Modena​

By Dion Protani
Latest update: 5 January 2023
The city of Modena is the capital city of the Province of Modena with a population of 186,307 inhabitants.

Standing at an elevation of 34 metres above sea level, it covers a total area of 183 km² and lies 43 kilometres north west of Bologna, the regional capital of Emilia Romagna.  

Listed under the heading "Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena", the city has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997.
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In just a few words, the UNESCO title neatly captures the very best of Modena and any sightseeing of the city should start with those three places. In fact, all three places are in the same location; the 12th century Romanesque Modena Cathedral is the centrepiece of the city and situated on Piazza Grande at one end (the other end is on Piazza Duomo). What UNESCO refer to as Torre Civica is slightly better known as Torre Ghirlandina, an 86 metre high bell tower which it's possible to climb and get the best possible views of the city.

​​The main artery and shopping street in Modena is called Via Emilia: the beautiful, porticoed street runs south east to north west and splits the city centre in two. Walking north west along Via Emilia from Piazza Grande for 7 minutes (500 metres) brings you to another of the city's main sights: the Palazzo dei Musei. Inside the palazzo there are several museums including the Museo Civico Archaeologico Etnologico, the Galleria Estense art gallery and the Biblioteca Estense with the famous Bibbia di Borso d'Este among its most celebrated exhibits. As you make your way around Modena you'll find lots of outlets for the city's most famous produce: Balsamic Vinegar. 
Comune di Modena
Province: Modena

Region: Emilia Romagna

Population: 184,971 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023)

​​Total size: 183 km²​​

Elevation: 34 metres

Top sights: Modena Cathedral, Torre Ghirlandina

Close by: ​Maranello, Carpi, Sassuolo, Reggio Emilia, Vignola

​Recommended accommodation: Hotel Castello
UNESCO World Heritage Site

Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena

​Year: 1997

Modena  Travel

Modena's train station is situated at the city centre's northern fringe, a distance of one kilometre that can be walked in 14 minutes. It's also possible to take a number 7 or number 11 bus from the train station to Piazza Mazzini, a journey of 8 minutes. 

​By train you can reach Bologna in 33 minutes or heading in the opposite direction, Reggio Emilia in 25 minutes. The trains to Reggio Emilia run all the way to Milan (2 hours 9 minutes), with notable stops along the way at Parma (42 minutes), Fidenza (54 minutes) and Piacenza (1 hour 15 minutes).

The most convenient airport for Modena is Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport which is 38 minutes away by car, a distance of 40 kilometres.
Public transport: ​​​Train station 1 km from centre, local buses

​By car: ​​​Reggio Emilia - 40 mins (35 km), Bologna - 50 mins (43 km)
​By air: Bologna Airport - 38 minutes by car (41 km)

By train: ​​​Reggio Emilia - 25 minutes, Bologna - 33 minutes​

Modena  Gallery

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