Modena is a little town in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, it is located north of the country and only a 30 mins train ride from Bologna. Modena is a pretty household name in the country, it is not only famous for being the home of a few popular ingredients in Italian Cuisine, it is also the home to motors powerhouse. Ferrari, Maserati, Pagani all got their roots in Modena, which is why the town also have a little nickname as the Land of Motors. Modena is rich and social advance. The place have a high quality of life. For those who are less interested in the cars, perhaps the gastronomical produce might interest you more. The precious Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese or Lambrusco wine are just some examples of it. The town is a good base for exploring such farms and see the making of these great products.
In my previous 2 post, I have shared extensively on the two famous food products of Modena and also of Italian Cuisine, the Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese and the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. Check it out if you are interested in both products. This is gonna be quite a short post since I did not really check out the city of Modena much. I only had a brief walk in town and spend most of my time in Mercato Albinelli having lunch. I love that many buildings in Modena are decked out in orange colors, I guess it must be the town color or something, but it look so bright and sharp. It makes me feel very happy when looking at it.
It seems to be one of the quiet day in town when I was in the area. There was never too much crowd or something. The only place that seems very bustling was the Mercato Albinelli or the Food Market of Modena which is where I find most of the people. Perhaps it is around lunch time. I could see many of the locals not only doing their shopping around the stalls but some also have a bite or dining on one of the many stalls in the market itself.
I love walking in different markets. It is just such a great way to know about the life and culture. While Mercato Albinelli definitely isn’t the most gorgeous market or the largest one that I have been to, the ambience here is very good as well. It is pretty small, but you can find all the ingredients in Italian cooking. Coming from my in depth classes from my tours in the morning, I was paying much attention on the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar and the Cheese to see how much are they actually selling there.
Feeling a little perky, I settled for some freshly roasted chicken at one of the many stalls there. It was crowded although I could not resist the crispy freshly roasted chicken that was just out of the oven. It was so delicious and crispy. However the local favourite seems to be just bread and cold cut which was what most of the people ordered. The sight of the chefs slicing up various cold cuts and toasting bread provides me with the greatest company!
I had a little walk around town before heading back to bologna. One of the most popular places that you have to see is the area around Piazza Grande and the Ghirlandina Tower which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is considered to be the central and meeting place in town. Although it is kind of quiet on a normal day.
Another popular place is the Modena Cathedral which is pretty outstanding.
When I was there, there were little street markets here and there around the alleys and squares. Seemingly they were selling some handmade stuffs and old books. It just gave me the little small town vibes, everything was so peaceful and relaxing. It sure seems like a place for retirement.
All in all, I pretty love the day trip that I made here. I think that it is kind of perfect to come here if you are interested in Food and Cars. Taking some tours in the factory nearby and then head to the Mercanto for lunch. That is a leisurely plan!
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