Ferrara Travel Guide: Art, Architecture, and Cuisine

This article is a travel guide to Ferrara, Italy, highlighting eight must-see stops, ideally explored by bike. It covers the Horti della Fasanara, a luxury hotel within a former Este hunting reserve designed by Biagio Rossetti in the 15th-16th centuries. The Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea, active since 1976 in Palazzo Massari's garden, recently closed the 19th edition of Biennale Donna and is under renovation, but its sculpture park remains open. Palazzo dei Diamanti hosts a Gustave Courbet retrospective until January 6, featuring 50 paintings from international museums; the building itself was designed by Biagio Rossetti in 1492. Palazzo delle Poste, built between 1927 and 1929 by Angiolo Mazzoni, showcases neoclassical front and rationalist rear architecture. MLB Maria Livia Brunelli home gallery, founded by Maria Livia Brunelli and co-run with Fabrizio Casetti, is a contemporary art hub. Caffè del Corso is recommended for breakfast with excellent coffee and pastries. The Museo Nazionale dell'Ebraismo Italiano e della Shoah (MEIS) opened in early 2018 in a former prison, with completion expected in 2020; a 2018 maturità exam topic was Giorgio Bassani, who was detained there. Restaurant 'Quel fantastico giovedì' offers both land and sea dishes with an extensive wine list in a quiet outdoor area.