Reggio Emilia: the city of photography

Introduction

Reggio Emilia is a city deeply connected to photography and visual culture. The birthplace of the great photographer Luigi Ghirri and home to the renowned Fotografia Europea festival, it becomes each year a widespread laboratory of visions, languages, and contemporary storytelling.
This itinerary guides visitors through the city’s most photogenic spots: squares, cloisters, hidden courtyards, and iconic architecture are turned into a visual journey that invites you to experience Reggio Emilia through the eye of a photographer.

Information

The route mainly runs through the city centre and is easily walkable.”

1. Bridges, ready, set, go!

The journey begins the moment you arrive in the city, where Santiago Calatrava’s contemporary architecture welcomes visitors with its iconic and monumental forms.
Whether you arrive by high-speed train or via the motorway, Calatrava’s bridges and the Mediopadana high-speed station are the first must-see photo opportunity: clean lines, geometric perspectives and industrial landscapes make for perfect subjects for a striking photograph.

2. From modern arches to Renaissance ones

From contemporary to history, the journey continues at the complex of Chiostri di San Pietro, one of the most evocative places in the city.
A former Benedictine monastery, now a cultural space, during Fotografia Europea it becomes one of the beating hearts of the festival. Cloisters, frescoes, and exhibition halls offer endless photographic opportunities, where light, architecture, and silence come together.

3. Courtyards, what a passion!

Walking along the Via Emilia, you come across some of the most charming courtyards in the historic city centre.
Palazzo Fontanelli Sacrati is one of the most beloved spots among photographers: its central well, wisteria, and Renaissance columns create an atmosphere suspended in time.
Just a short walk away, Caffè Arte e Mestieri combines contemporary design with a historic garden designed by Pietro Porcinai. It is the perfect place for a shot that blends elegance, tranquillity, and urban life.

4. Luigi Ghirri and the Fotografia Europea Festival”

The route continues towards the Palazzo dei Musei, a landmark of photographic culture in Reggio Emilia.
Here, a selection dedicated to Luigi Ghirri is often on display, while on the exterior façade the participatory artwork “Curiosa Meravigliosa” by Joan Fontcuberta comes to life: a photographic mosaic that tells the story of the city through the eyes of its inhabitants.

5. Reggio from above

To observe the city from new perspectives, Reggio Emilia offers several panoramic viewpoints:

• from the windows of the Palazzo dei Musei, overlooking Piazza della Vittoria
• from the upper floors of the shops along Via Emilia, with glimpses of Piazza del Monte and Hotel Posta
• from the Torre di San Prospero, which can be visited during guided openings, offering a unique view over the rooftops of the historic city centre.

Three different viewpoints for three ways of telling the story of the city from above.

A journey to be experienced through the eyes.

Reggio Emilia is discovered in this way: step by step, but above all image by image. An itinerary that invites you to slow down, observe, and tell the story of the city through the light, forms, and stories that run through it.