The sun isn’t coming up til after 7.15 here at the moment, so I could catch it rising over the hills. Breakfast on the terrace here was a little chillier than in Lake Garda, but the balsamic vinegar drizzled on our eggs and tomato bruschetta was wonderful.
We left the Agriturismo at 10am and after a slight hiccup when we couldn’t get the car park gate to open, we found our way down the little road leading through the vineyards. It is pretty countryside here.
Our first stop was only 12 minutes drive away, the quaint medieval village of Castelvetro di Modena. Originally established as a fort by the Romans, it had a strategic location at the top of the hill. By the 8th and 9th centuries, Castelvetro had grown into an important fortified court and from 1330 onward, the powerful Rangoni family took control of the fiefdom, expanding its defensive towers. Its tiny historical centre is criscrossed with narrow cobblestone lanes but the standouts are the church and palace and clock tower that front the checkerboard tiled square with its views down to the modern town below. We enjoyed wandering around and , with now more knowledge, examined the displays of the town’s Balsamico Dispensaries ( the shopfronts that sell the local product). In one street we came across the perfect juxtaposition of the Old and the New, a modern electric car plugged in for charging in an ancient cobblestone street!
After enjoying the delicious food of the area we figured we should check in on another major product of the region – cars ! The area is known as “Italy’s Motor Valley” and is the historic birthplace of several of the world’s most iconic luxury and high-performance car makes including Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini ( to name just a few). Neither Neil nor I are into motor racing and the only car make that Neil is passionate about comes from Germany, but we thought it would be interesting to at least drive into the town of Maranello to see the home of Ferrari. There are reminders all around the town, with the famous prancing horse appearing as a statue on a town roundabout ,streets named after various members of the Ferrari dynasty, several motor racing themed stores, and at least three Ferraris being taken for test drives!
With a nod to the rev heads, we set off to find a park as close as we could to the historic centre of the city of Modena. We strolled into the centre along cobblestoned streets and passed the old residential appartment buildings that were mostly stuccoed in shades of yellow and orange. In a small park we thought we’d found a market with the local band playing to entertain, but on closer inspection we realised that the market stalls seemed to be signing people up to some sort of clubs, rather that selling produce.
We arrived at Modena’s Duomo, bright white marble on the outside but with a dark and moody interior. There was one bright area in the apse where the mosaics glowed softly golden.
A short distance from the Piazza Duomo we found the Mercato Albinelli,Modena’s historic covered food market. In front of the wrought iron entrance gate another band was entertaining the shoppers. The market was teeming with people, all busy shopping for ham, vinegar, cheeses, meats, fish and fresh fruit and veg. The stalls made everything look so tempting! The market was only established in 1931 but is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Italy. We wondered if the market was always this busy until we saw some signs for “Fuori Bolla 3 Ottobre”. Today is October 3 and on further investigation we found out that FuoriBolla is a popular one-day wine and food festival held in Modena, dedicated to celebrating Champagne and pairing it with local Modenese gastronomy.
From the market , it was only a few blocks to the Musical theatre where a statue pays tribute to a favourite local lad, Luciano Pavarotti. Then we decided to head back to the car, passing more pretty lanes and the spectacular Palazzo Ducali ( Duke’s Palace)
It was time to head to Bologna airport, about a 50 minute drive from Modena, where we returned the car and took a taxi into the city of Bologna where we are staying the next two nights. The checkin clerk at the Hotel Internazionale was very welcoming and helpful, with recommendations for restaurants for dinner tonight. We enjoyed a late lunch in their “Secret Garden Bar” before resting in the room for a while before dinner. In the garden an American fellow guest struck up a conversation and we learned she and her husband had been in Italy for 2 weeks, the longest vacation they had ever had since their honeymoon, 30 years ago! Naturally, I could chat to her about their home state, North Carolina 🙂
We had asked the front desk clerk to make a reservation for us at one of their suggested restaurants, so shortly before 7pm we headed out for the short walk to Va Mo La, a cosy retaurant with shelves lined with books! We had read reviews that it’s traditional Bolognese cuisine was highly regarded, with dishes like lasagna and tagliatelle al ragù ( which is the correct name for spaghetti Bolognese) cooked to perfection. So that’s exactly what we had! I followed up with a Panna Cotta cooked in the Bologese manner, which meant it was thickened with egg and cooked in a caramel coated mold. The result was very similar to a Creme Brulee and it was wonderful.
Tomorrow we will explore Bologna.