Ferrara

It's characterized by twisting medieval cobblestoned streets, a Duomo (cathedral) with a looming Gothic facade, and--best of all - a castle straight out of storybooks, complete with towers, moat, and drawbridges (that you can cross during the day).

Thanks to the d'Este family of astute art patrons, Ferrara contains many beautiful objects de art, but the genuine masterpiece is the city itself. Half medieval, half Renaissance, the dual cityscape was the vision of oligarch Ercole d'Este, who hired architect Biagio Rossetti to meld the newer section to the old seamlessly. This careful planning earned Ferrara the title of Italy's first "modern city." Today, its captivating, anachronistic ambiance is best explored on foot or by bicycle

Ferrara: one of the most beautiful of Italian cities, was formerly the capital of the Estensi and has been resuscitated in modern times from the degrading decadence into which it fell with its inclusion into the Papal States.

This is a guide to Ferrara.

There are extensive descriptions and photos of the attractions. The Estense Castle history is covered in detail.