Parks in Ferrara: Parco Massari, Parco Bassani and the best green spaces
Three parks in Ferrara are worth planning around. Parco Massari, about 4 hectares (10 acres) of century-old trees on Corso Porta Mare, is the largest public garden inside the walls. Parco Urbano Giorgio Bassani, about 1,200 hectares between the northern walls and the Po river, is the one for cycling and running. The walls form a green ring of about 9 km (5.6 miles).
Ferrara’s green spaces: walls, parks and historic gardens
Most green space in the old town began as palace gardens, handed to the city in the 20th century. North of the walls, the old Este hunting reserve became Parco Urbano.
Parco Massari in Ferrara: monumental trees, opening hours and entrances
Parco Massari is the largest public park inside Ferrara’s walls: about 4 hectares between Corso Porta Mare and Corso Ercole I d’Este, close to Palazzo dei Diamanti. Entry is free.
Luigi Bertelli designed it in 1780 for Marquis Camillo Bevilacqua. In the mid-1800s the Massari counts made it an English-style park, and the city has owned it since 1936. It inspired Giorgio Bassani’s The Garden of the Finzi-Continis.
The trees to look for in Parco Massari
Two large cedars of Lebanon guard the main entrance on Corso Porta Mare. The three cedars and the central hackberry are on Italy’s national register of monumental trees.
Look out too for yews, plane trees, a ginkgo that turns yellow in autumn and an old oak near the Corso Ercole I d’Este gate.
Parco Massari opening hours, playgrounds and dogs
- November to February: 8am to 6pm
- March, April and October: 8am to 8pm
- May to September: 7am to midnight
There are children’s play areas. Dogs are not allowed, says the official tourism listing.
From Castello Estense, walk up Corso Ercole I d’Este: past the Quadrivio degli Angeli, the side gate is on your right.
Palazzo Massari: museums closed until 2027
Palazzo Massari, next to the park, houses the 19th-century art, Boldini and de Pisis museums, closed since the 2012 earthquake. Reopening is planned for spring 2027.
Parco Bassani in Ferrara: how do you get there from the centre?
Parco Urbano Giorgio Bassani is Ferrara’s largest park: about 1,200 hectares (roughly 3,000 acres) north of the walls, reaching the bank of the Po. It has meadows, ponds, walking and cycling paths and an 18-hole golf course.
From Castello Estense, follow Corso Ercole I d’Este to Porta degli Angeli on the northern walls. Another way in is the small bridge on Via Azzo Novello.
By bike, the cycle path on the east side of the park, along Via dei Calzolai, takes you to the Po embankment at Francolino: about 8 km (5 miles) on a paved path.
Gardens in the centre: Parco Pareschi, the Botanical Garden and Giardino delle Duchesse
Parco Pareschi
Parco Pareschi, at Corso Giovecca 148, is an English-style garden donated to the city in 1942 and opened in 2002, with lime trees, magnolias and a cedar of Lebanon. In summer it hosts an open-air cinema.
Parco Pareschi opening hours: October to February 8am to 6pm, March to May and September 8am to 8pm, June to August 7:30am to 8pm. Free entry, no dogs.
University of Ferrara Botanical Garden
The Orto Botanico is at Corso Porta Mare 2B, on the Quadrivio degli Angeli: about 4,500 square metres of greenhouses and flower beds, open free of charge Monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm.
Giardino delle Duchesse
Giardino delle Duchesse, laid out for Ercole I d’Este in the late 1400s, has entrances on Piazzetta del Castello and Via Garibaldi. Restored, it reopened in 2020 with tables from five local cafés.
In past winters it hosted the Ferrara Ice Park rink, not confirmed for 2026-27. Works on Palazzo Municipale have limited access, so check it is open before you go.
Ferrara’s walls as a linear park
The walls are Ferrara’s longest park: about 9 km of dirt path along the top, lined with trees and bastions, plus a lower path of about 12 km (7.5 miles). A full loop by bike takes just over an hour. Sections and access points are in our guide to Ferrara’s walls.
Parks in Ferrara in autumn, by bike and with a dog
In autumn Parco Massari closes at 8pm in October and 6pm from November, while Parco Pareschi closes at 6pm from October.
By bike, from Porta degli Angeli you can ride onto the walls or carry on through Parco Urbano to the Po. More routes in our guide to Ferrara by bike.
City rules allow dogs on a lead in public areas, except play areas, and you must pick up after them. Parco Massari and Parco Pareschi ban dogs and the fenced dog runs are outside the old town, so the walls are best for daily walks. More tips in our guide to Ferrara with your dog.
| Park | Where | What you’ll find | Best for | Dogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parco Massari | Corso Porta Mare | Monumental cedars, play areas | Families, museum breaks | No |
| Parco Urbano Bassani | North of the walls | Ponds, cycle path to the Po | Cycling, running, picnics | On a lead |
| Parco Pareschi | Corso Giovecca 148 | English-style garden | A quiet stop | No |
| Botanical Garden | Corso Porta Mare 2B | Greenhouses, flower beds | Weekday mornings | Check first |
| City walls | Around the old town | About 9 km of paths | Cycling, dog walks | On a lead |
Staying opposite Castello Estense, with a bike and a dog
Hotel Annunziata is at Piazza della Repubblica 5, opposite Castello Estense, where Corso Ercole I d’Este begins. It is a 27-room, 4-star design hotel.
The hotel rents city bikes for 15 euros a day, to guests and non-guests alike. In the annexe courtyard there is a Stop&Go station for e-bikes, with Schuko sockets, tools and a pump.
The hotel welcomes dogs only, small ones up to 15 kg (33 lb), for a supplement of 15 euros a day. On arrival there is a welcome kit with a water bowl, a mat and treats.
