9 Best Things to Do in Modena, Italy (+ Where to Eat & Stay!)
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links; more info here.
If you love good food and fast cars, Modena, Italy, should be on your radar.
In the heart of Italy’s Food Valley and Motor Valley, you’ll spend your mornings tasting 25-year-old balsamic vinegar and visiting Parmigiano Reggiano producers, your afternoons admiring legendary supercars, and your evenings sipping Modenese spritzes in quaint piazzas.
And if test-driving a Ferrari or dining at a three-star restaurant is on your bucket list, you can do that, too.
You only need two or three days to experience the best of Modena – before hopping on a quick train to other must-visit Emilian cities like Bologna and Parma.
After two recent trips to Modena, I’m sharing all the best things to do in Modena, along with my favorite restaurants, the best hotels in Modena, and my must-know tips.
Modena Travel Guide: Quick Picks & Tips
Short on time? Peek at my top recommendations for your trip to Modena, then read on for all the details!
- Best things to do: Explore the historic center on foot, take a walking food tour of Modena (a must-do!), visit a traditional balsamic vinegar producer, explore Mercato Albinelli, visit Pavarotti’s House, and tour the Ferrari Museum in Maranello.
- How long to stay: You need one day for Modena’s historic center, plus two more days to explore the surrounding Food Valley and Motor Valley.
- Where to stay: Salotto delle Arti for a charming boutique stay in town or Agriturismo Acetaia Sereni (my favorite!) for the ultimate countryside foodie getaway.
- Where to eat: Trattoria Aldina and Ristorante da Danilo for traditional Emilian food. For fine dining, book Osteria Francescana well in advance.
- Best guided day trips: Without a rental car, I’d book one food-focused day trip and one car-focused day trip. I recommend this Secrets of Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar Tour (departing Reggio Emilia) and this Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Ducati Museum & Factory Tour (departing Bologna).
- Getting to Modena: You can reach Modena by a short train ride from Bologna, Parma, and other Emilian cities. The historic center is walkable, but I recommend booking a rental car in Bologna if you want to explore Food Valley and Motor Valley independently.
Best Things to Do in Modena
Food, cars, history. That’s what Modena’s all about. Here are the top nine activities you can’t miss in (and around) Modena, Italy.
1. Explore the Historic Center
Modena’s compact historic center is perfect to explore on foot, and you only need a couple hours to wander, see the major landmarks, and shop the artisanal food shops and the many beautiful, local clothing boutiques. Then, it’ll be time to eat!
If you’re coming from grungy, artsy, cool Bologna, you’ll quickly notice the contrast. There are still beautiful porticoes and plenty of brick façades, but you might be surprised by just how elegant, polished, and quiet Modena is. I was!
Start at Piazza Grande, which, as the name implies, is quite big. It’s home to the magnificent Duomo di Modena (Modena Cathedral), Ghirlandina Tower, Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), and Pietra Ringadora (a large stone used for public speeches and as a pillory in the Middle Ages…).
From there, you can stroll along Via Emilia, the ancient Roman road that runs through the heart of Modena, and explore the surrounding pedestrian streets.
Make sure to stop by Piazza Roma, too, where you’ll find the impressive Palazzo Ducale, the former residence of the Este dukes and now home to Italy’s Military Academy.
2. Go on a Food Tour of Modena
Emilia-Romagna is known as Italy’s “Food Valley” for good reason. From Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano to traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena, this fertile region has produced some of Italy’s most celebrated foods for centuries. And Modena is right at the heart of it all.
So, of course, I booked this small-group Modena Food Tour to try the city’s traditional specialties and learn about its food culture and history.
Across six stops in Modena’s historic center (including the traditional market and a historic balsamic vinegar producer’s showroom!), highlights of the Modena food tour include:
- Gnocco fritto and cappuccino: A traditional Modenese breakfast of pillowy dough fried in pork fat, paired with a frothy cappuccino at a little local bar.
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese: Five varieties, including different ages and the prized Vacche Rosse (Red Cow) cheese, from a cheesemonger at Modena’s bustling traditional market.
- Lambrusco wine: Organic, locally produced Lambrusco, Emilia-Romagna’s famous sparkling red wine, sipped from barstools in the market.
- Traditional balsamic vinegar: A guided tasting at a local family’s balsamic vinegar showroom, comparing younger IGP varieties with rich, complex DOP balsamic vinegars aged for 12 and 25 years.
- Crescentine (Tigelle): Modenese flatbreads, traditionally cooked between flower-patterned terracotta discs, served with sweet and savory fillings. We tried several varieties at a specialty eatery.
- Artisanal gelato: Distinctive local flavors, including Torta di Riso and Spagnola, a custard-style gelato with Modenese sour cherries.
From the fascinating balsamic vinegar tasting to the incredible variety of Parmigiano Reggiano, this tour was such a fun introduction to Modena’s unique food culture. I highly recommend it!
Book your Small-Group Modena Food Tour! 🧀
MADDY’S NOTE: If you’re visiting Bologna, Modena, and Parma, you might be surprised just how different their food cultures are. From hyper-regional dishes to food terminology, these three neighboring cities are more like cousins than siblings. If you’re a hard-core foodie like me, take a walking food tour in each city to discover the differences!
3. Tour a Balsamic Vinegar Factory (Acetaia)
I’ve done four balsamic vinegar factory tours now – and countless more vinegar tastings across Emilia-Romagna – so I’m expert enough to tell you that these two factory tours should be on your list.
Acetaia Sereni
If you want to visit the very best of the best, book a tour of Acetaia Sereni, a family-run balsamic vinegar producer with generations of expertise, located in the countryside about 40 minutes from Modena.
Acetaia Sereni was the very first officially certified D.O.P. balsamic vinegar producer, and they still have the bottle bearing serial number 001 to prove it!
We enjoyed a fantastic (unmatched, really) two-hour tour with the youngest son, Francesco. We learned about the entire production process, from growing traditional grape varieties and harvesting them by hand to cooking the must and aging the vinegar in batteries of wooden barrels.
The family uses handcrafted barrels from Renzi, a local cooper with centuries of expertise, and Francesco even experiments with artisanal clay amphorae.
Then came the best part: tasting the balsamic vinegars in the beautiful tasting room overlooking the vineyard-covered hills of Emilia-Romagna.
We sampled everything from younger, fruitier I.G.P. varieties to richly complex 25-year-old D.O.P. balsamic, with deep notes of tobacco and wood. I also loved their creative balsamic condiments, especially the white balsamic and one that was infused with mint and rosemary.
MADDY’S NOTE: We also two nights at their farmhouse accommodation, Agriturismo Acetaia Sereni, complete with a luxe room with vineyard views, a pool, and an unforgettable balsamic-focused dinner tasting menu at the on-site restaurant. More on that in my Where to Stay in Modena section…
Antica Acetaia Cavedoni
If you want to visit a factory closer to Modena, book a tour of Antica Acetaia Cavedoni, one of the oldest family-run acetaie in Modena, dating back to 1860.
Located among the vineyards of Castelvetro di Modena (if you have a car, stop by this charming village, too!), this historic acetaia produces traditional balsamic vinegar using generations-old methods.
The tour includes a guided walk through the vineyards and aging rooms, tastings of balsamic vinegars of different ages, local specialties like Parmigiano Reggiano and cured meats, and local Lambrusco wine.
I visited Antica Acetaia Cavedoni during this food factory tour from Bologna (which is still one of my favorite experiences across Italy, by the way) and loved the tour and tasting. I even bought a D.O.P. bottle aged 25+ years, which strictly comes out on special occasions!
Book your Antica Acetaia Cavedoni Balsamic Vinegar Factory Tour! 🍇
Maddy’s Acetaia Notes:
Both acetaie are located in the countryside, so you’ll need a rental car (or taxi) to visit independently. If you don’t plan to drive, I have two more recommendations:
- Book the Modena walking food tour I went on, which includes a short tour and tasting at a small balsamic vinegar producer’s showroom in the historic center. It’s not as in-depth as a full factory tour, but it’s a great little introduction.
- Book this six-hour Secrets of Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar Tour, departing from the city of Reggio Emilia (just ~15 minutes by train from Modena). This is a particularly great choice if you don’t already have plans to visit a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory!
4. Visit the Ferrari Museum in Maranello
Can I say I don’t really care about super cars in a Modena travel guide? Well, it’s the truth. But I really enjoyed the Ferrari Museum in Maranello anyway. My husband does care, though… And he loved it!
Modena is the gateway to Italy’s legendary Motor Valley, so visiting a Ferrari museum is an essential experience for car enthusiasts.
There are actually two official Ferrari museums in the area: the Enzo Ferrari Museum in central Modena and the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, approximately 20 minutes away by car.
We skipped the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena because everyone says the Ferrari Museum in Maranello is better overall, particularly for its extensive car collection.
The Maranello museum focuses on Ferrari’s racing heritage, Formula 1 successes, and iconic road cars, whereas the Modena museum explores the life and legacy of Enzo Ferrari himself. That said, you can purchase a combined ticket if you want to visit both.
After exploring, you can pay extra to try a driving simulator or have a souvenir photograph taken inside a Ferrari. In town, there are also independent companies offering Ferrari test drives around Maranello.
Plus, opposite the factory gates, you’ll find Ristorante Cavallino, housed in the former factory employee canteen. This one-Michelin-star restaurant is decked in Ferrari-inspired décor and features a modern Emilian menu created by world-famous Modenese chef Massimo Bottura.
Tips for Visiting Ferrari Museum Maranello
- Opening hours: The museum is open daily, generally from 9:30 AM to 7 PM, with shorter hours during the winter months.
- Getting tickets: You can purchase tickets at the entrance (they don’t sell out), but I recommend booking online in advance to avoid waiting in line, especially during peak season (May through September) or on weekends.
- Getting there: There’s no train station in Maranello! So you can either drive yourself, take a taxi, book this round-trip Ferrari bus shuttle transfer, or join a guided tour like this small-group Ferrari, Pagani, and Lamborghini Museum Tour from Modena.
5. Explore Mercato Albinelli
Dating back to 1931, the beautiful Art Nouveau-style Mercato Albinelli is the perfect place to taste more of the Food Valley’s culinary traditions.
This bustling covered market is filled with little restaurant stalls and vendors selling fresh produce and local specialties – including sformatini di zucca (pumpkin flan), handmade tortelloni, Parmigiano Reggiano of all ages, Lambrusco wines, and a dizzying array of locally cured meats.
I visited once on my own, and again during my Modena food walking tour for an unforgettable cheese tasting. It’s a little touristy (and only becoming more so), but I still think it’s worth tasting your way through!
MADDY’S TIP: The market is closed on Sundays. Monday through Saturday, stalls generally open at 7 AM and close by 3 PM, though Saturday hours extend until 7 PM from mid-September through May. The best time to browse is around 10 or 11 AM, when the market is in full swing.
6. Stop by the Modena Cathedral (Duomi di Modena)
Modena Cathedral (Duomo di Modena) is one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Italy, a UNESCO site since 1997, and Modena’s #1 must-see monument.
Construction began in 1099, replacing an earlier basilica and creating a magnificent new resting place for Saint Geminianus (San Geminiano), Modena’s fourth-century patron saint.
From Piazza Grande, admire the cathedral’s ornate doorway, Porta Regia, with its beautiful pink marble and intricate stonework. And inside, don’t miss the crypt, which houses Saint Geminianus’s tomb, and Guido Mazzoni’s extraordinary 15th-century terracotta sculpture group, Madonna della Pappa.
The cathedral and crypt are free to enter. Access to the Presbytery and Sacristy Route costs €3.
7. Climb up Ghirlandina Tower (Torre della Ghirlandina)
Standing 89 meters (292 feet) tall, Modena Cathedral’s Romanesque-Gothic bell tower, Ghirlandina Tower, is the city’s most recognizable landmark.
If you have time, you can climb approximately 200 stairs to enjoy panoramic views across Modena’s rooftops. Booking a time slot online is required, though there are usually plenty of spots available, even day-of. You’ll pay the €6 entry fee on arrival.
MADDY’S NOTE: If you can’t get a time slot, don’t feel bad. The view up there was fine, and the stairs provided a little workout after all that heavy Emilian food, but I didn’t think it was an absolute must-do.
8. Explore the Luciano Pavarotti House Museum
Legendary opera singer Luciano Pavarotti was Modena’s most beloved resident. And at the Casa Museo Luciano Pavarotti, you can explore the colorful, elegant home where he spent his final years and peek into his life beyond the stage.
On the ground floor, you’ll see his piano, kitchen with striking yellow cabinetry and marble countertops (my favorite; so beautiful!), books, and some of his own fantastic paintings.
Upstairs, you’ll discover rooms filled with his costumes, personal letters from famous friends – including Princess Diana and Frank Sinatra – photographs, awards, and much more. You’ll also see his bedroom (including the very bed where he passed away at age 71), his wardrobe with its impressive collection of Hermès scarves, and even his enormous bathroom with a private sauna.
As you explore the house, you’ll hear Pavarotti’s music playing throughout the rooms. The included audio guide also offers fascinating insights into his life and career.
I wasn’t really a fan of Pavarotti before visiting, but I am now. I loved this museum and learning about what an interesting and inspiring person he was.
Book your Pavarotti Museum Ticket (with Audio Guide)! 🎶
Must-Know Tips for Visiting Casa Museo Luciano Pavarotti
- Opening hours: You’ll need about an hour inside the museum. It’s open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM (except December 24–25 and January 1).
- Getting there: Casa Museo Luciano Pavarotti is located outside Modena’s historic center, with no direct bus service. If you don’t have a rental car, you can take a roughly 12-minute taxi from central Modena. The city has established maximum taxi fares of €20 from central Modena to the museum and €30 for the journey back. Arrange your return taxi with your driver in advance.
9. Discover More of Italy’s Motor Valley
If you’re a die-hard supercar or motorcycle enthusiast, there’s plenty more to explore in Italy’s legendary Motor Valley, beyond Ferrari.
As mentioned, if you don’t plan to book a rental car, the best way to explore Motor Valley is on a guided tour with transportation. The museums/factories are too difficult to reach otherwise!
You can book this small-group Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Ducati Museum & Factory Tour from Bologna to visit the Lamborghini Museum and Factory, Ferrari Museum in Maranello, and Ducati Museum and Factory, all in one day! It departs from Bologna, so you’ll have to hop on a quick 20-minute train first – no biggie!
Alternatively, if you’re after a combo tour that includes Pagani, both Ferrari museums (Modena and Maranello), and Lamborghini, book this small-group Pagani, Ferrari, and Lamborghini Museum Tour from Modena.
Lamborghini Museums
There are two Lamborghini museums in Emilia-Romagna, offering very different experiences.
- Automobili Lamborghini Museum: Located at the company’s headquarters in Sant’Agata Bolognese, this museum showcases the brand’s legendary supercars, from the historic Miura and Countach to modern masterpieces. You can also book a guided factory tour to see the production lines where Lamborghinis are assembled.
- Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini: Located in Funo di Argelato, this family-run museum is dedicated to the life and extraordinary engineering achievements of Lamborghini’s founder. It houses his personal car collection, early tractors, prototypes, and even a helicopter prototype.
Ducati Museum and Factory
If you’re more into motorcycles than supercars, don’t miss the Ducati Museum and Factory in Borgo Panigale, just outside Bologna.
My husband and I visited the Ducati Museum, and it was a fascinating look at the Italian motorcycle manufacturer’s history, from its earliest bikes to legendary racing machines and modern superbikes.
You can also book a guided factory tour to see how Ducati motorcycles are made.
Pagani Museum and Factory
Located in San Cesario sul Panaro, just outside Modena, the Horacio Pagani Museum showcases some of the world’s most extraordinary hypercars, including the iconic Pagani Zonda and Huayra.
Alongside the cars, you’ll discover original sketches, prototypes, and the fascinating story of Horacio Pagani, the Argentine-born designer who came to Italy to pursue his dream of building supercars.
For an even more exclusive experience, you can book a guided tour of the Pagani Atelier to see where these extraordinary hypercars are handcrafted.
Where to Stay in Modena
When it comes to where to stay in Modena, I recommend either booking a boutique hotel in the historic center or escaping to a beautiful countryside agriturismo (farmstay) if you plan to rent a car. I did both, and loved both experiences!
Salotto delle Arti (Modena Historic Center)
If you want to stay in the historic center, I highly recommend Salotto delle Arti, a charming little guesthouse tucked inside a historic palazzo.
With just a handful of rooms, it’s wonderfully quiet and intimate. We had an enormous room with a super-comfortable bed and loved the beautiful shared tea room, where coffee and tea are available throughout the day, along with cakes and other treats in the morning.
There’s no elaborate breakfast, but with Modena’s fantastic cafés and restaurants on our doorstep, we didn’t mind.
Book your stay at Salotto delle Arti here.
MADDY’S NOTE: If you’re driving, the property can arrange a parking pass for free street parking and register your license plate for ZTL access. This made our arrival incredibly easy!
Hotel Rua Frati 48 in San Francesco (Modena Historic Center)
For a luxurious stay in Modena’s historic center, consider Hotel Rua Frati 48, a five-star boutique hotel set in a beautifully restored 16th-century Renaissance palazzo.
Expect elegant rooms combining historic architecture with modern comforts, plus a spa, sauna, gym, and an on-site restaurant serving refined Modenese cuisine.
Book your stay at Hotel Rua Frati 48 in San Francesco here.
Agriturismo Acetaia Sereni (Countryside, Marano sul Panaro)
For the ultimate Food Valley experience, there’s one agriturismo I can’t recommend highly enough: Acetaia Sereni. Located about 40 minutes from Modena by car, you’re going to want to spend at least two nights here!
We stayed in the spacious Il Vignola Suite, complete with a balcony overlooking the vineyards, sofa, dining area, and incredibly comfortable bed. There’s also a swimming pool and a generous breakfast buffet, complete with only the best local products, fresh orange juice, and coffee made to order.
But my favorite part? Our five-course tasting menu dinner that showcased the family’s range of fantastic balsamic vinegars. From pillowy ricotta tortelloni, to three types of locally foraged and grilled mushrooms, to homemade vanilla gelato, everything was drizzled with a different kind of vinegar – and it was a meal I’ll never forget.
Combine your stay with a tour and tasting at the family’s historic acetaia for the perfect foodie getaway.
Book your stay at Acetaia Sereni here.
MADDY’S NOTE: You’ll need a rental car if you want to stay in the countryside! This is the website I use to find great deals on rental cars in Italy and across Europe.
Best Restaurants in Modena
In between your Modena walking food tour (a must-do!) and tastings at different food factories, save room for the best restaurants in Modena. Add these to your itinerary!
Trattoria Aldina
Trattoria Aldina is my favorite! Ring the doorbell to enter this cozy, second-floor, family-run trattoria, where you’ll find friendly service, fantastic prices, and a daily menu of traditional Emilian dishes.
We enjoyed classics like green lasagne, gramigna with sausage ragù and cream, and comforting veal stew with potatoes and peas. And the best part – we were the only tourists there!
Open for lunch only. Closed on Sundays. No reservations, so get there just before opening (12 PM) to avoid a wait.
Osteria Francescana
For the ultimate fine-dining experience, Osteria Francescana is Massimo Bottura’s world-famous, three-Michelin-star restaurant and one of Italy’s most celebrated dining destinations.
Expect creative interpretations of Italian cuisine, with an elaborate tasting menu and an equally impressive price tag…
Open for lunch and dinner daily. Book weeks in advance.
Franceschetta58
About a 15-minute walk from the historic center, Franceschetta58 is Massimo Bottura’s more affordable sister restaurant to Osteria Francescana. But sadly, our experience was a mixed bag…
We loved the Emilia burger, 36-month-aged pancetta with Campanina apple mostarda, smoked eel risotto, and grilled cauliflower with vegetable jus and beurre blanc.
The by-the-glass wine selection was excellent too, and our waiter gave us some really interesting recommendations that we loved.
But some dishes were overly salty (like, extremely) and service became less attentive as the night went on. For the price, I expected everything to be spot on.
Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. Closed on Sundays. Make a reservation.
Ristorante da Danilo
For a traditional, no-frills Modenese dinner, book a table at Ristorante da Danilo, a historic trattoria dating back to 1934.
You can expect handmade pasta classics like tortellini in capon broth, pumpkin tortelloni, and green lasagne, along with traditional meat dishes, including bollito misto served from a trolley.
Open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays. Reservations recommended.
Zemiàn Piccola Osteria
I didn’t get a chance to dine at Zemiàn Piccola Osteria, but it’s top of my list for next time! Head here for traditional Modenese cooking in a cozy, intimate setting near Piazza Roma.
The menu celebrates Emilian classics, seasonal specialties, and excellent local wines.
Open daily for lunch and dinner, except Fridays (lunch only). Reservations recommended.
How Many Days Do You Need in Modena?
One day is enough to explore Modena’s historic center, including visiting the cathedral and Ghirlandina Tower, browsing Mercato Albinelli, going on this Modena walking food tour, and maybe even visiting the Ferrari Museum in Modena. You can stay in Modena for one night, or even just take a day trip from nearby Bologna or Parma.
But to experience the best of Food Valley and Motor Valley with Modena as your base, I recommend spending three nights in Modena. That gives you time to visit a traditional balsamic vinegar producer, explore motorcycle and car factories and museums (choose between Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, and Ducati), and even visit Luciano Pavarotti’s former home.
Personally, I think roughly three full days and three nights in Modena is ideal for foodies and car enthusiasts.
During our last trip, we spent one night in Modena and two nights in the countryside nearby, which was pretty perfect – though I wouldn’t have minded an extra night at Acetaia Sereni to just relax!
How to Get to Modena
Modena is incredibly easy to reach by train, especially from nearby Bologna and Parma.
- From Bologna: Direct trains take approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
- From Parma: Direct trains take approximately 30 minutes.
- From Florence: You can reach Modena by train, typically connecting through Bologna.
You can check train schedules and book tickets directly through Trenitalia.
Modena’s train station is about a 15-minute walk from the historic center, making it easy to visit without a car.
If you’re arriving by rental car, Modena is conveniently located along the A1 motorway, with exits at Modena Nord and Modena Sud.
Getting Around Modena
Modena’s historic center is best explored on foot. All the main attractions, cafés, restaurants, and shops are within easy walking distance of one another.
However, if you want to explore the surrounding Food Valley and Motor Valley independently, I highly recommend renting a car. It’ll make visiting countryside acetaie, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factories, Ferrari’s museum in Maranello, and beautiful rural agriturismi much easier.
Otherwise, you can book guided tours with transportation, as I’ve recommended throughout my guide!
MADDY’S TIP: Modena’s historic center has a restricted-traffic zone (ZTL), so don’t drive into it without authorization! If you’re staying in the center, ask your accommodation about parking and vehicle registration in advance. Our guesthouse, Salotto delle Arti, handled everything for us.
