Day 19 - Thursday 6th August

Day trip to Ferrara

Spent the morning wandering around the beautiful streets admiring the contrast of the piazzas with their large grand Renaissance buildings like the cathedral and the castle:

 vs the narrow medieval streets with their shops, cafes and bars:

 

Had local typical folded flatbread Piadine for lunch on a terrace overlooking the Castello.  Then sketched in the courtyard of the castle while we waited for the end of siesta time

 Followed that with a couple of hours looking around the Castello Estence, learning a bit about its history as the home of the Dukes Ercole I and II, and the architecture of Rosetti.

Of all the grand rooms and galleries - the girls were most impressed with the dungeons - their damp coolness was quite refreshing!!

We spent the rest of the afternoon and into the evening walking around eating gelato, joining the few locals who were taking their evening promenade early.  We loved this city, particularly the absence of any crowds of tourists, allowing us to wander at our own pace.  Thanks for the recommendation Jessica - we'd definitely come back here.