Ferrara has a certain charm and calmness, but I found it not up to par with great Italian cities like Verona, let alone Venice or Rome. The Michelin Green Guide gives it 2 stars (“worth a detour”), and that is about right. I stayed there for 2 nights, using it as a base for a day trip to Mantua also.

The various sights are scattered around the city center, showing the town’s various stages of development which are so crucial in its OUV of “Renaissance town planning”. To the east lie several small palaces, built by wealthy relatives and supporters of the ruling d’Este family. The Palazzina Marfisa d'Este for example is a villa with a garden that could be lovely if well-attended (I was visiting in winter so maybe it is nicer in spring or summer). There’s a loggia at the back, and the house’s interior has many decorated ceilings and period (or later) furniture. The nearby Casa di Romei is bigger, has two stories and houses a small museum.

At the heart of the city are the Cathedral and the Castle. Both have striking exteriors. In the interior of the Cathedral dark grey colours stand out – I was not too impressed with it. The Castle’s interior is quite barren too but is surely worth visiting. At the lower levels, the history of the city and the d’Este family is told via displays, and in another part, the frescoed ceilings are shown up-and-close via mirrors on the ground. There are some particularly gloomy dungeons too.

North of here starts the Renaissance extension of the town, with straight streets and monumental houses. The famous Palazzo dei Diamanti lies here. By then it had started to rain, so after a few quick photos, I cut my visit short.