The Motor Valley grand slam itinerary guarantees strong emotions and is perfect for motor lovers who want to do more than just watch the waving of the black and white checkered flag on TV.
Here are a few things to do in this land of motors and good cuisine, all in a three-day tour. On your mark…get set...go!
Without wasting time, you are immediately taken back in time; in fact, day 1 of the tour takes you to Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari, also known as MEF, dedicated to the life and work of Enzo Ferrari, founder of the car manufacturer of the Prancing Horse.
It is located in Modena and the building that hosts the museum, shaped like a bonnet of a car, is yellow which is the colour chosen by Enzo Ferrari as the backdrop of the famous brand. It is also the colour that represents the town.
While you’re in the area, besides stopping in one of the osterie [taverns] in the town centre, you must visit the main office of another iconic brand, Pagani.
Its establishment is in San Cesario sul Panaro and it’s possible to visit the atelier and collection of Horacio Pagani super sports cars, each one of which was created with the basic principle of joining technology and design.
At this point, your passion for motors is already revved so let’s move on to the next part, which guarantees even more memorable emotions.
One must travel to Sant'Agata Bolognese, near Bologna, to delve into the Lamborghini factory and museum.
With a visit to the factory, one can learn about the stages of creation of iconic models such as the V12 Aventador: the tour begins with work on the interior and leathers, and continues by following the work on the chassis, bodywork, engine, gearbox, suspension and brakes, all the way to the finished car.
The museum, on the other hand, traces all the stages that have made the history of the brand: historic cars, images and photographs that tell the past, present and future goals of one of Italy's greatest manufacturers.
Before moving on to the next stage, it should be remembered that we are in Bologna: shouldn't we treat ourselves to a plate of tagliatelle with meat sauce and a visit to the famous Two Towers? Of course you should: from the top floor of the Asinelli Tower there is a unique view of Bologna, from the Hills to the "Bassa" meaning plains (the tower is currently closed for maintenance).
After this break in town, you will continue with an adrenaline rushing tour of the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale!
A guided tour in the factory consists in finding out not only how the Ducati motor bike first started, but also breathing in the electrifying emotions of seeing the different work phases: assembling of the motors, assembly lines, acceptance testing and finally having a peek at the legendary Race Department.
A visit to the Ducati Museum is also foreseen. Here you will be guided through 90 years of the company’s history, where each motorbike on display is a work of art that tells a story of men and passion.
The tour continues on to the Checco Costa Museum, located at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola. It is an exhibit that explains the history of the autodrome through the reconstruction of its first motorbike and car races.
You will find many pieces of memorabilia from Ayrton Senna, including a few vehicles he raced in: two models of Formula Ford, the Formula 3 and the Mercedes 190 E in which he asserted himself in Formula 1 in the Nurburgring race in 1984.
A few iconic models such as the Lotus 98T with the John Player Special livery, the McLaren Mp4/6 (1991), the McLaren Mp4-8 (1993) and the Williams FW16 (1994) are also displayed.
This is where the monument to Ayrton Senna is placed, close to the Curve of the Tambourine, which in a short time became a true place of pilgrimage not only for fans who still remember him with great affection, but also for the Formula 1 lovers who didn’t have the privilege of admiring his races on these tracks.
A quote from Senna “I think I’m very far from leading the life I would like to lead".
The last day of the MotorValley itinerary is in Romagna, more precisely in Coriano. This is where Marco Simoncelli, the famous motorbike racer, was born.
Thanks to the museum Museo Simoncelli, “Sic’s life story” can be told. It tells of a boy from Romagna, crazy about two-wheelers and very persistent, who reached success becoming a world champion in 2008 in the 250cc category. With great sorrow, he left us at the young age of 24 during the grand prix in Malaysia.
During this touching experience, you can relive both his personal and professional moments and walk through the gallery that houses motorbikes, helmets, race suits and objects that belonged to him.
