Modena is a town of the Emilia-Romagna Region, in the middle of Italy.
Modena is a medley of contrasts—industrial might and traditional crafts; high-powered cars are made here yet most people use bikes. It’s refined and yet provincial. It gave birth to Classical Tenor Pavarotti but also rebel rocker Vasco Rossi. Its culinary hallmarks range from humble but beloved gnocco fritto (fried dough) to the celebrated restaurant Francescana, heralded as the best in the world. If Italy were a meal, Modena would be the main course. Here, on the flat plains of the slow-flowing Po, lies one of the nation's great gastronomic centres, the creative force behind real balsamic vinegar, giant tortellini stuffed with tantalising fillings, and sparkling Lambrusco wine.
The city is vibrant, but just 10 minutes away lies bucolic countryside striped in vines and dotted with castles, vineyards swath the hills and plains, turning out frothy Lambrusco and its lively white equivalent Pignoletto. A good deal of the wine produced here is used to make the area’s renowned balsamic vinegar, a painstaking process that takes years of patient care. You can see the process and sample the goods at the civic acetaia right in the heart of Modena. The countryside is speckled with a host of fairytale castles that are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In short, Modena has it all.
Source(s): Lonely Planet and International Living