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 Ferrara
is still relatively undiscovered, especially by North Americans, but
it's richly blessed, with much of its legacy intact. Among the
historic treasures are a great cathedral and the Este Castle, along
with enough ducal palaces to make for a fast-paced day of
sightseeing. Its palaces, for the most part, have long been robbed
of their lavish furnishings, but the faded frescoes, the paintings
that weren't carted off, and the palatial rooms are reminders of the
vicissitudes of power.
Modern Ferrara is one of the most health-conscious places in all
Italy. Bicycles outnumber the automobiles on the road, and more than
half the citizens get exercise by jogging. In fact, it's almost
surreal: Enclosed in medieval walls under a bright sky, everywhere
you look, you'll find the people of Ferrara engaged in all sorts of
self-powered locomotion.
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Street markets Monday and Friday and every first weekend of the
month an antiques market.
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Palio di San Giorgio - Famous horse race held the last Sunday of May
just like in the 13th century with a parade of 1000 people in
Renaissance customs. Flags, musicians, trumpets, donkey races, etc.
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Buskers festival - held the last week of August which gathers
hundreds musicians from different parts of the world that come to
Ferrara for a week and they play on the street corners all over the
city.
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