Home of Ferrari; Modena - Maranello - Bologna 🖼️

As a little birthday gift to myself, since my birthday is in February, I decided we should head to Italy for some good food and a bit of art.

The initial plan was to go to Milan. We bought the plane tickets for Milan, didn’t bother checking accommodation, and completely forgot that the Winter Olympics were taking place there. So, we found ourselves staring at astronomical Airbnb prices, to the point where sticking to the original plan made absolutely no sense.

I had wanted to visit Bologna for a while, and Bologna is close to Modena, and next to Modena is Maranello, and in Maranello, there’s Ferrari. It didn’t take much mental gymnastics to piece together option B.

This time, I checked accommodation prices first (😅), bought a new set of tickets, planned the lodging (Modena first, then Bologna), and pre-booked tickets for the two Ferrari museums: Maranello + panoramic tour and Enzo Ferrari in Modena.

Thank goodness for Ryanair and Wizzair; my soul didn’t hurt too much over the wasted money on the Milan tickets. Let’s just call it a relatively inexpensive mistake and a lesson learned. I had similar luck in San Sebastian, where we stumbled right into the film festival.

I’ll try to keep things somewhat chronological. There will be lots of photos because I’m still finding it hard to narrow them down to just a few.

Modena

Short flight to Bologna (2 hours), monorail to Bologna Central Station (10 min), train to Modena (35 min). We arrived while it was still light out, just in time to get to our accommodation.

First two nights in Modena, then Bologna for the rest of the trip.

Just like with Bilbao, I didn’t know exactly what to expect from Modena. I hadn’t done much research beyond 2-3 web searches to see what was worth visiting.

During the day, the city is incredibly quiet and a pleasure to walk through. It’s small enough to cover on foot without rushing, with plenty of shops, restaurants, and bars.

In the evening, the atmosphere comes alive; everyone is out for an Aperol Spritz on the terrace (even though it’s only a few degrees outside) before heading to dinner.

A few places worth visiting:

• Modena Cathedral (Duomo di Modena)
• Mercato Storico Albinelli
• Piazza Grande
• Torre Civica (if you want a view from above)
• Palazzo Ducale
• Enzo Ferrari Museum

We ate well at “Il Mannarino Modena”, which was an interesting experience. You enter the place through a butcher shop section, where you choose the cuts of meat you want cooked from the display case, and only then do you go into the restaurant. I would definitely try it again; the meats for the main course were delicious, and the restaurant itself was very cute.

Enzo Ferrari Museum

Theoretically, we went here on our last day in Modena, but I’m leaving it in this order for the article.

The Enzo Ferrari Museum is very different from the one in Maranello. The massive hall where the cars are displayed is designed so you can admire them from any angle with plenty of space around them, each raised on a pedestal.

It feels more like an art gallery where every object is showcased to its fullest potential.

If you have to choose just one of the two museums, I would go with the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena. I know the other one is where all the madness happens and it’s the heart of the team, but in terms of space and exhibits, I liked the Modena one better.

I suppose one caveat would be: if you are an F1 fan, then you probably want Maranello first and foremost.

To visit both Ferrari museums (Maranello and Modena), you can do it in a single day. There is a ticket that gives you access to both within a 48-hour window, and I recommend getting the panoramic tour as well. It takes you inside the factory grounds (you don’t see assembly lines, but you ride a bus through the complex while a guide explains things) and you also get to see the Fiorano circuit.

Ideally, do Maranello in the morning and return to the museum in Modena by 4:00 PM; you’ll finish just in time for an aperitivo and dinner.

Maranello

From Modena to Maranello, it takes about 45-50 minutes by bus.

We left Modena in the rain, eating some pastries while waiting for the bus, and arrived in Maranello still in the rain.

It wasn’t a huge problem since basically only the panoramic tour was outdoors.

Even in the rain, the panoramic tour was worth it. You aren’t allowed to take photos, and you can’t get off the bus, but they make stops at various important spots. You see cars rolling out of the factory ready for delivery and learn new things from the guide. 25 euros is a fair price.

Oh, and at the end of the tour, we saw a Purosangue entering the complex. The bus driver honked at it, and the guide told us it was supposedly Charles Leclerc. Technically, we were in the same place at the same time.

Inside, there’s everything: cars, engines, F1 simulators to test out, and finally the gift shop where you leave the most money of the entire trip.

Bologna

I liked it in Bologna.

A university city, full of life and young people, it seems like something is always happening. The food is very good, and there are 62km of porticoes throughout the city, so you can walk all day without stepping out from under them.

Fun fact: at the end, we went to the Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca, a church located about 4.8 km from the city center. We walked there from the city, and the entire route was under these porticoes.

We happened to be there during Art City Bologna, an event in its 14th year where many temporary galleries were open in various spaces across the city.

Some Italians struck up a conversation with us when they saw me carrying my camera and recommended a gallery that had a Polaroid exhibition. A bit obscure, but interesting.

And then we went to Graphic Japan, a very beautiful and well-thought-out exhibition that helped you understand not just the art, but the context as well.

Places to visit:

• Archiginnasio Palace and Anatomical Theater
• Basilica of San Petronio
• Palazzo d’Accursio
• Torre dell’Orologio (panoramic view)
• The Two Towers (under maintenance)
• Basilica of Santo Stefano + Complesso delle Sette Chiese

We ate very well at Donatello. Make a reservation in advance.