L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2015 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano Music under the stars: Ferrara Buskers' Festival Street musicians, free perfor- mances and the excitement of never knowing who is going to perform around the corner: buskers' festivals are gaining popularity worldwide and attract thousands of visitors no matter where they take place. Ferrara, one of Emilia Romagna's pic- ture-perfect medieval towns, has been hosting one since 1987 which today has become nothing short of a roaring success that sees 800,000 visitors and 1000 artists from more than 35 coun- tries. This year, too, Ferrara will host the festival from August 22nd to the 23rd and then from the 25th to the 30th: from 6 pm to midnight visitors can enjoy a unique way to get to know this beautiful town while listening to great tunes from gifted street artists. From rock folk, from jazz to blues, the streets will be filled with music and the variety of the performances is so wide, in one night festival goers can see a mind boggling number of differ- ent shows and genres. Along with musicians, other performers such as acrobats, jugglers living statues and portrait artists will entertain the crowds, making the Ferrara Buskers' Festival ideal also for those who are traveling with children. For more informa- tion on the festival, pictures and contacts visit : http://www.fer- rarabuskers.com/en/ The Buskers' Festival isn't the only reason to pay a visit to Ferrara: the town is still sur- rounded by more than 9 kilome- tres (about 6 miles) of ancient walls, dating back to the 15th and 16th-centuries which, along with those of Lucca in Tuscany, are the bes t pres erved Renais s ance w alls in Italy. Unlike other towns, Ferrara fea- tures a large number of palazzos from the 1400s , s how cas ing stunningly beautiful terracotta decorations . The impres s ive brick castle Castello Estense – located in the very center of the town – is Ferrara's most iconic monument: built in 1385, it is surrounded by a moat with four massive bastions, and it once was the residence of the D'Este family, Dukes of Ferrara.. Close by you w ill find the former Cathedral of St. George: the low er part of its façade, in Romanesque style was complet- ed in 1135, while the upper part dates back to the 13th century. N earby is the U nivers ity of Ferrara: its library houses part of the original manuscript of the Orlando Furioso along with sev- eral letters by Torquato Tasso. The campus is also home to the University of Ferrara Botanical Gardens, originally established in 1771 and showcasing about 1300 species in its greenhouse (243 m²), and some 700 species outdoors . A mong the fines t palaces in Town, the Palazzo dei Diamanti houses the National Picture Gallery, with a large col- lection of the school of Ferrara, which first rose to prominence in the second half of the 1400s.The Casa Romei is perhaps the best preserved Renaissance building in Ferrara, with incredible fres- cos cycles and an original terra- CHIARA ASSI cotta fireplace bearing the coat of arms of Giovanni Romei. The Ferrara Synagogue and Jewish Museum are in the heart of the medieval center, close to the cathedral and the Cas tello Estense, in a brick building from the 1400s: the street was once part of the Jewish in which the Jews were separated from the rest of the population of Ferrara from 1627 to 1859. Emilia Romagna is known for being home to one of the best cuisines in Italy and Ferrara is no exception: its cooking tra- dition is characterized by many dishes that can be traced back to the Middle Ages and it often reveals the influence of its important Jewish community. Don't leave town without trying cappellacci di zucca, large ravio- li w ith a filling pumpkin, Parmesan cheese a dash of nut- meg, s erved w ith abundant browned butter and sage. And while meat lovers will definitely enjoy the Salama da sugo – a one-year-old dry salami made from a special selection of pork meat, spices and red wine – keep in mind that seafood, too, is an important part of the town tradi- tion: grilled or stewed eel from the river P o delta is a local favorite. Ferrara can be easily reach- able by car from the A13 high- way Bologna-Brennero or by train from the Bologna and Venice train stations. The clos- es t airports are the Bologna M arconi A irport (about one hour), Verona Villa Franca (1.5 hours) and Venezia Marco Polo (2 hours) . In one night festival's goers can see a mind boggling number of different shows and genres Ferrara has been hosting a buskers' festival since 1987

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