The region of Emilia Romagna was named the best place to visit in Europe by Lonely Planet this year. The Local takes a look at one of its underrated gems, Ferrara, and offers six great reasons why you should make time to explore this small but perfectly formed medieval town.

The perfect way to get your bearings is to take a tour of the incredibly well-preserved medieval city walls. The views change as you travel round the city, from ancient battlements to peaceful greenery. It takes around an hour to do a full circuit, after which you can duck down the picturesque cobbled streets of the city centre, a Unesco World Heritage site.