A Fabulous Ferrara Day Trip From Bologna

Ferrara is a UNESCO-listed gem in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, begging to be explored. Yet visitors often overlook it while beating a path to Bologna, Venice and Florence.

A harmonious blend of medieval and Renaissance architecture, Ferrara was coined “the first modern city in Europe” by Jacob Burckhardt in his classic Civilization of the Renaissance in Europe. Its star shone brightest during the glory days of the Este court, attracting the titans of 15^th and 16th-century art and poetry.

It had long been on my Italy bucket list, and I finally got the chance to do a Ferrara day trip while I was staying in Bologna. Here’s the lowdown on how to do it and what to see.

Ferrara Day Trip from Bologna at a Glance

A Brief History of Ferrara

Ferrara began life as a Byzantine fortified camp built to control trade on the Po River in the 6^th century but flourished under the powerful Este family from the 13th to 16th centuries. It became a cultural and intellectual hub, with its own school of art, and an outpost of papal power in the north of Italy.

The city’s innovative urban planning created the mould for European architecture. Masterminded by Biagio Rossetti in the late 15th century, this seamlessly integrated Renaissance ideals with functional design, creating a harmonious blend of wide boulevards and intimate alleys.

Ferrara’s fortunes took a dive when the popes took over in 1598, but climbed back up to become today’s happy and prosperous city.

Is One Day in Ferrara Enough?

Ferrara is a compact and walkable city, and you can hit its highlights in one day. But to explore more of its gorgeous palaces, city walls and restaurant scene, I recommend spending two days here.

Avoid visiting Ferrara on a Monday or Tuesday when either Castello Estense or Palazzo Schifanoia are closed.

Save Money with the MyFe Card

I explored Ferrara with the MyFe Card. This tourist pass is valid for two, three or six days and covers admission to the city’s museums. In 2026, it costs between €20 and €25.

You will save money even if you only visit Estense Castle and Palazzo Schifanoia in one day. Anything else is a bonus.

Find out more here.

My Suggested 1-Day Ferrara Itinerary & Self-Guided Walking Tour

Ferrara’s centre is compact, and you won’t need public transport to get around.

Here’s a map you can use as a self-guided walking tour if helpful. For step-by-step directions and to send to your phone, click here or on the map.

Este Castle (Castello Estense)

With its sturdy medieval fortress exterior and delicate Renaissance towers reflected on its moat, Castello Estense is both imposing and beautiful.

It was built as a fortress in 1385 by Nicolò II d’Este following a violent uprising over taxes. From the end of the 15^th century, the Este family started to transform it into their palace, wallpapering its great halls with works by the finest artists of the day.

A handful of these decorated rooms survive, including Saletta dei Giochi, frescoed by Ludovico Settevecchi.

There are huge mirrors in some of these rooms to allow a closer look at the artwork. Sadly, the fortress-palace sustained damage in the 2012 earthquake and washi paper seals the cracks that appeared.

For an additional fee, you can climb the 120 steps of Torre dei Leoni (Lions’ Tower), the oldest of the castle’s four towers. The views are so-so, and, in my view, this is skippable.

The castle’s dungeons at Torre dei Leoni held the Este family’s most prized prisoners. These included Ugo and Parsina, Nicolò III’s son and second wife, who were decapitated at the foot of the tower in 1425. These were brutal times.

You can still see prisoners’ etchings on the walls of the prison.

A door from the ducal apartments leads to a gorgeous roof terrace and the Renaissance Giardino degli Aranci (Orange Garden).

This much-photographed circular courtyard is part of Ferrara’s Teatro Comunale complex. Rotonda Foschini takes its name from Antonio Foschini, the architect who designed it in the late 18th century.

Close by is Piazzetta Sant’Anna, originally a cloister of the city’s first hospital, built in the mid-15^th century.

Piazzale Savonarola

The fire-and-brimstone monk who briefly caused the downfall of Florence’s mighty Medici was a local boy. Savonarola’s statue passes judgment on Ferrara’s natives from the small square named after him.

Ferrara Cathedral (Cattedrale di San Giorgio)

Pop inside Ferrara Cathedral if it’s open. If not, don’t worry; it’s entirely skippable.

When I visited, it was undergoing extensive restoration and all of the chapels along its left nave were closed. It has a gloomy interior, but you can pop a coin into a slot to illuminate its main altar.

Ferrara’s Duomo is far more attractive on the outside. It has a glorious marble portico, and its doorway is guarded by a pair of splendid lions.

Palazzo Municipale

The main entrance of Palazzo Municipale, Volta del Cavallo, faces the Ferrara Duomo.

This leads to a large courtyard with cafes and shops (when I visited, there was much excitement at the arrival of a wedding party).

If you turn to your right, you’ll see a Renaissance monumental stairway, Scalone d’Onore, which led to the ducal apartments. Climb the steps to what is now the city hall and ask to see the Duchess’s Dressing Room (Stanzino delle Duchesse).

Decorated between 1555 and 1560 by Cesare, Camillo and Sebastiano Filippi (known as Bastianino), this is where the daughters of Duke Ercole II d’Este made themselves beautiful before an evening at court. Stanzino delle Duchesse is entirely covered with painted wooden panels depicting allegorical and mythological figures.

You can also walk along Via Coperta, a passageway linking Palazzo Municipale to Castella Estense.

Piazza Trento – Trieste

Formerly known as Piazza del Mercato delle Erbe, this loggia-lined square was the city’s commercial hub from the Middle Ages. Its unfinished bell tower is attributed to Leon Battista Alberti.

It’s a good place to stop for lunch.

Palazzo Schifanoia

Palazzo Schifanoia was commissioned by Alberto V d’Este in 1385 as a retreat from the pressures of court life—its name means “to escape from boredom”. When the popes seized control of Ferrara, they used it as a tobacco factory, destroying some of the Renaissance’s greatest frescoes in the process.

That said, it has enough to warrant the walk tthere. Its crowning glory is a single room, the Salone dei Mesi (Hall of the Months).

Painted by the artists of the Ferrara School, these frescoes depict the months of the year through a combination of classical mythology, zodiac symbols and scenes from court life. Although some are badly damaged, they are considered masterpieces of Italian Renaissance art.

The palace has several other rooms with exquisite surviving decoration, including the Room of the Double Lancet Windows and the Hall of the Battles.

There’s a fine collection of portrait medals, including those by Pisanello, who started this trend, and a colossal bust of the Ferrarese Count Leopoldo Cicognara by Antonio Canova.

Palazzo Schifanoia has a lovely garden with that all-important café.

Casa Romei

This Renaissance palace was built for a banker who married into the Este family in 1445. It’s worth visiting for the almost monochrome frescoes in the Sala delle Sibile, its terracotta fireplaces and its elegant courtyard.

Corso Ercole I d’Este and Palazzo dei Diamanti

Make your way back to the train station along one of Ferrara’s prettiest streets. Lined with Renaissance palaces, Corso Ercole I d’Este connects Porta degli Angeli on the north side of the city walls to the Castello Estense.

At Quadrivio degli Angeli, there are three of the best palaces: Palazzo Turchi di Bagno, Palazzo Prosperi Sacrati and Palazzo dei Diamanti. The latter takes its name from the diamond-shaped stones studding its façade – diamonds were the symbol of the Este – and is home to the Pinoteca Nazionale.

How to Get from Bologna to Ferrara by Train

Trenitalia operates hourly regional trains between Bologna and Ferrara.

These modern double-decker trains will get you there in 30 minutes. Make sure you take the Regionale Velocite (RV) train. The line is also served by the slower Regionale trains (R), which take almost twice as long to make the journey

As prices are fixed, there is no advantage in booking in advance. Remember to validate your ticket before the train departs.

Although the high-speed Frecciarossa trains also serve this route, they only cut your journey time by five minutes and are more expensive.

You can check Trenitalia train times here. For planning on the go and to book and download your ticket, grab the Trenitalia app here.

If you’re unsure about riding the rails, I’ve written this guide to travelling by train in Italy.

Bologna Centrale station is a 20-minute walk from Piazza Maggiore & Piazza Nettuno in the heart of the city centre. At the other end, it’s a 20-minute walk from Ferrara Train Station to the historic centre.

Where To Next?

And that’s a wrap. I hope that this guide helps you nail down what to do in Ferrara in a day.

If you are looking for more help with planning your visit to Emilia Romagna, check out my guide to Bologna or the best things to do in Modena before you leave.

Buon viaggio!

By Bridget

Bridget Coleman is an award-winning travel blogger who is an incurable Italy addict and has travelled its length & breadth on multiple occasions. Find out more here.

To get in touch, email her at hello@flashpackingitaly.com