Modena Travel Guide

What is perhaps the world’s most expensive condiment, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, has put this lovely, small Italian city on the map of epicureans worldwide. It is perfection with its inky black color, pungently sweet taste, and thick, syrupy consistency. Balsamic Vinegar of Modena inspires passion in Modena – where vinegar producers carefully age their creations for decades – and beyond – where connoisseurs happily pay as much as €500 per bottle for the most elite balsamic vinegar. The delicacy is at the heart of the city’s culinary tradition and tourist trade.

Settled in the Iron Age but later abandoned, Modena was founded by the Romans (who called it “Mutina”) in 183 BC. Sitting on the southern side of the Po Valley in what is now the heart of Italy’s northern Emilia-Romagna region, this was a fertile area with an excellent transportation network. During the 14th century, the Este family came to power and held control until 1598, when the city fell to the Pope. Modena was under Austrian rule from 1814 until 1860, when the territory became part of a unified Italy.

Modena’s excellence in gastronomy is comparable only to its automotive excellence. The town is also famous as Ferrari’s birthplace and Maserati’s home. Just beyond Modena’s center stands a monument to Enzo Ferrari, who lived nearby and opened the first Ferrari office in the 1930s. The Maserati factory, still in operation, is not far away. On the outskirts of town, you can visit the Panini Museum, where a high-end Parmesan cheesemaker has a fabulous collection of Maserati cars. Another famous son of Modena is Pavarotti, the great opera tenor.

Sports cars are in evidence in Modena, but modern automobiles won’t be your focus as you stroll through the heart of the old city. Instead, headfirst to the pulsating Piazza Grande, a busy plaza ringed by the Cathedral, the town hall, and the Ghirlandina Tower. Next, stop at the city’s cultural highlight, the Palazzo dei Musei, where several museums (many of them based upon the collections of the noble Este family) showcase Italian art and artifacts.

These days, Modena attracts foodies worldwide as it is on the “Gourmet Route” of Italy and home to fantastic restaurants and gourmet shops. Balsamic Vinegar, Parma and Culatello hams, and Parmigiano cheese are all locally made products in the fantastically welcoming region of Emilia Romagna.