Discovering Modena. Late summer days in modena

We arrived in the late afternoon and checked into the centrally located B&B Canalino 21, just seconds away from the UNESCO listed Piazza Grande. On the main square and various other locations throughout the city, the final preparations for the annual philosophy festival were underway and filled the city with a joyful mood of anticipation. How we wished we could speak better Italian to attend one of the many lectures! But the thought of it was soon forgotten when we finally met our friends for a delicious dinner at the Trattoria Tagliatella. While catching up on lost years, we were introduced to the local Modenese speciality Tigelle e Gnocco Fritto accompanied by a glass of sparkling red wine called Lambrusco – you should definitely give it a try! Many hours, stories and drinks later, we were happily immersed in a deep sleep.

As we still had a little before our slot, we visited the huge Duomo di Modena and browsed the lively Mercato Albinelli for souvenirs. The 360° panoramic view from the bell tower was absolutely worth the wait and gave us a wonderful overview of the city. We then moved on to the Palazzo Ducale, where we learnt more about the rigorous programme of elite officers trained there.

After a reading break at the Giardini Ducali, we visited the unique historical collection of Panini stickers at the Museo della Figurina – a true gem for football lovers! Our visit to Modena ended with a stroll past the Teatro Comunale Luciano Pavarotti back to Piazza Grande for lunch, but we will definitely be back again soon!