Things to do in

Modena

Discover the city of Modena and its highlights on this 2-hour walking tour and learn why its UNESCO World Heritage Sites are considered as unique representatives of a 12th-century Italian cultural-artistic tradition. Visit this lesser-known Italian city, made famous by the likes of Ferrari and Maserati, Pavarotti, balsamic vinegar, and tortellini. Despite its small size, whatever you're looking for, Modena has it—history, UNESCO sites, a Ducal Palace, and the second oldest university of Italy. Start in Piazza Grande where the city’s structures of civic and religious power have long held court. Admire the 3 UNESCO sites of the Cathedral, the Ghirlandina tower, and the square itself. It is possible to visit the interior of the Saint Geminiano Cathedral according to opening times and services. Piazza Grande is located near Piazza della Torre and Albinelli covered market. The Albinelli market is the oldest covered market of the town and among the most beautiful in Italy. You can see and buy typical produces of the province here (open from Monday to Friday morning and closed on Sundays). Leaving Piazza Grande and through Piazzetta delle Ova, reach the backbone of the Region Emilia Romagna, the Via Emilia, the main urban artery since the Roman age. On the other side of the Via Emilia is the old Jewish Ghetto. See the new Synagogue which overlooks Piazza Mazzini. Just a few steps from the old Jewish ghetto, find yourself at the majestic 17th-century Palazzo Ducale, the residence of the Court of the Estes until it became the seat of the prestigious Modena Military Academy. Learn how this part of the city became the symbol of power.

Discover the production of two excellences of Italian cuisine, Parmigiano Reggiano and Parma Hak, on a gastronomic tour from Bologna. After being picked up from your accommodation in Bologna or Modena, head to Italy's food capital declared as UNESCO Creative City for gastronomy since 2015. Learn more about Parma and its local cuisine that is so popular that it often ends up dominating conversations among locals. Visit the historic Parmigiano Reggiano factory where an expert guide will show you the stages of production, and you'll be able to taste some of the cheese made by the factory. Then, get up close to the production of the famous Parma Ham. Learn the secrets of this Italian delicacy followed by a tasting paired with a glass of local wine.  Following the Parma Ham factory, your driver will take you to a local restaurant famous for its regional dishes. Here you can enjoy a two-course lunch, including water and wine. Finally, head back to your accommodation in Bologna or Modena.

On this tour, you can go food shopping like a local with your "Cesarina", enjoying the distinctive Italian local markets and learning how to recognize the best produce from the land. You can immerse yourself in a private cooking class at the Cesarina's home, where you will learn the secrets of the most famous dishes of regional cuisine and taste the fruits of your labor accompanied by local wines. During your lesson, your Cesarina will reveal the tricks of the trade of 3 authentic local recipes. You can have fun putting your cooking skills to the test, with your Cesarina-guide helping you along the way. You will have a workstation equipped with utensils, and all the ingredients required to make the dishes. After your cooking class, you will of course get to taste everything you have prepared, accompanied by a selection of red and white local wines. Instead of loading your suitcase with souvenirs, take home some handy Italian cooking skills that will stay with you for life.

Uncover the secrets of Italian family recipes on your travels, Your guide, or Cesarina will share their wisdom, which has been passed down in their families for generations. Immerse yourself in a private cooking class at your guide's home. Learn the secrets of the most famous dishes of regional cuisine and taste the fruit of your labor accompanied by local wines.  During the lesson, the Cesarina will reveal the tricks of the trade of 3 authentic local recipes. Have fun putting your cooking skills to the test. Participants will have a workstation equipped with utensils and all the ingredients to make the dishes. Then, taste everything you have prepared accompanied by a selection of red and white local wines. Instead of loading your suitcase with souvenirs, take home Italian cooking skills that'll stay with you for life.

Experience the best of Modena on this day tour which showcases 3 of the region's best products. Start your tour with a visit to the home of the great maestro Luciano Pavarotti. Enjoy a tour of his house, which has now been converted into a museum. Visit the rooms where he lived and discover more about his life and times. Next, head to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello. Live the Prancing Horse dream firsthand as you wander around the various exhibitions dedicated to the iconic racing car. Get travel back in time as you explore the racecar's exhilarating history. Finally, discover the history and ancient tradition of the famous "black gold" of Modena with a guided tour of a balsamic vinegar factory. After your tour, enjoy some tastings paired with delicious local delicacies. On the way back to Bologna, stop for lunch at a countryside farmhouse.

Enjoy 1-hour full-immersion experience discovering the history and the tradition of the famous “Black Gold” of Modena. Meet your expert guide who will welcome you and show you the techniques and secrets of a vital cooking ingredient used in kitchens across the world.  At the end of the tour, taste some authentic balsamic vinegar of Modena, accompanied by some local food products and local wine.

The tour starts with a view and a walking on the splendid 40-acre vineyards estate, before continuing with a visit of the rooms where this "black gold" is produced, aged, and preserved within ancient wooden barrels. You will then taste 3 traditional balsamic vinegars which are 15, 22, and 28 years old, combined with local delicacies. One of the finest of all food products originating from Emilia Romagna is traditional balsamic vinegar from the Modena and Parma area. It is made only from the Trebbiano grapevine. Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia and of Modena is a real jewel for all foodies. It is a unique vinegar-based condiment as it is produced directly from grape juice. The liquid is then placed in wooden barrels and through an oxidation process over several years is transformed into the finest vinegar in the world. At the conclusion of your regional experience, you will be returned to your tour starting point in Parma.

Start the journey from Florence towards Emilia-Romagna, Italy’s most famous foodie region. Discover first-hand how products renowned worldwide for their taste and high quality are made. Taste classic products like parmigiano-reggiano cheese, balsamic vinegar, and Lambrusco wine. Also, witness the entire process of cheese making. Visit a local factory and admire rows and columns of cheese wheels perfuming the air. Then, discover Acetaia Sereni, the leader in the production of traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena. Enjoy a consistent lunch at the property's restaurant overlooking a breathtaking scenery. At the end of the day, enjoy some leisure time in Modena. You can stroll around its charming streets and visit its UNESCO World Heritage Sites before going back to Florence.

Enjoy a private tour as you discover one of the UNESCO heritage cities of Emilia Romagna. Find out how the city is famous for its historical center, for its cuisine (Modena is home to the best restaurant in the world),  for its car manufacturing industry, and the friendly people who live there. Start your walking tour in Piazza Grande which is home to the UNESCO-listed Cathedral and the Ghirlandina. Admire the cathedral with its square and tower, a supreme example of early Romanesque art. Learn about the piazza has existed since the 12th-century, as the political and cultural center of the city. It is on this square that the ancient town hall was built. Then, set off with your guide to explore other corners of Modena and learn about the city's secret. See the City Hall, Duomo Museum, and Ducal Museum. Finally, arrive at the historic market of the city and taste a delicious Italian coffee in the UNESCO-listed heritage square.

Step back in time to learn how Parmigiano Reggiano is made with this visit to a ‘caseficio,’ or cheese factory. Find out why the provinces of Parma, Modena and Reggio Emilia are the only ones that can produce authentic Parmigiano Reggiano. Watch cheesemakers at work as they cook the milk to separate the whey and lift the Parmigiano Reggiano, followed by a visit to the aging room. Here, admire the rows upon rows of cheese wheels aging and inhale their sweet perfume the air. Finish the tour by tasting Parmesan cheese paired with honey and marmalade. Afterward, make your way to Modena and pay a visit to the traditional food market. Inside the market, enjoy a Lambrusco wine tasting accompanied by traditional Modena ham and more. Fall in love with this sweet frizzante wine that has become a symbol of the Modena province. Then stop for lunch in a typical Modenese trattoria and enjoy an authentically prepared 3-course Italian meal served with a fantastic Lambrusco wine. After lunch, take a “passeggiata” (leisurely walk) around the streets of Modena. Car lovers can pay a visit to the Enzo Ferrari Museum of Modena. Next, head to an Acetaia (balsamic vinegar factory) where you will have a private tour of the cellars. Receive a full explanation of the vinegar making process, from the pressing of the grapes and cooking the wort in the boiler, to the filtration and mixing. You will also have the opportunity to taste the balsamic vinegar “Tradizionale” and “Extravecchio”, before heading back to Florence.