Rev up for Emilia-Romagna

Words by Louise Longman

Home to the medieval cities of Bologna, Ferrara and Ravenna and the birthplace of Ferrari, Lamborghini and other sports car brands, this is indeed the perfect startpoint for an Italian road trip.

The Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy stretches from the Apennine Mountains to the Po River in the north with beach resorts dotted along the Adriatic coast.

It’s Italy’s ultimate foodie destination, where the fertile plains produce some of the best-known signature ingredients of Italian cuisine including prosciutto crudo and mortadella, balsamic vinegar of Modena and parmesan cheese, from Parma.

It’s also blessed with the magnificent colourful cities of Bologna, Ferrara and Ravenna, with their Renaissance palaces, medieval and Romanesque churches, and Byzantine artworks – all of which can be enjoyed without queues or crowds.

Felix M. Dorn / Unsplash

But it’s the region’s rich motoring history that makes Emilia-Romagna an ideal destination for car enthusiasts. Emilia-Romagna is home to some of the world’s best-known luxury sports car brands including Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Ducati, Pagani, Dallara and more and is widely seen as the epicentre of the Italian motor industry.

With its own ‘Motor Valley’ route, Emilia-Romagna is a mecca for motoring enthusiasts from around the world who are drawn to its motor-themed museums, attractions and events. Visitors who want to explore the region can enjoy a self-drive holiday on one of the many itineraries that take in all of the region’s superb motoring history – along with the region’s verdant countryside, pastel-coloured towns and grand, luxury hotels.

A must-see first stop on any self-drive itinerary through Motor Valley would be in Modena at the Maserati Showroom and the Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari, about the life and work of Enzo Ferrari.

The Maserati showroom exhibits a variety of cars bearing the famous Maserati Trident logo and offers a 40-minute guided tour on the history of the marque, plus there are factory tours available to the heart of the production floor.

From here, visitors can continue on foot to the nearby Enzo Ferrari Museum which is housed in a futuristic pavilion — a masterpiece of the neofuturistic Czech architect, Jan Kaplicky. Here, makes and models are on display tracing the magical story of Enzo Ferrari’s 90 years of life. Alongside this pavilion is the historic factory of Enzo’s father, now restored and home to the Ferrari Automobile Museum.

Philip Myrtorp / Unsplash

Modena’s historic old town is a real gem of Italy’s north. There’s the Piazza Grande, Modena cathedral and the Ghirlandina bell tower – the symbol of Modena.

Lunch can be enjoyed at the lively Albinelli Market, Modena’s art nouveau-style covered market which sells local produce from great hunks of parmigiana reggiano, bottles of Vecchia Modena Lambrusco and just-stuffed tortellini. And you won’t want to leave without trying and buying some of Modena’s famed balsamic vinegar – one of the most precious treasures of Italian gastronomy.

After lunch, car enthusiasts can rekindle their motoring passions with a trip to the Stanguellini Museum of Vintage Autos. Among the 30 or so interesting cars on display, the standouts include Fiat’s first Sport 750 and 1100, the Stanguellini Junior 1100 and the Stanguellini-Guzzi Colibrì.

Day two of a Motor Valley tour might start with a side trip to the city of Maranello, home of Ferrari and the Formula One racing team Scuderia Ferrari.

What awaits you here is a place that has become legendary – the Ferrari Museum – and a chance to immerse yourself in the extraordinary history of the “Prancing Horse”, Ferrari’s nickname and logo. The most-famous Formula One racing cars are on display here, as are legendary sports cars, the automobiles of the Gran Turismo series and road cars.

Saving the best for last, the final stop on a luxurious and languorous drive through Emilia-Romagna would be to Bologna, the lively, historic capital of the region.

Its Piazza Maggiore is a sprawling plaza lined with arched colonnades, cafes and medieval and Renaissance buildings such as City Hall, the Fountain of Neptune and the Basilica di San Petronio.

Philip Myrtorp / Unsplash

Car lovers will want to visit the headquarters of Lamborghini, the producer of luxury sports supercars. At Lamborghini, you can visit MUDETEC (the Museum of Technologies), where cars of various makes are
on display and a driving simulator offers visitors an interactive experience.

Two-wheel fans will want to spend an entire morning at the Ducati Museum in Bologna, where 32 motorcycles constructed between 1947 and the latest superbikes from recent seasons recount the story of the evolution of Ducati’s renowned racing bikes.