Nestled between Parma and Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and with a population of under 200,000, Modena is often overlooked by visitors favouring neighbouring towns and the Adriatic coastline.

Yet this city punches well above its weight in terms of contribution to the modern world. Think Luciano Pavarotti, Ferrari and, of course, balsamic vinegar.

As for the football team, little has happened on the pitch to warrant a place on calcio fans’ bucket lists but game days in Modena can be special and at the time of writing the Canaries are flying high in Serie B, eyeing promotion to the top flight for the first time in more than 20 years.

Modena, colours and calcio

This is a city that rewards the curious traveller. It does not shout for attention but instead invites you to discover its secrets at your own pace. Whether here for the food, the history, the cars or the calcio, there is something for everyone. And with its central location, Modena is a great base for exploring other parts of Emilia-Romagna.

But we’ll kick things off with the football. After a short walk from the station to the city centre, the sun was shining as we joined the locals wandering around Piazza Grande’s open-air market hoping to snag a bargain. Then, as the pre-match buzz began to build, it was clear most people had their sights set on snagging a win at the Stadio Alberto Braglia later in afternoon.

The walk to the stadium is one of the most aesthetically pleasing strolls in Italy. The wonderfully-coloured buildings – all light pinks, yellows and oranges – and the spotless streets made for such a calming and pleasant experience. 

The Braglia can be reached by walking through the Novi Ark Archaeological Park, a piece of land that was once a hippodrome and a cattle market but is now home to the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. 

Modena’s home form has been impressive through the early part of 2025-26 but whether the game goes according to plan or not, there is plenty to look forward to on the way back.

In the city centre, bars dotted around Piazza Grande fill up at aperitivo time. For Destination Calcio it was off to Balzac Bistro to dabble in some fine Modenesi cold cuts and bread dashed with balsamic vinegar.

Situated on the outer edge of the piazza, Balzac is an ideal spot to watch the comings and goings. We were served up balsamic vinegar by Giuseppe Giusti, a local company that has produced it since 1605, and their store is a stone’s throw away.

Of course, it would be rude to tuck into the local delicacies and not try the wine. Lambrusco di Sorbara Vigna del Cristo, a Modenesi sparkling red, was perfect as the sun set on a delightful autumn day in Modena.

Architecture

One of Modena’s standout features is the colours of the houses and buildings.

Walk down Via Cesare Battisti in the heart of centro storico and catch the bright and the beautiful staring back at you, painted to perfection.

The story behind it? The colours of the city, dating back to the Middle Ages, have always been blue and gold, with the latter over time morphing into yellow.

They were chosen to represent Modena’s coat of arms, the golden cross on a blue (later yellow) background and the iconography of Saint Geminiano, patron saint of the city.

The addition of red, dark pink and orange are purely an aesthetic choice to give visitors a welcoming feeling while strolling around. Having spent time here, it definitely works.

Balsamic vinegar

This was actually an ancient Roman invention but the refined version we soak our bread in today was created in Modena.

One of the city’s noble families – the Estes – kept records of its production, and it was in the mid-18th century that the word ‘balsamic’ first appeared.

Used by the Romans as a medicine, sweetener, and condiment, the first recorded example of vinegar from Modena being produced in its current form was in the 11th century, when it was given to Holy Roman Emperor Henry III as a gift.

Mixed with wine vinegar to create a less potent variant, balsamic tasting tours are widely available through a host of different refineries, with Acetaia Giusti – the oldest producers of balsamic in the world – the standout tour guides in the city.

Good things come to those who wait and Modena’s main export, unlike the versions found on supermarket shelves, is an artisanal product that is aged for years – sometimes decades – until it reaches perfection.

A trip to Modena simply is not fathomable without sampling a tipple or two of its finest product.

Other attractions

Luciano Pavarotti House Museum: Visit the house where the world’s most-famous opera singer lived later in life. Born in Modena, Pavarotti bought the land in the 1980s and the estate was only completed in 2005.

Mercato Albinelli: Surround yourself with all kinds of food at this bustling market in the heart of the city. Buy from local vendors and sit down to enjoy a relatively cheap meal.

Enzo Ferrari Museum: The creator of perhaps the most iconic sports car in the world is a native son, and the Enzo Ferrari museo was opened in 2003 with a view to showcasing the city’s rich motoring tradition, opening up where the Ferrari family lived.

This is not to be confused with the Ferrari museum in Maranello, which is dedicated solely to the cars (but also a museum worth visiting if you are a petrol enthusiast).

Umberto Panini Motor Museum: The last entry on the list is another motor museum. This one is on famed Modena local Umberto Panini, yes, the very man who produced the now legendary set of Panini sticker books, and who also turned his hand at cheesemaking.

Panini bought an array of Maserati cars, 22 in total, from the company when they fell on hard times in the mid-1980s. He housed them in his showroom which is open to the public and free to enter.

Getting there

Modena does not have an airport, so the easiest route is to fly to Bologna and get a train, with the journey taking about an hour.

Or hire a car and hit the autostrada.