Modena occupies a sweet spot in the heartland of Emilia Romagna, Italy’s breadbasket and economic engine. With many kilometers of cycling paths, a compact city center, and superb food to fit any traveler’s budget, the little city has long been on our bucket list of Italian places to go. Tom and I had the good fortune to spend several days there as participants in Emilia Romagna’s “blogville” campaign. The city was tastefully decorated for Christmas and the main sights were all within walking distance of our hotel, along arcaded streets blessed with options for good espresso.
Modena’s Medieval heart
The city’s virtues for the curious traveler are many. Its medieval heart is a superb example of architecture from the 12th century, a time in which religious and civic values were united in a Christian city. The Dukes of Este held court in Modena for almost five hundred years, and left their mark on the city’s architecture, arts and cuisine.







A sleek auto museum in Modena
Automobile innovator Enzo Ferrari built race cars here in Modena. The museum dedicated to his cars is modern and as sleek as the cars.

Gastronomy in the heart of Emilia Romagna
The gastronomic delights of Modena and the region are reason enough to travel to Emilia Romagna. Modena is a great place to experience world-class Parmigiano-Reggiano, Lambrusco wine, and above all, the region’s signature product, aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena.



More about Emilia Romagna
Do we have your interest? Read more about this marvelous region’s unique heritage: the Zampone tradition, Rationalist architecture in Forli and Bologna’s splendid San Colombano Museum are just three more reasons to travel to Emilia Romagna.
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Grazie mille! to Emilia Romagna Tourism for hosting our stay in Modena, Italy, and for including this article in an eBook, The Art Cities of Emilia Romagna!