Slow food and fast cars is Modena’s mantra. Enzo Ferrari built his first car here, while Lamborghini, Maserati, Ducati and Pagani are nearby in Motor Valley. And among many other illustrious chefs, Massimo Bottura, whose restaurant, Osteria Francescana, holds three Michelin stars and was twice crowned the world’s best restaurant, still sources some of his produce at its covered market.
That’s no surprise: the hyperlocal food scene in this affluent city, in Italy’s northern Emilia-Romagna region, is a joy. It’s also the home of the celebrated balsamic vinegar, painstakingly produced in an extremely long ageing process, making it probably the only place in the world where vinegar is more valuable than wine. And its wine is pretty good too: the new wave of dry, zingy lambrusco is worlds away from its ghastly, overly sweet 1970s forebear. Add a compact, elegant medieval centre, plus an opera house named after its most famous tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, and Modena surely ranks as one of Italy’s loveliest, most refined short breaks.
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48 hours in Modena — at a glance
Day one
Morning Albinelli Market
Lunch Bar Schiavoni
Afternoon Modena Cathedral and Ghirlandina Tower
Drink at Mon Café
Evening Galleria Estense
Dinner Osteria Stallo del Pomodoro
Day two
Morning Ferrari museums
Lunch Cavallino
Afternoon Balsamic Vinegar Museum
Drink at Nuova Drogheria
Evening Piazza Grande
Dinner Pizzeria Tre in Pomposa
The statue of PavarottiAlamy
What to see and do
Albinelli Market
The art nouveau Albinelli Market is the beating heart of Modena, open from 7am and brimming with stalls and cafés selling specialities from across Emilia-Romagna, from tortellini made in the traditional way to tigelle, small flatbreads begging to be filled with cream cheese or mortadella. Start your day the Modenese way by dunking crispy gnocchi fritti (pillow-light pockets of fried dough) into frothy cappuccino.
Cathedral and Ghirlandina Tower
Modena Cathedral and the Ghirlandina TowerAlamy
Modena’s 12th-century cathedral is a Romanesque beauty. Work off the carbs by climbing its bell tower, the city’s (much less wonky) answer to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The view from the top is worth the climb and en route you’ll spy a copy of a medieval wooden bucket that was a bizarre trophy from war with its bigger neighbour and eternal rival Bologna. The original is in the town hall and apparently the Bolognese still want it back (£5; visitmodena.it).
Galleria Estense
Get your old-masters fix at Galleria Estense where paintings by Velazquez, El Greco, Veronese and Tintoretto rub shoulders with bronzes and statuary belonging to the Dukes of Este. Its library holds a 1502 world map, known as the Cantino Planisphere, drawn by a Portuguese mapmaker and one of the most important early depictions of the New World (£7; gallerie-estensi.beniculturali.it).
Ferrari museums
The Ferrari Museum in Maranello is extraordinaryGetty images
Even if you’re not an F1 fan, the two Ferrari museums, one in Modena, the other 13 miles away in Maranello (there’s a £10 shuttle between the two) are an extraordinary spectacle. In Modena, it’s all about the founder Enzo Ferrari’s life and personal history while at Maranello petrolheads drool over the legendary 1987 F40 and more than a dozen other gleaming supercars, all displayed so they can be appreciated from every angle. Simulator rides and factory/track tours can be added to the basic entry fee (£24 for one museum, £33 for both; ferrari.com).
Balsamic Vinegar Museum
Balsamic vinegar is Modena’s black gold and you can learn how the very best stuff, with DOP status, is produced during a tour of the Museum of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar in Spilamberto, a 25-minute cab ride south of the city. Local luminaries including Massimo Bottura keep their vinegar in barrels here and a 100ml bottle to take home will cost £74 (£10; museodelbalsamicotradizionale.org).
Piazza Grande
Modena’s main square, Piazza Grande, is the ideal starting point for an early-evening passeggiata, when the cathedral, Ghirlandina Tower and town hall are lit up. Don’t miss the Pietra Ringadora, a huge red limestone boulder on which medieval miscreants were publicly humiliated. A few roads away you’ll find the city’s opera house and, beneath its portico, a flattering bronze statue of its most famous tenor, Luciano Pavarotti.
Where to eat and drink
Bar Schiavoni
There’s always a queue outside Bar Schiavoni, on the edge of the market, for the Fantoni sisters’ spectacular sandwiches. It’s known for its cotechino sausage filling but there are also tempting daily specials, all best teamed with a glass of lambrusco (sandwiches from £7; facebook.com/bar.schiavoni).
Mon Café
This friendly all-day café near the cathedral is a local favourite for top-notch coffee early on and aperitifs plus happy-hour snacks later. Inventive cocktails include the Modenese, a delicious blend of Aperol, lambrusco, balsamic vinegar and bitters (£7), and there’s a great selection of vermouths from £5 a glass (mon-cafe.it).
Gnocchi fritti with Parma ham and regional squacquerone cheeseAlamy
Osteria Stallo del Pomodoro
Housed in the former stables of the Duke of Modena’s mistress, this cosy osteria serves traditional dishes including the glorious gnocchi fritti with salami and Parma ham; silky tortellini submerged in broth; and hearty mains such as baked rabbit. The wine list is stellar too (mains from £12; stallodelpomodoro.it).
Cavallino
Cavallino Modena is right in front of the Ferrari factory
Enzo Ferrari held court here every day at 12.30pm and this glossy, memorabilia-filled restaurant — right in front of the Ferrari factory and overseen by Massimo Bottura — won its first Michelin star in November. It’s the perfect pitstop. From the aged parmesan crème caramel to the praline-filled supercar chocolates served with coffee, food is superb, and service is immaculate too. If it’s not in use, staff will show you the private dining room used by the family and drivers (mains from £21, four-course tasting menu £56; ferrari.com).
Nuova Drogheria
On Via Emilia Est, the ancient Roman road that crosses the city, Nuova Drogheria is a superb deli and wine shop by day, and a bar by night. It’s a brilliant spot for an afternoon spritz with snacks and the owners speak English (drinks from £5; nuovadrogheria.it).
Pizzeria Tre in Pomposa
Pizza is everywhere in Modena, and some of the best can be found at Tre in Pomposa. Expect creative Modenese specials like the Ringadora (béchamel, parmesan cream and pesto tortellini) and the Al Ninatt, topped with mozzarella, braised pork zampone, spinach and a lambrusco reduction (from £12; pizzeriatre.it).
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Where to stay
Phi Hotel Canalgrande
Neoclassical charm
Housed in the 18th-century Schedoni Palace, the Canalgrande’s ground floor is full of frescoes, imposing portraits and magnificent chandeliers. But more impressive than the decor is the friendliness of the staff, especially at reception. Rooms are simply furnished, there’s an excellent breakfast buffet (served on the terrace in warmer months) and the location couldn’t be more central: near but not too near the nightlife on Via dei Gallucci, and a quick stroll from the cathedral (room-only doubles from £94; phihotelcanalgrande.com).
Casa Maria Luigia
Have gourmet snacks and a decadent breakfast at Massimo Bottura’s country house Stefano Scatà
Foodie heaven
Massimo Bottura’s elegant country pile is 20 minutes’ drive from Modena and a place of pilgrimage for the top chef’s fans. His art, cars, motorbikes and tractor are all on display and guests can spin tunes from his vast collection of vinyl records. Gourmet snacks, a decadent breakfast and a balsamic vinegar tour are included in the rates. Staying here also gives you the chance to book communal dining at Francescana at Maria Luigia; its nine-course menu includes some of the chef’s greatest hits. The hotel is closed on Sunday and Monday nights from November to April (B&B doubles from £406; casamarialuigia.com).
B&B Quartopiano
B&B Quartopiano comprises two attic roomsPAOLO TERZI
Eccentric bolt hole
On a quiet street near Albinelli Market, this tiny B&B comprises two attic rooms, Athlete and Warrior, and an apartment on the fourth floor. Each is decorated with eclectic vintage finds, and there are fabulous views of Ghirlandina Tower and Modena’s rooftops from the terrace. Breakfast is served in a café nearby (B&B doubles from £130; bbquartopiano.it).
Getting there
The nearest airport is Bologna — fly with British Airways from Heathrow or Ryanair from Stansted. A quick monorail service gets you to Bologna central station from which it’s a 20-minute journey to Modena or a 35-minute drive. Modena’s city centre is compact and walkable but you’ll need a car if you want to explore the surrounding countryside.
Visit responsibly
Weekend breaks are easily extended by heading to nearby cities in Emilia-Romagna such as Bologna, Ferrara, Parma and Ravenna.
Julia Brookes was a guest of Kirker Holidays (kirkerholidays.com), the Emilia-Romagna tourist board (emiliaromagneturismo.it) and the Francescana family (francescanafamily.it). Three nights’ B&B at Phi Hotel Canalgrande, flights, transfers and the services of the Kirker concierge start at £798pp. Fly to Bologna
Dining and Cooking