Province of Modena, Italy: Towns & Things to Do

After Bologna this is the most populous province in Emilia-Romagna, and it is shaped like a vertical strip: it starts in the Po plain on the border with Mantua and ends on the Apennine ridges facing Tuscany, above Lucca and Pistoia. Between the two extremes sit 47 municipalities and close to 686,000 people, with the provincial capital down where the land is still completely flat.

Modena itself earns the trip for its cathedral and the leaning Ghirlandina bell tower, a UNESCO site and the city's landmark. After that the province sorts itself by trade: Sassuolo and Fiorano make the ceramic tiles that get exported worldwide, Maranello builds Ferraris, Carpi keeps an arcaded main square that catches visitors off guard. Head up to Pavullo nel Frignano and the landscape changes entirely, with villages of a few hundred people.

Modena

Towns in the province of Modena

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1 / 47 Bastiglia Population: 3,985 Open the guide →

47 towns

Bastiglia 3,985 Bomporto 9,761 Campogalliano 8,514 Camposanto 3,171 Carpi 67,268 Castelfranco Emilia 31,656 Castelnuovo Rangone 14,116 Castelvetro di Modena 11,012 Cavezzo 7,196 Concordia sulla Secchia 8,968 Fanano 3,028 Finale Emilia 15,713 Fiorano Modenese 16,945 Fiumalbo 1,304 Formigine 33,667 Frassinoro 1,997 Guiglia 3,999 Lama Mocogno 2,844 Maranello 16,622 Marano sul Panaro 4,787 Medolla 6,322 Mirandola 23,960 Modena Capital 179,149 Montecreto 1,000 Montefiorino 2,253 Montese 3,357 Nonantola 15,179 Novi di Modena 10,972 Palagano 2,354 Pavullo nel Frignano 17,198 Pievepelago 2,241 Polinago 1,742 Prignano sulla Secchia 3,773 Ravarino 6,165 Riolunato 759 San Cesario sul Panaro 6,117 San Felice sul Panaro 11,026 San Possidonio 3,621 San Prospero 5,841 Sassuolo 39,885 Savignano sul Panaro 9,276 Serramazzoni 8,014 Sestola 2,602 Soliera 15,061 Spilamberto 12,130 Vignola 24,344 Zocca 4,883

Not to be missed

The best of Province of Modena

Panoramic view of terracotta rooftops and churches in Modena's historic center from the Ghirlandina Tower

Modena 🍷 Balsamic vinegar and supercars

The top 20 places in Modena

Our editors' ranking: the area's most important places, drawn from the individual town guides. See the national rankings →

Carved Romanesque capitals on display in the Modena Cathedral Museum

1 ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries Modena Cathedral and Ghirlandina 📍 Modena Founded in 1099, this Romanesque UNESCO World Heritage site is celebrated for Wiligelmus's reliefs and its bell tower.

2 🖼️ Museums Galleria Estense 📍 Modena Bernini's bust, the Velázquez and the Harp of the thousand-lire note: the Este collection in Modena.

3 🏛️ Squares & old towns piazza Grande 📍 Modena Modena's World Heritage square: the debtors' Preda Ringadora and the official measures on the Duomo.

Modena and around, on the map

What's around

Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.

🍝 At the table: Emilia-Romagna

All typical dishes →

First course

Tagliatelle al Ragù egg tagliatelle with meat ragù, soffritto and tomato

Ribbons of egg pasta, meat ragù and soffritto: the real bolognese has had a recipe deposited at the Chamber of Commerce since 1982.

🌿 Cured meat DOP

Prosciutto di Parma pork leg and sea salt, aged at least twelve months

Only Italian pork and sea salt, aged for at least twelve months: Prosciutto di Parma has held Protected Designation of Origin status since 1996.

Bread and focaccia IGP

Coppia Ferrarese bread with a central knot and four horns, lard and sourdough

Flour, lard, oil and sourdough starter, a soft knot at the centre and four thin horns: coppia ferrarese has held Protected Geographical Indication status since 2001.

✨ Emilia-Romagna by theme

🏛️ UNESCO heritage 5 🍷 Food & wine 4 🏖️ Seaside 2

Tours, tickets and experiences

Province of Modena

Bookable on GetYourGuide

Upcoming events in Modena

Patron saint festival In 7 days 📍 Campogalliano

Feast of Saint Ursula

📅 Every year, on 21 October

On 21 October Campogalliano celebrates its patron Saint Ursula; the town hosts the Museo della Bilancia, dedicated to the history of weighing instruments.

Patron saint festival In 10 days 📍 San Felice sul Panaro

Feast of Saint Felix of Thibiuca

📅 Every year, on 24 October

On 24 October San Felice sul Panaro celebrates its patron Saint Felix of Thibiuca; the town has hosted the Fiera di settembre for centuries, which reached its 400th edition in 2013.

Patron saint festival In 41 days 📍 San Prospero

Saint Prosper, patron of the town that bears his name

📅 Every year, on 24 November

San Prospero celebrates Saint Prosper on 24 November, in the church dedicated to him.

Patron saint festival In 53 days 📍 Bomporto

Saint Nicholas, patron with the historic Saint Martin's Fair

📅 Every year, on 6 December; in November the historic Saint Martin's Fair is also held

Bomporto celebrates Saint Nicholas on 6 December. In November, the Saint Martin's Fair is also held, while the hamlets fill the year with their own feasts: at Sorbara the Lambrusco Festival and the Sorbara Sound Festival, at Solara the Sagra di San Rocco.

All events in Modena →