After visiting Piazza Grande and Mercato Albinelli (parts one and two) I continued my walk around the old town.
You’ll find everywhere I mention on my Google map.
What you’ll notice straight away is that the town has retained a lot of its old shopfronts, some of which are really beautiful.
I partcularly liked the signs at Pastificio Il Chicco d’Oro at 27/A Via Francesco Selmi.
‘The Golden Grain’ is a pasta factory that has been selling fresh pasta since 1960.
Another classic is Forno San Barnaba, a bakery and pastry shop at 9 Via Ruggera.
And there are many other eye-catching typefaces around town.
On the streets around the market there are still some old buildings with medieval walls.
Some of the oldest houses in the city can be seen along Corso Canalchiaro.
Going on the shape of the arches, I guess they are examples of Rennaisance architecture.
And some later buildings towards the end of the street.
Moving out of the centre, Palazzina dei Giardini, now an exhibition centre, is located in Parco Giardino Ducale Estense, a rather scraggy Rennaisance park once associated with the nearby ducal palace and now open to the public (lots of teenagers snogging).
Modena is also famous for being the centre of the Italian sports car industry and Ferrari, De Tomaso, Lamborghini, Pagani and Maserati all have their factories here. I went to the Maserati Showroom at 19 Via Divisione Acquio which itself looks quite like a cathedral.
I’m not really a fan of their recent models but they did have this classic V8 Ghibli on display.
Next time I want to visit the Palazzo Ducale di Modena, a baroque masterpiece that today houses the Accademia Militare di Modena, Italy’s most prestigious military academy. The building is open for one-hour guided tours at the weekends but you should check the schedule and book via the tourist office at least one week ahead.
Time for some food…