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Offered languages
- German
- German
- Portuguese
- Portuguese
- English
- English
- Italian
- Italian
- French
- French
- Spanish
- Spanish
Ferrara is the city that engineered itself, and this self-guided walking tour traces how. In 1385 the Este dukes raised a moated fortress against their own citizens; a century later they clad a palace in 8,500 stone diamonds and laid out Europe's first master-planned Renaissance street grid, a short walk from the shadowed medieval arcades of Via delle Volte. Everything runs from your phone, with no app to install. Ten stops are mapped for you, with walking directions between them and a short audio story at each one, followed by an interactive quiz that turns the details into something you actually remember. The route runs north to south, from Corso Ercole I d'Este and the Quadrivio degli Angeli past the Castello Estense to the cathedral squares, the old Jewish ghetto and Via delle Volte. Start whenever you like, pause for a coffee, take a detour. There is no group, no schedule and no guide waiting on you. Audio and text are available in seven languages.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Start your self-guided tour on Corso Ercole I d'Este, at the northern end of the avenue near Porta degli Angeli. Open your Ciceru experience nearby and follow the route on your smartphone.
The tour ends on Via delle Volte, in Ferrara's medieval quarter. Take a moment to enjoy the arcaded street before finishing your walk.
Itinerary
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Corso Ercole I d"Este (Pass by)
The straight central axis of the 1492 Addizione Erculea, laid out by court architect Biagio Rossetti. You walk south along a shop-free residential avenue that runs from the Porta degli Angeli ramparts to the Castello Estense.
Admission ticket free -
Palazzo Prosperi-Sacrati (Pass by)
The oldest palace of the 1492 expansion, built for court physician Francesco da Castello. Its plain brick wall throws all the emphasis onto a white marble Renaissance doorway with sculpted putti holding up the balcony.
Admission ticket free -
Palazzo dei Diamanti (Pass by)
Biagio Rossetti's 1493-1503 palace for Sigismondo d'Este, faced with about 8,500 marble pyramids cut at varying angles so the corner reads best to someone walking past. See the carved candelabra at the intersection.
Admission ticket free -
Castello Estense (Pass by)
A moated brick fortress begun in 1385 after a tax revolt, designed by Bartolino da Novara to face inward at the city. Later dukes softened it with loggias, marble balustrades and an orange-tree terrace.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
A square on the castle moat holding Stefano Galletti's 1875 marble statue of the Ferrara-born friar Girolamo Savonarola, its base carved as a stack of logs. The arcaded Via Coperta links the ducal palace to the castle here.
Admission ticket free -
Piazza del Municipio (Pass by)
The courtyard of the old Palazzo Ducale, reached through the Volto del Cavallo archway. It holds the Scalone d'Onore staircase of 1473-81 and bronze replicas of Niccolo III and Borso d'Este, recast in 1927.
Admission ticket free -
Ferrara Cathedral (Pass by)
The Basilica Cattedrale di San Giorgio Martire, begun in 1135 by the sculptor Nicholaus. A Romanesque marble lower level gives way to Gothic pinnacles, with a tympanum of the weighing of souls and a shopping loggia built into the south wall.
Admission ticket free -
Piazza Trento e Trieste (Pass by)
Ferrara's main square, laid out over a twelfth-century herb market and crossed by the raised stone Listone promenade. The truncated cathedral bell tower stands at one corner, and the 1173 communal statutes are built into the arcade wall.
Admission ticket free -
Ghetto Ebraico (Pass by)
The streets around Via Mazzini and Via Vignatagliata, sealed behind five gates from 1627 until 1859 under Papal rule. The Jewish community's headquarters at Via Mazzini 95 has stood on the same site since 1485.
Admission ticket free -
Via delle Volte (Pass by)
A medieval river-port street where thirteenth and fourteenth-century brick vaults still span the alley, once linking merchant houses to their warehouses opposite. Today it is lined with wine bars under the arches.
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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