Hotels in Ferrara

The Emilia-Romagna region has been a popular draw for foodie travelers for many years, and there are plenty of good reasons for that - but the region is a great tourist destination for more than just its incredible cuisine. The city of Ferrara, for instance, is one of Emilia-Romagna’s UNESCO World Heritage sites. The historic city center is still surrounded by 9km of beautiful medieval walls, and it’s an ideal place to pretend you’ve stepped back in time.
Because Emilia-Romagna isn’t as popular as regions such as Tuscany, you’ll have a better chance of finding cheap hotels in Ferrara and other cities in the region - and that’s especially true if you’re willing to stay outside the city walls. If you can find a budget-friendly hotel in the old center, however, that’s even better.

Ferrara was ruled by the Este family for more than three centuries, and their moated Castello Estense still sits in the middle of town, a short walk from the cathedral. The walls are the best part, though. There's a path along the top, shaded by trees, and you'll share it with locals on bikes: Ferrara is flat, and it's more of a bicycle town than almost anywhere else in Italy. Rent one and ride the whole loop.

At dinner, order cappellacci di zucca, fat pasta stuffed with pumpkin, and look for the twisted, crunchy coppia ferrarese bread. Ferrara is on the main rail line between Bologna and Venice, less than an hour from Bologna, so it's easy to fit in on the way north.

Here is a map of hotels in Ferrara, so you can see exactly where each one sits before you book.