My this particular trip was one of the very last Italian trips I took before moving out of Europe. Thanks to Emilia Romagna Tourism, the trip was to cover as many UNESCO World Heritage Sites as possible in the Emilia Romagna region; plus one special site - the country of San Marino. The trip began with a Ryan Air flight from Brussels to Bologna. As soon as I got off the flight at Bologna, my first stop was Villa San Donnino in the outskirts of Modena. So here's my travel guide to Modena of the things to do in Modena in 1 day. 

First of all, learning about Balsamic Vinegar is the fist thing I did. I mean, I realized, I hadn't been tasting Balsamic Vinegar all these years whenever I thought I was - it was never the authentic! 

The original Balsamic Vinegar comes from Modena. It is also a geographical indication and only the Balsamic Vinegar manufactured in Modena, can be called so. While the origins of Balsamic Vinegar is unknown, it has been around atleast since the 16th C CE.

The process of making Balsamic is quite similar to the process of making wine. Here too, grapes are smushed and let to ferment in wooden barrels. Unlike wine, here, they prefer is the grapes are more ripe and has more sugar content. Then the Grape juice is cooked at about 85 C for a couple of days, which lends it the black color! This cooking caramalizes the sugar content in the juice. Once cooled, it is aged in wooden barrels. In the case of Balsamic Vinegar, it is aged for atleast 12 years during which, the mild alcohol that gets produced automatically due to fermentation, the bacteria in it convert the sugar to acetic acid which gives it, its distinct color & flavour. 

Usually in the case of the production of Balsamic Vinegar, it's not a typical barrel like a wine barrel, but a set of 5 barrels in different sizes - the smallest ones can be very very tiny, like just 15cm in diameter. The wood of each barrel in a set, like Oak, Chestnut, Cherry, etc, can be different to add a mix of aroma & taste; traditionally atleast 2 barrels should be of a different wood in a set. The cooked grape juice is filled in every barrel of a set, but not fully. This is then left open to let it evaporate. However the prevent dust & dirt from entering the barrel, those are kept closed with a piece of cloth. By the time summer gets over, 10% of liquid in each barrel is already evaporated, thanks to heat as well as fermentation of sugar to acetic acid in this micro-climate! 

Then, in winter, the next important step takes place. The lost 10% of the smallest barrel is refilled with the liquid of the 2nd smallest barrel and it goes on. The smallest one is called the Queen Barrel, since it's the most important one! The biggest barrel is now left with a major empty space which is refilled with the freshly cooked grape juice of that year. This is repeated for atleast, 12 years before the contents of the smallest barrel is taken out & packed; it can be kept for a longer time-period also! So, the smallest always contains the oldest liquid, making it the most expensive! 

The Geographical Indication certification came into existence in Europe, called DOP (Destination of Production) in the 1990s. Nowadays, there's a consortium that checks & certifies the DOP of each production. After 12 years, atleast, a bit is taken from the Queen Barrels and is sent, where it's checked for 75 criteria to fulfil the DOP. Once approved, it is bottled. The shape & size of the bottle is streamlined for the DOP and only those approved can use this particular bottle. This bottle was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, an Italian automotive designer who has worked with Maserati & Lamborghini, who was inspired by the shape of the barrel and its stand!!!

So, that's the main aspect - it actually takes, atleast, 12 years to make original Balsamic Vinegar, and it is obviously expensive! Any Balsamic Vinegar that you buy in supermarkets, isn't the real deal! For commercial production, I was told that this 12 years process is fast-tracked to 6 days. So yeah, supermarket Balsamic Vinegar, isn't really the one! 

Built in 1911, the Villa is absolutely phenomenal. It was commissioned by Lieutenant Claudio San Donnino and it later became the living example of the Liberty Art Movement (which is a bit similar to Art Nouveau) in Italy. What attracted me the most were the frescoes which were painted by Aroldo Bonzagni from Cento, depicting various allegorical figures. 

It was beautiful to enter property of Villa San Donnino. As soon as I entered, I was happy to see the vineyard on either sides. I also spotted rose plants that bordered the vineyard and I was intrigued. I was told that the roses are natural pesticides that would distract & attract pests that would normally attack grapes! The Balsamic Vinegar manufactured here, come from the grapes cultivated right here! The only 2 types of grapes cultivated here to be used in Balsamic Vinegar are White Trebbiano Grapes and Red Lambrusco Grapes. Harvesting this in late September or early October. 

Soon, I went inside Villa San Donnino and there were the wooden barrels filled with this very grape juice. There were the fresh ones and the older ones. I saw the open, fresh ones with cloth on it, but the cloth were embroidered napkins. I was told that every time a child was born in the family, they'd make a new set for them and usually the cloth that covers those barrels are embroidered with the initials of that child! That sounded so beautiful!  

When the current owners purchased this property, there were 2 sets that was already here and already filled! Those barrels are still there today. I could see the caramalized sugar oozing through the tiniest of cracks of these barrels. During WWII, this entire region was occupied by the German troops and so the original owners, the San Donnino family, decided to move to Rome. Then they chose not to return and sold the property in 1947 to the current owners, Mr.Umberto Lonardi, who discovered these barrels. Guess what, the Balsamic vinegar in one set of these barrels is a 100 years old and that's inside the villa and not for the public to see!!! 

The year in which the barrels were made are written on top of each barrel and guess what, I saw barrels dating as old as 1512! The wood used to make the barrels are locally felled and they are also made by local carpenters. Here's something special - not all the barrels belong to the owners! The barrels could be owned by others for whom, Acetaia Villa San Donnino would take care of the production of the Balsamico! This is then used by the 'owner' of the barrel for their private use. Guess whose barrel I saw here? Pierce Brosnan!!! This was first filled in 2017, so in 2029, the first sample will be taken from the Queen Barrel of the Brosnan set!!!

Some of the Balsamic Vinegar liquid in the barrels here are as old as 30-40 years, which have still not been taken our & packaged! The special quality that's in production here is the extra-aged Balsamic Vinegar which are 25 years old; the regular quality is 12 years old and the packaging is different for the 2. Then there's the very precious 100 years old one!!!

How to reach Acetaia Villa San Donnino? Acetaia Villa San Donnino is about 10km from Modena. If you don't have a car, take Seta Bus No: 731 from Modena Garibaldi to San Donnino. From the bus stop Acetaia San Donnino is 800m (11 mins walk) away.

Book a guided tour of Acetaia Villa San Donnino with tasting: via official site of Acetaia Villa San Donnino

Ticket price of guided tour of Acetaia Villa San Donnino: €10

From Villa San Donnino, I headed to the heart of the city of Modena. A guided walking tour of Modena took me to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well as a few more sites.

When it comes to Modena (& also Ferrara), all history is associated with the Este Family. Once the Este Family had a dispute with Pope and moved their capital from Ferrara to Modena and Ferrara was taken back by the Pope while Modena was taken over by the Este Family.

Our first stop in Modena walking tour was the Ducal Palace of Modena. This was originally where the medieval Este Castle, built in the 1200s, stood. Este Family decided to built their palace at this very spot using the famous Baroque artists & architects of the era. In 1634, the construction of the Ducal Palace of Modena began under Bartolomeo Avanzini & Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who were the best architects & artists in Italy then. While this was being constructed, the construction of the Ducal Palace of Sassuolo also began, which is about 20km away from Modena. While Ducal Palace of Modena was the main residence of the Este Family, the Ducal Palace of Sassualo was the summer residence. 

Unfortunately the Ducal Palace of Modena isn't open to public all the time. There are guided tours in the weekend which is the only way to visit certain parts of the interiors of this Palace, as it is currently the Headquarters of the National Military Academy, for all Army, Navy & Airforce, and most places are cordoned off for the general public. 

That said, the front room is open to the public. This is a memorial for all Modenese soldiers who had laid down their lives since the 1820 till date. Earlier, there were 2 Military Academies in the region, Savoy Military Academy in Turin (the oldest in the world, formed in 1678) and Este Military Academy in Modena. After WWII, both were merged and the National Military Academy in now headquartered at Modena and National Military Research Institute is now headquartered at Turin.

Ducal Palace of Modena is one of the most beautiful Baroque buildings in Italy. In the facade are 2 main sculptures and one of it represents Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, who was a consul (the highest elected public official), during ancient Roman times. He is an important person in the history of Emilia Romagna that one of the longest roads that run from Rimini to Piacenza is called Via Aemilia. The other sculpture is of Hercules. 

Where is the Ducal Palace of Modena (on Google Maps)? Palazzo Ducale di Modena

How to reach the Ducal Palace of Modena? 900m (12 mins walk) from Modena Railway Station

Tickets for a Guided tour of the Ducal Palace of Modena interiors: €10

After quickly passing by the Church of San Giorgio Modena, we were in front of Teatro Comunale di Modena Pavarotti-Freni (Pavarotti-Freni Theater).

Modena has a very rich, old, cultural heritage associate with Opera and Theatre. During the annual 'Grandezze e Meraviglie' Music Festival and Modena Organ Festival, people from all over Europe visit the city to immerse in its music. This theatre has been named after Mirella Freni, a Soprano in Italian Opera and Luciano Pavarotti, an Italian Film Director. While there are many other theatres in town, but they were small, so this was built this huge theatre in 1841. This hosts operas, concerts and ballets. There is one more important theatre in Modena called Teatro Storchi which primarily hosts dramas only.  

There is a very interesting, expressive sculpture of Luciano Pavarotti right at the cross-roads of Teatro Comunale di Modena Pavarotti-Freni. There is also a museum of his life located in his country house located about 8km from Modena, which unfortunately I didn't have the time to visit. 

Where is the Teatro Comunale di Modena Pavarotti-Freni (on Google Maps)? Pavarotti-Freni Theater

Where is the sculpture of Pavarotti in Modena (on Google Maps)? Monumento A Luciano Pavarotti

Events & Schedules at Teatro Comunale di Modena Pavarotti-Freni: via official site of Modena Communal Theatre

Guided tour for groups: via official site of Modena Communal Theatre

From Teatro Comunale di Modena Pavarotti-Freni, we headed to the Piazza Grande, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Modena. It's too much to write in a single blogpost, so I'll be writing another post on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Modena.

After seeing the UNESCO Sites, the very last spot I visted in Modena was the Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini, which is the Jewish Quarter of Modena. The history of Judaism in Modena dates back to the 1300s. The jews were merchants, bankers and running various businesses in Modena and were in a good position in the society till 1600s. Many Jews preferred settling down here because, under Este family, they were treated very well and were felt protected too!

By 1620 the marginalization of Jews began. In 1638, under Duke Francis I, the Jewish population was completely confined to this area which later came to be called the Jewish Quarter. This was also called the Ghetto. It became so bad that several hundreds of Jews had to live in a very cramped space in this quarter. The streets leading in & out of this quarter were sealed off at night! 

It was more than a century later, in late 1700s, under Napoleon Bonaparte, these were opened up for some time, but again his rule crushed by Duke Francis IV in 1814, who continued the oppression. Later in 1859, equality re-surfaced. The cramped buildings of Ghetto were demolished later on, and this became Liberty Square aka Mazzini Square, named after Giuseppe Mazzini one of the founding fathers of unified Italy. The Synagogue here was built in 1873. 

Unfortunately I didn't get to visit the interiors of the Synagogue since it was closed when I was there. I was told there are about 60 active families who are keeping this Synagogue functional till date. 

In front of the Synagogue is the recently renovated Ex-Albergo Diurno. In the 1930's, day-hotels cropped up all over Italy incl. Modena. So, what's a day-hotel or Albergo Diurno? It was a place for travelers to come and get refreshed within a couple of hours, without staying the night - they could take a shower, use the toiler, get a haircut, mani or pedi! Ofcourse, it had been defunct for the last 3 decades and has been recently renovated & opened as a multi-utility cultural center.

Walking back from the Jewish Quarter of Modena, on the way back to my hotel, I crossed the Parco Giardino Ducale Estense. The origins of this gardens dates back to the 16th C, when the Palazzina Vigarani was built in 1533 by Francesco I d’Este as a place for the court’s pastimes. The current look of the gardens date back to 19th C CE. The gardens are a public park and is open & free for all. The Palace is open only for guided tours.