Tour guide in Ferrara

The sites Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta have been included in the World Heritage List in 1995 and 1999 respectively.

• Areas: Ferrara and its region (Argenta, Cento, Codigoro, Comacchio, Goro, Mesola, Po Delta, Pomposa, Valle Bertuzzi)

• Languages: Italian, German, English, Spanish, French

• Proposals
  • Tours of general interest
  • Special Tours
  • Temporary Exhibitions
  • Educational tours
  • Other itineraries

• Useful information
  • Museums and monuments: Opening times, admission and facilites for people with disabilities
  • Travel, Music and theatre, Various

Proposals

• Tours of general interest: Ferrara and its Province
  • Students and adults, individuals and groups
  • Half-day, full-day, two or more days
  • By coach, on foot, by bike, by boat, on a Segway TM (www.segwayexperience.it)

• Special Tours:
  • Ferrara and the Este family: Castello Estense, symbol of the power from Niccolò III to Alfonso II.
  • Medieval and Renaissance architecture and city planning in Ferrara: Palazzo dei Diamanti and the Herculean Addition by Biagio Rossetti and his patron Ercole I.
  • The Jewish Heritage: Ferrara, city of "The Gardens of the Finzi Contini" by Giorgio Bassani.
  • Spirituality in Ferrara's 16th century: Corpus Domini and Sant'Antonio in Polesine in Sarah Dunant's latest novel "Sacred Hearts".
  • Art and Patronage in Ferrara: Masterpieces of Pisanello, Cosimo Tura, Benvenuto Tisi da Garofalo, Dosso Dossi, and many more at Palazzo Schifanoia, Casa Romei, and Pinacoteca Nazionale Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara.
  • Etruscans finds in Ferrara: One of the largest collections of red-figure vases anywhere from the Graeco-Etruscan seaport Spina at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale Palazzo Ludovico il Moro.
  • Music, theatre and ballet in Ferrara: The Teatro Comunale a jewel of the late 18th century architecture; today scene of events and performances of international orchestras, stars and dancers.
  • Architectural treasures of the Po Delta: The Trepponti in Comacchio, Pomposa abbey, Mesola Castle.
  • Cento: mentioned in Goethe's "Italian Journey" the city of Sir Denis Mahon's favourite painter Guercino.

• Temporary Exhibitions:
  • Da Braque a Kandinsky a Chagall. Aimé Maeght e i suoi artisti, Ferrara, Palazzo dei Diamanti, 28 February - 2 June 2010
  • Chardin, Ferrara, Palazzo dei Diamanti, 17 October 2010 - 30 January 2011

• Educational tours

• Other itineraries: In collaboration with referenced colleagues of other cities standard and special tours of one or more days are possible:
  • Ferrara and Bologna: Cultural and artistic, religious and academic antagonism between two neighbour centres.
  • Ferrara and Mantova: The Este e the Gonzaga, a comparison of two Renaissance courts.
  • Ferrara and Modena: The capitals of the Este court before and after the Devolution of 1598.
  • Ferrara and Padova: Scholars and painters, universities and large painting master works from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.
  • Ferrara and Ravenna: From the highlights of the Renaissance back to the highlights of the Byzantine art.
  • Ferrara and Verona: city planning and architecture, art and culture of the past and the present.

  ---

  Practical information:

  Main museums and monuments: Opening times, admission and facilites for people with disabilities

  Ferrara:

  • Casa di Ludovico Ariosto: 10am-1pm & 3pm-6pm (Tues-Sat), 10am-1pm (Sun & BHol). Free entry. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 244949.
  • Casa Romei: 8.30am-7.30pm (Tues-Sun). Admission fee. Wheelchair access with restrictions. Tel ++39 0532 234100.
  • Castello Estense: 9.30am-5.30pm (Tues-Sun). Admission fee. Wheelchair access with restrictions. Tel ++39 0532 299233
  • Cathedral: 7.30am-12noon & 3pm-6.30pm (Mon-Sat), 7.30am-12.15am & 4pm-7.30pm (Sun & BHol). Free entry. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 207449.
  • Chiesa del Gesù: 8am-11.30am & 5pm-7pm (Mon-Sat), 7.30am-1pm & 5pm-7pm (Sun & BHol). Free entry. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 205908.
  • Jewish Museum and Synagogue: at 10am, 11am, 12noon (Sun-Thur), closed on Fri, Sat & JHol. Admission fee. No wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 210228.
  • Jewish Cemetery: 9am-6pm (Summer), 9am-4.30pm (Winter), closed on Sat & JHol. Free entry. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 751337 (Door-keeper).
  • Monastero del Corpus Domini: 9.30am-11.30am & 3.30pm-5.30pm (Mon-Fri), closed on Sat & Sun. Free offer. Tel ++39 0532 207825.
  • Monastero di Sant'Antonio in Polesine: 9.30am-11.30am & 3pm-5pm (Mon-Fri), 9.30am-11.15am & 3.15pm-4.30pm (Sat), closed on Sun & BHol. Free offer. No wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 64068.
  • Museo Archeologico Nazionale (Palazzo Costabili detto di Ludovico il Moro): 9am-2pm (Tues-Sun). Admission fee. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 66299.
  • Museo della Cattedrale: 9am-1pm & 3pm-6pm (Tues-Sun). Admission fee. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 244949.
  • Museum Filippo de Pisis (Palazzo Massari): 9am-1pm & 3pm-6pm (Tues-Sun). Admission fee. Assisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 244949.
  • Museum Giovanni Boldini (Palazzo Massari): 9am-1pm & 3pm-6pm (Tues-Sun). Admission fee. Assisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 244949.
  • Oratorio dell'Annunziata: closed due to restoration works. Tel ++39 0532 941009
  • Palazzina Marfisa d'Este: 9am-1pm & 3pm-6pm (Tues-Sun). Admission fee. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 244949.
  • Palazzo Bonacossi - Museo Riminaldi: 10am-1pm & 3pm-6pm (Tues-Sat), closed on Mon, Sun & BHol. Free entry. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 244949.
  • Palazzo Paradiso (Biblioteca Ariostea - Public library): 9am-7.30pm (Mon-Fri), 9am-5.30pm (Sat), closed on closed on Sun & BHol. Free entry. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 418200.
  • Palazzo Schifanoia: 9am-6pm (Tues-Sun). Admission fee. Wheelchair access with restrictions. Tel ++39 0532 244949.
  • Pinacoteca Nazionale (Palazzo dei Diamanti): 9am-2pm (Tues-Sun), 9am-7pm (Thur). Admission fee. Unassisted wheelchair access; Tel ++39 0532 205844-244949.
  • S. Cristoforo alla Certosa: 8.45am-4.45pm (Winter) & 8.15am-5.15pm (Summer), no admittance during services. Groups must book in advance. Free entry. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 244949.
  • Teatro Comunale: 9am-1pm & 3pm-6pm, no admittance during rehearsals, closed on Thur pm. Admission fee. Wheelchair access with restrictions. Tel ++39 0532 218326 (Mon-Fri 8am-2pm).

  • N. B.: As changes in opening times may occur, visitors are advised to check with the establishment concerned. Last admission 30 minutes before closing.

  Ferrara region:

  • Centro di Documentazione del Mondo Agricolo Ferrarese, San Bartolomeo in Bosco: 9am-noon (Tues-Fri), 3,30pm-6,30pm (Sun & BHol). Free entry. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 768490 (Centro Etnografico del Comune di Ferrara).
  • Museo Civico di Belriguardo (Castello di Belriguardo), Voghiera: 4pm-7pm (Sun & BHol) ad on application. Admission fee. Assisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0532 328511 or ++39 0532 328063 (opening hours only).
  • Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini, Dosso di Cento: open all year only by appointment. Admission fee. Show room: unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 347 5329320 (Fabio Lamborghini).
  • Museo della Nave Romana (Antiche Carceri Mandamentali), Comacchio: 9.30am-12.30am & 3.30pm-7.30pm (Tues-Sun). Admission fee. Unassisted wheelchair access. Tel ++39 0533 311316.
  • Museo Pomposiano (Pomposa Abbey), Codigoro: 8.30am-7pm (daily). Admission fee. Wheelchair access with restrictions. Tel ++39 0533 719152
  • Pinacoteca Civica, Cento: 9.30am-0.30pm & 4pm-7pm (Fri-Sun & BHol). Free entry. Tel ++39 051 6843390.

  • N. B.: As changes in times may occur, visitors are advised to check with the establishment concerned. Last admission 30 minutes before closing.

  Travel, Music and theatre, Various

  Travel

  • Average journey times by coach to Ferrara from: Abano Terme 1hr, Bologna 50m, Brescia 2h30', Cento 45m, Chioggia 2h, Comacchio 50m, Copparo 25m, Florence Nord 2hrs, Lidi Ferraresi 1hr, Mantova 1hr 30m, Modena 1hr 30m, Padova 1hr 15m, Ravenna 1hr 30m, Rimini 2hrs, Treviso 1hr 45m, Venice Tronchetto 1hr 30m, Verona 1hr 30m.
  • Coach parking: Free parking facilities in Ferrara (Ex Mof), Comacchio, and Pomposa; no "ticket".
  • Local Bus and Coach travel: A.C.F.T. Tel ++39 0532 599411-599492; La Valle Tel ++39 0532 770529.
  • Rail travel : Ferrovie Emilia Romagna Tel 800-915030 (from Italy only).
  • International airports: Bologna, Forlì, Rimini, Treviso, Venice, and Verona.
  • Taxiservice in Ferrara: Consorzio Taxisti Ferraresi Tel ++39 0532 900900
  • Parking in Ferrara: www.ferraratua.com

  Music and theatre

  • Concerts, Opera, Theatre, Ballet: Ferrara, Teatro Comunale, Tel ++39 0532 202675 (Advance ticket sale: Mon-Wed-Fri 4pm-7pm, Tues-Thur-Sat 9.30am-12.30am and 4pm-7pm. Programmes: www.teatrocomunaleferrara.it and www.ferraramusica.org).

  Various

  • Public Toilets: in Ferrara, Pomposa, and Mesola
  • Parking in Ferrara: www.ferraratua.com