Modena/Maranello
 

Al, the wife, asked about going to Italy this year; Milan, Modena/Maranello, Ferrari factory visit. Advice from people who have done the "Tour", arrange through dealer?, FNA?, etc.

Steve

Been there, done it, unforgettable! Start by arranging through your dealer. Plan on 2 full days at Modena/Ferrari. :ok:

Milan makes Beverly Hills Rodeo Dr look like Sesame St. ;)

Ferrari basically owns the entire city. Between the vineyard, restaurant, museum, gift shop, Ferrari factory, Maserati factory, race track, F1 training facility, you will never run out of things to do and see!

Also happens to be the birthplace of the late great Luciano Pavarotti.

I'm going to Milan at the end of March. :D

Just got e-mail that Ferrari factory tour approved for May 22 at 10:00 AM. Al, the wife, had booked hotels and travel several months ago but long wait for Ferrari to approve date. Lucked out!!

Steve

This will be one of your most memorable trips ever! Unfortunately, Ferrari does not allow any photographs once the tour starts.

If you even take out your iPhone, they will stop the tour and kindly ask you to put it away.

If going during warm-weather months, I recommend making a detour to Lake Como as part of the trip.

Huge +1 :ok:

May 22 was our second date so Al is having to re-schedule lodging. Fortunately the Planet had a vacancy. She wants to hang out in the cinqueterre for five days and a few in Firenza, then London for a few days. She is working the schedule constrained by vacation days and running a race in Brooklyn on the way out and a race in London on the way home.

Steve

Then it's only fair that you get a Ferrari to race in Italy. :naughty:

The Al is tricky; there was a running event in Austin last year during US GP F1 weekend and a running event in Austin next month during Moto-GP weekend and two running events for the factory tour trip, etc., etc.

The previous wife was a skiing fanatic so I hit most of the major ski areas in North/South America and Europe. :-)

Steve

Al's reservations around cinqueterre have blown up with change in date, now looking at Lake Como for five days or so. Recommendations for where stay?

Steve

You must stay at Villa d'este

http://www.villadeste.com/en/13/home.aspx

We stayed in the Cardinal Suite, simply magnificent!

http://www.villadeste.com/en/44/cardinal-suite.aspx

I stayed at Villa d'Este last year.

It's a magnificent place with lots of history. The grounds and the common areas are beautiful.

However, the room I had felt dated like something from the late 1980 / 1990s. Hopefully they will modernize those soon.

I've toured Maranello.
There's the factory, race track, museum, and then the town itself is almost a Ferrari theme park (memorabilia shops, etc.).
I've done it in a single day, maybe 6 hours. Didn't slept there.
An Italian business partner organized it for me so I don't have specific logistics advise.
But it's worth visiting for those that like cars / Ferrari.

Got back from Italy last night. Was supposed to be in London for a few days but the British Airways IT mess caused a change in plans. The Ferrari factory tour was great and surprisingly, Al the wife thought it was the best part of the trip. After seeing the F1 cars getting prepped at the factory, Al was sorry that we didn't go the the Monaco GP.

Steve

Did Ferrari issue you one of their Red Passports, and welcome you back?

Make that +2....

Food in Milan and shopping is also first rate....your significant other and you will have alot of fun. Bring money for sure 😅

"Did Ferrari issue you one of their Red Passports, and welcome you back?Did Ferrari issue you one of their Red Passports, and welcome you back?"
***
And they didn't offer me the opportunity to buy an Apereta either. Interesting that the V-12 line is still one person builds the engine and a few people the build the car. V-8 engine and car is assembly line. The V-12 engines are run and tested for an hour, the V-8s for 30 min and the Maserati V-6 is tested for 5 min.

Steve

Was a great result for Ferrari.