who as a dowry brought a vine from Burgundy, the Côte d’Or, in Italian Uva d’Oro, which found the perfect habitat in the Dune Sabbiose (sandy dunes) of the Delta and on the rises in the land in the Bosco Eliceo and gave its best among the delta holm-oaks and bushes.
The particularly damp, foggy and static environment, the strongly salty air and land, the constant proximity of the sea and the lack of fresh water over the centuries contributed to the formation of a grape with a very strong character.
The Bosco Eliceo wines (Fortana, Merlot, Bianco del Bosco, Sauvignon), with their light and aromatic taste, slightly pungent, whether red or white, combines perfectly with meat and fish dishes, marsh game and eel.