The Chiesa di San Francesco dates back to 1272.  While I didn’t get a chance to go inside of the church, I couldn’t help admiring the beautiful facade of the building.Housed in the old convent of the Church of San Francesco are the Musei Civici, or the Civic Museums.  These are important art collections, and really do deserve to be seen!Nearby is the Teatro Municipale Romolo Valli, built in 1852.

At the start of the Parco del Popolo is a public jukebox.  All you need to do is go up to it, push in the number for the song that you like, and before you know it, your selected song is playing over speakers at the park entrance, for all to enjoy!The public park is actually where the Cittadella once stood.  After that, it was turned into a track for horse racing, before becoming the park that you can see today.

Nearby is the Galleria Parmeggiani.The Torre dei Sessi is a medieval tower which still stands today.The christian orthodox church Oratorio del Cristo is another lovely example of religious architecture, in this city.The chiesa di San Pietro, or the church of Saint Peter, dates from the 1700’s.Caffe Arti e Mestieri was hands down my favorite restaurant in Reggio Emilia.  The food in this place is fantastic!  The atmosphere is lovely — one walks through a courtyard/garden to get to the restaurant, and once inside, you are in a space that is modern, chic and comfortable, all at the same time.  The plates are creative Italian cuisine, and it is delicious!

Next up: a visit to the Duomo, and the Museo del Tricolore!

Palazzo dei Musei – 1, Via Lazzaro Spallanzani – free admission

Parco del Popolo – Viale Ilsonzo – free admission

Caffe Arti e Mestieri – Via Emilia A.S. Pietro, 16 – reservations recommended

Note: this blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations which may appear.