Ferrara Shopping

In all bakery shop

What to buy: The coppia, the typical bread of Ferrara, has recently received from the EU the I.G.P mark (Protected Geographical Identification).
The "twisted" or "twined" bread, the ancestor of today’s coppia appeared in 1536 during a dinner party offered by Messer Giglio in honour of the Duke of Ferrara.
The famous coppia (in dialect "ciupeta") of Ferrara has a central body called knot or ribbon with two twisted pointed breadsticks attached. Either crusty or soft, with or without olive oil, the bread of Ferrara is a great pride for Italian gastronomy.
Its secret is to be found in the quality of the water and the ingredients, as well as the air humidity, the manufacturing and leavening method and the correct temperature of the oven.

In the butcher shop or 'salumerie' ( special salami shop) or in good food markets

What to buy: It was a typicol Cristhmas dishes, now u can find it in many restaurant all the year.

The salama is an unusual mixture of pork meat with spices and red wine, which acquires its unmistakable taste after a long seasoning period, during which it remains either hanging from the ceiling or "resting" under the ashes in a cool, airy and above all dark room.
The salama is still produced according to the tradition and can be bought in many butcher’s shops that guarantee the quality of their products.
To prepare a salama you first have to put it to soak in lukewarm water for a whole night, than wrap it in a thin cloth and hang it to a wooden stick in a pot of water, where it will boil gently for at least five hours without touching the walls or the bottom of the pot.
It is then served hot, the tasty meat soaked in the dense sauce, on a bed of soft potato puree.

Thank to Provincia di Ferrara web page for these infos!

In a first place, I was pleasantly surprised by the look of this smal square which obviously hasen't been much changed during the centuries. It is situated just a foot from the church of San Paulo.
In the central position of the Piazzetta there is an fine antiques shop, hold by an enthusiastic Ferrarese, with a lot of interesting collections of vessels from various times.

The 2nd day in Ferrara was a Monday; luckey for us, Monday is market day in Ferrara. When they have market day, it is a huge market day.

There are about 4 or 5 locations where tents & campers are set up with all sorts of merchandise. There are clothes for men, women, children, and animals. Also, there are spots which sell kitchen items, linens, watches, jewelry, books, toys, gagets, electronics, and picture frames. I'm sure that there are many more things sold, which I have forgotten about.

The prices are more than fair and so cheap compared to the prices in the retail stores in Ferrara.

What to buy: One can purchase almost anything on Market Day. I purchased a winter cap that was grey and black wool of good quality for 3 Euro. I also purchased a sterling silver bracelet for my sister for 10 Euro.

I was pleased with both of my purchases.

Photograph was taken from Orange Tree Garden in the Castle looking out on one of the areas where, on Mondays, Market Day is held. (this is not a Monday). But, a few of the "tents" are visible on the right in the street.

What to pay: Items ranced from pennies to 100 Euro.