Beyond 3 Stars: Other Suggestions for the City of Modena (Regional Features Update)
The Ghirlandina Tower by night; views from the night we arrived in Modena
I arrived in Modena rather late on a Friday night in April 2022, giddy with excitement for a little cheeky weekend away and especially for the lunch reservation that had been booked at Osteria Francescana 6 months prior. Read about that experience in this post.
However, even if you do not visit the Modena for Massimo, there are myriad reasons that you might want to hop on a train (just about a 30 minute train ride from Bologna to which high speed trains arrive from most major cities in Italy) and spend a few days in this Emilian gem. Once you alight from the train at the Modena station, you will find that the core of the city center is extremely pedestrian friendly. If you stay relatively central, you should not need to take a taxi nor public transportation barring any major mobility issues.
Because we arrived quite late (most of us finished a day of work and took a train from Rome which got us there in less than 3 hours), we headed towards Piazza della Pomposa for a late dinner and night cap.
End of the night views from inside Juta near the Piazza della Pomposa in Modena.
Find a table at one of the many lively bars and pubs on Via Del Taglio (off of the Piazza della Pomposa). Places were packed with that Friday night energy hanging in the air, but we found a table for 5 at Stile Libero. We had casual but delicious taglieri (charcuterie board with local meats and cheeses) and piadine (the flat bread sandwich that hails from the ‘Romagna’ part of the region). At the recommendation of The New York Times’ “36 Hours in Modena” article we hopped across the street for a nightcap at Juta. It is hip, loud, the embodiment of the Pomposa scene.
Views from inside and at the top of the Ghirlandina Tower in Modena.
Climb the Ghirlandina Tower . (I had recommended this in my first Regional Features post on Modena, but I did not have the opportunity to do it at the time.) I, even more wholeheartedly, say ‘do it!’ I woke up quite early for a little morning exploration of the city center which was lazily waking up on a Saturday morning in early spring. Thus, when I went to the ticket office (located just inside the entrance to the tower), there was no line and few people. I must have been quite lucky with my timing as I see that there are timed entries. You can find all relevant information and book tickets here.
Views from the top of the Ghirlandina Tower.
There are about 200 steps to climb and panoramic views from the top. I am a sucker for an Italian tower climb and will never pass up the opportunity, but if mobility is an issue, you might want to pass and view from below. I will say that the tower has grating on most of the windows up top (I imagine for safety reasons), so pictures are slightly obstructed.
The facade of the Modena Cathedral, part of the UNESCO World Heritage site recognized for being an outstanding example of Romanesque architecture in Italy.
The tower is a part of the larger Piazza Grande complex, a UNESCO world heritage site with the commanding 12th Century cathedral. According to the UNESCO website, it “is a supreme example of early Romanesque art.”
Explore the Mercato Albinelli. This expansive food market really showcases why Modena is such a foodie city and the larger region is known for the quality and quantity of its products.
An interior shot of the busy Mercato Albinelli.
You can see when Chef Massimo Bottura was interviewed for the CBS show ‘60 Minutes’, he took a turn through this famous market which was inaugurated in 1931. Again, I took a turn through the market quite early in the day, which I would recommend. (It is open every day except Sunday from 7 AM to 3 PM). As mentioned in the Food and Wine post, gnocco fritto (a delicious puffed up, fried dough) is one of the deliciously famous products from this region. What I learned on this subsequent trip is in Modena it is acceptable (and encouraged) to eat this savory treat for breakfast as an accompaniment to your cappuccino. Genius! I purchased a bag at the market and headed back to our Airbnb to greet my friends with a morning snack.
Some of the famous and delicious regional pastas on display at the Mercato Albinelli.