Ferrara day trip from Bologna or Venice
A day trip to Ferrara from Bologna or Venice: Palazzo Schifanoia, the medieval Via delle Volte, Piazza Trento e Trieste and the cathedral, the moated Castello Estense, then Palazzo dei Diamanti, Corso Ercole I d'Este and the city walls at Porta degli Angeli. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Ferrara in 1 day
Day 1
Palazzo Schifanoia
Este pleasure palace famous for the 15th-century Hall of the Months frescoes, showing court life, zodiac signs and the seasons.
Via delle Volte
Medieval lane in the old Jewish and merchant quarter, crossed by covered brick arches that once linked houses and warehouses.
Piazza Trento e Trieste
Lively main square beside the cathedral, with cafés, the Loggia dei Merciai shops and people on bicycles crossing it all day.
Ferrara Cathedral
Romanesque-Gothic cathedral of San Giorgio, with a marble three-part façade and a carved portal guarded by lions.
Castello Estense
Moated 14th-century castle of the Este family in the centre, with towers, dungeons, painted ceilings and rooftop orange gardens.
Palazzo dei Diamanti
Renaissance palace clad in thousands of diamond-shaped marble blocks, now home to major art exhibitions.
Corso Ercole I d'Este
The grand straight street of the Renaissance Herculean Addition, lined with noble palaces and gardens.
City walls at Porta degli Angeli
The northern gate on Ferrara's Renaissance walls, where the shady path along the ramparts is good for walking or cycling.
Watch: Ferrara
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
From Bologna Centrale, regional and fast trains reach Ferrara in about 30-50 minutes. From Venice (Santa Lucia or Mestre), direct trains take about an hour and a half. The castle is about a 15-20 minute walk from Ferrara station, or a short bike ride.
Staying in Bologna or Venice? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Ferrara
Spring and autumn are the most pleasant times to visit; summers are hot and humid, and winters cold and foggy in the Po Valley. The Ferrara Buskers Festival of street music takes place in late August, and the Palio di Ferrara is run in late May.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Ferrara on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Ferrara on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Ferrara on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Ferrara
- Rent a bicycle near the station or in the centre: Ferrara is flat and famous for cycling, and the 9 km of walls make a good ride.
- Palazzo Schifanoia, with its frescoed Hall of the Months, is closed on Mondays.
- Churches close for a lunch break, so see the cathedral in the morning or later afternoon.
- Try cappellacci di zucca, pumpkin-filled pasta, and the coppia ferrarese, the city's twisted bread.
- Exhibitions at Palazzo dei Diamanti change through the year and can be busy at weekends; booking ahead helps.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Castello Estense: Nicola Jannucci, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ferrara Cathedral: No machine-readable author provided. Herbert Ortner assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY 2.5
- Palazzo Schifanoia: Warburg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palazzo dei Diamanti: Lungoleno, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Via delle Volte: Nicolò Musmeci, Public domain
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
