It is not at all uncommon to hear that, in addition to its cuisine, Emilia-Romagna is renowned for its state-of-the-art motor tradition.
In fact, the area of Emilia between Parma and Bologna has acquired the name Motor Valley.
If you are looking to spend 2 days immersed in the passion for speed, heroic anecdotes and creative genius, this is the ideal itinerary for you!
It begins with the discovery of the dream cars that have left an indelible mark on Emilia-Romagna and on the history of engines as a whole.
First stop: a guided tour of the Dallara Academy.
Considered one of the best-known companies in the world for the production of racing cars, it is based in a small town entirely devoted to its passion for engines on the outskirts of the Parma Apennines: Varano de’ Melegari, home to the Riccardo Paletti racetrack.
Dallara also wanted to dedicate space specifically to training, and thus decided to build the Academy next to the company headquarters. This structure houses the workshops where academic and university education intersects with the history of high-performance racing and sports cars, originally designed and developed by the engineer Dallara, and then by Dallara Automobili.
Some of the cars worth mentioning range from the Miura to the X19, from the sports cars created in collaboration with Lancia to the Indycars that race in the United States, from the Le Mans prototypes to the series like Formula 3 and Formula E, to the latest Dallara Stradale.
After such a beginning, in order to maintain the same top quality, the second stop of this tour is Ruote da Sogno [Dream Wheels], in other words a temple for any fan of vintage cars and motorcycles.
Situated in Reggio Emilia, this permanent collection exhibits all the most famous brands in the motor industry, restored to perfection.
Remaining in the area of Reggio Emilia and sticking with the vintage cars theme, in San Martino in Rio there is the Automobile Museum where about 40 rare vintage cars are housed: from the 1916 Ford T to the 1925 Fiat 501, and from the 1934 Fiat 527 Ardita to the 1958 Jaguar XK 140.
This will be yet another experience that allows you to unleash your imagination through time, with the customs and technological innovations of the 1900s.
The second day of this automobile-centred itinerary in Emilia-Romagna puts you back on the road: destination Modena, where you will make your third stop at the Maserati factory.
This factory tour is a fascinating journey through the history of the brand through its assembly lines, giving you the opportunity to learn how a Maserati car comes to life, and how sportsmanship and elegance come together to create one of the most glamorous cars in the world.
As you may have guessed, your stay in Modena does not end here: the production of two other iconic brands is concentrated in a few square kilometres. The first, which is perhaps the most famous and celebrated, is none other than the Prancing Horse.
As a matter of fact, Modena is where the Museo Enzo Ferrari is located.
Made of a pavilion inspired by the bonnets of 1950s racing cars and integrated with the perfectly restored workshop where Enzo's father once worked, the museum offers a unique tour designed to appreciate the perfect mechanisms developed for the racing and sports cars that have given so much delight to Ferrari and fans of the Prancing Horse.
As mentioned earlier, this area is home to another iconic brand providing the next stop on the dream car itinerary: Pagani.
To visit the factory, you must go to San Cesario sul Panaro where the showroom and the collection of super sports cars designed by Horacio Pagani await you, each one created according to the founding principle of combining technology and style.
At this point, though overwhelmed with emotion, the hearts of true motor enthusiasts will be clamouring for a worthy finale, a real icing on the cake.
So here you are: your last stop is the Lamborghini factory and museum in Bologna, during which you will see the various stages of creation of iconic models such as the V12 Aventador.
The tour starts with the production of the interiors and furnishings, continuing with the construction of the chassis, bodywork, engine, gearbox, suspension and brakes, all the way to the completed car.
The museum, on the other hand, traces all the steps behind the history of the brand: classic cars, images and photographs that inform you about the past, present and future goals of one of the greatest Italian car manufacturers.
The only thing left to do is zoom off towards adventure!
