The town of Modena is a beautiful medieval city, with churches, buildings and squares that have all made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. However, most people have heard of Modena for one of two other reasons; either as the home of balsamic vinegar or the home of the Italian supercar. Many of the most famous Italian car manufacturers – Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati, are or were based in the town. Unfortunately, you can't visit these headquarters, but there are souvenirs if the famous exports in most of the town's shops.
One of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Modena is the beautifully sculptured cathedral, the exterior depicting the wild, godless world, with the interior portraying the peace and security of religion. Those that choose to make the climb to the top of the tower are rewarded with great views across Modena and the southern Po Valley.
The 17th century Ducal Palace was built in the Baroque style and features a number of frescoed ceilings and spectacular staircases. One of the highlights of the tour is the Golden Hall, which features dozens of gilded, removable panels. Nowadays, the palace is home to the Italian Military Academy and also houses a military museum and library. There are other museums in Modena that are worth visiting covering a variety of interests; archaeology, art, politics, books and even headstones.
All these museums are located within one building, the Museum Palace, which was originally built as a hostel for the poor. Highlights include works of art by Tintoretto and Velazquez and the Estense Library, housing one of the most important collections of documents, books and letters in Italy.
Located on the Piazza Grande, another World Heritage Site, Modena's town hall is located within a collection of palazzos that have been connected together over the years, the oldest parts of the building dating from the 11th century. The most famous parts of the building are the 15th century clock tower and a painted frieze in the Fire Room, depicting characters from Ancient Rome. The clock tower had initially been paired with an identical one on the other side of the town hall, but the second tower was destroyed by an earthquake in 1671.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Modena? Then below is a selection of Apartments in Modena and villas in Modena that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
