The DUOMO - the cathedral, the GHIRLANDINA tower and the Piazza Grande - the main square, all Unesco World Heritage; the MUSEI DEL DUOMO (cathedral museum and lapidary) next to the cathedral; PALAZZO COMUNALE - the Town Council and its historical rooms, where you can see the Secchia Rapita ( so called "stolen bucket"), which inspired the heroic comic poem " La Secchia Rapita" by Alessandro Tassoni; PALAZZO DUCALE ESTENSE, which nowadays hosts the MILITARY ACADEMY and it is one of the biggest baroque palazzos in Italy. On certain Sundays you can visit the Estense Residence rooms and the Military Academy Historic Museum. The BOTANICAL GARDENS, the ancient garden in the ducal greenhouses where you can visit the succulent plants greenhouse, the "Serretta" with warm/humid climate, the ancient Parterre and the Arboreto. The PALAZZO DEI MUSEI, where you can visit the Archivio Storico Comunale (the historic city archive), la Biblioteca Estense Universitaria (the Estense University Library), the Museo Civico d'Arte (the city art museum), the Museo Civico Archeologico Etnologico (the city archeological and ethnological museum), the Galleria Estense (the Estense Museum), the Biblioteca Civica d'Arte Luigi Poletti (a city art library), the Roman Lapidary, the Gipsoteca Giuseppe Graziosi (a gallery of plaster casts). The PALAZZO SANTA MARGHERITA and the PALAZZINA DEI GIARDINI, locations of the Galleria Civica, host contemporary art and photos exhibitions

For car lovers: the STANGUELLINI HISTORIC CAR MUSEUM, with the most interesting cars that won hundreds of victories; the PANINI HISTORIC CAR MUSEUM, one of the most beautiful Maserati car collections; the GALLERIA FERRARI in Maranello; the LAMBORGHINI factory and museum in Sant’Agata Bolognese.

Near Modena other monuments are worth of a visit: The San Silvestro Abbey in NONANTOLA and its towers dated 200 AC; the reconstruction of a prehistoric village of Terramare in MONTALE RANGONE; the ancient town of CASTELVETRO; the Palazzo Ducale  and the Salvarola Spa Centre in SASSUOLO; Piazza dei Martiri and the nearby Castello dei Pio in CARPI; the castle “Rocca di Vignola” in VIGNOLA, in the Panaro river valley; the medieval castle in FORMIGINE; the Pico Castle in MIRANDOLA; the Museum of the Ancient Rose in SERRAMAZZONI and many more.

The Trade Fair Centre organizes interesting events such as Expo Elettronica (Electronics trade fair), Modenantiquaria (antiques trade fair), Artigiana Italiana (craftsmanship fair), Childrens Tour, Sicura (fair on food processing safety), Motorsport ExpoTech, Skipass, 7.8.Novecento (antiques fair). The Bologna Trade Fair Centre is easily reacheable from the Hotel Astor in Modena and it is known for: Cosmoprof, Cersaie, Cosmofarma Exhibition, Lineapelle (cosmetics fair), Motor Show and many more.

The Modenese typical dishes are: “tortellini in brodo” (filled pasta in capon broth),  the “zampone” (a pork meat special product) or the “cotiche coi fagioli" (pork rind with beans), the “parmigiano reggiano” (typical cheese) and the “aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena” (the Modena Balsamic Vinegar) and as dessert the “bensone” accompanied by a liquor made with walnuts called “nocino”. You can also taste the "gnocco fritto" (fried bread) and the “crescentine” a type of bread that in past ages were baked in special moulds called “tigelle”, they can be then filled with pork fat and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese or with prosciutto crudo, coppa, mortadella and other sausages and to end a so good meal, the “ciliegie di Vignola” (cherries from a nearby town - Vignola). Any Modenese dish can be accompanied with a good bottle of  “lambrusco” wine.

Events of interest in Modena start on the 31st January with the Patron Day S. Geminiano and go on with the Mille Miglia race and the Modena Motor Valley events for all car lovers, in May and October the Stuzzicagente (a gastronomic event in the city centre streets), in June the Serate Estensi (historic celebrations remembering the Estense dukes who took Modena as their capital city from the 1598), in July the Festival Internazionale delle Bande Militari (International Military Bands Festival), in September Festival Filosofia (Festival of Philosophy) with a different theme every year.

VISIT ITALY, VISIT MODENA!

For further information: http://turismo.comune.modena.it/

Photos of M. Ferioli: http://fotografo-s.over-blog.it/