A Car Lover’s Guide To Emilia-Romagna, Italy

We recently went on a family road trip to to the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, known for its pretty cities, good food and sports car history. As a fan of cars and Formula 1, one of my highlights was visiting the Ferrari Museum in Maranello. Indeed, if you are a car lover then Emilia-Romagna needs to be on your travel wish-list. As well as Ferrari, the region is home to Lamborghini, Maserati, Ducati, De Tomaso and Pagani. There are plenty of  museums and car collections to visit as well as the Formula 1 race track (at the Imola Circuit) and the Motor Show. It is also home to the relatively new Autodromo Marzaglia, where you can race around its track.

We went as a family with our three-year-old daughter but I would love to go back child-free and explore more of the area and embrace its car history. To make the most of this time away from the children, what better way to see than country than in a luxury car? We could cruise around the country in style!

Without our little ones in tow, we could have our pick of very child-UNfriendly vehicles without the need for a large boot to stuff all our baby paraphernalia in and we would have little use for rear seats. Of course, I can’t afford one of my own (I wish) but I would hire one for a few days. There are various luxury car hire services in Italy which can be booked online for example on primerentcar.com, where you can rent cars such as a Ferrari, Lamborghini, BMW convertibles, Maserati and Mercedes with all the latest models and upgrades available.

Once behind the wheel, Emilia-Romagna is a very manageable area to explore. We  would head back to Modena to visit the Museo Enzo Ferrari and learn about the history of Ferrari’s creator and the techniques and passion he and his family brought to the industry. We would also head back to the Museo Ferrari in the nearby town of Maranello. On our first visit we didn’t get the chance to have a go on two simulator rides but I quite fancy seeing what it id like to drive a single-seater Ferrari around the F1 Monza track and even take part in a simulator challenge.

We could also test our tyre changing skills in the museum’s timed pit stop game and see how tricky it really is to do it against the clock (the professional F1 mechanics make it look so easy). Then there are the numerous exhibits at the museum showing Ferrari models through the ages as well as one displaying a rotating collection of 40 models charting the evolution of Ferrari over the course of its prestigious history. The museum also has the Formula One and Cavallino Victory Hall displaying over 100 trophies as well as the world championship cars from 1999-2008, and the helmets of nine championship drivers.

A stop at the Museo Stanguellini would also be in order. We would be able to take a historical trip back to the beginnings of the automobile industry from the 19^th Century to the present. Then at the Panini private Museum, we could check out the vintage collections of Maserati and other car brands, including motorcycles. The Museo de Tomaso in Modena is a definite must for fans of this signature model, such as the 1963 Vallelunga and the Guarà.

How does that sound for a trip? I’ve had the opportunity to drive a F430 Coupe Ferrari around the track at Silverstone and being a big F1 fan that was an exhilarating experience. But I would love to drive a Ferrari or similar sports car on the open road in Italy and explore the region of its birthplace. Of course, as part of my trip, I’d make sure I booked reservations at Modena’s Osteria Francescana, voted the world’s best restaurant in 2016.

So, with the itinerary set, there is just the small matter of finding someone to look after our children to make this dream trip a reality. Any offers?

*Written in collaboration with MD

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