Some time ago my wife Faith and I were researching a vacation to Europe and looking for interesting things to do. We wanted to have a well-rounded trip, do many different things, and to make the most of the time spent there. Getting to Europe from Australia is costly and takes a long time so we need to stay for a reasonable period and have a few things planned; We didn't want to wander about aimlessly as we can stay home and do that, and save thousands of dollars in the process.
So we found a few really interesting things to do. Loire Valley, France, Florence, a five day tour in the World War One battlefields of France and Belgium, Paris, Rome, Cinque Terra, Venice and so on. I also wanted to tour the Ferrari, Lamborghini and Ducati factories and museums.
We made contact with a gentleman who ran private tours for groups of only 2-6 people and after some communications were satisfied that he would give us the best experience; His name was Francesco (not his real name) and in every communication he had exceeded our expectations so...We booked it.
We were based at a nice hotel in Bologna and on the day of our tour he collected us early in the morning in a spotless VW passenger van. He greeted us with "Ciao, come stai", hello how are you, and I stumbled through some Italian out of respect...Then we proceeded in English. He seemed a cheery little chap and super-friendly.
We were off to visit Lamborghini, Ferrari and then Ducati and were really pleased to see it was just us, no other people! You bloody ripper!
Curiously he asked if I had my drivers license as he drove away and nodded when I said yes. "Bene, bene" he said.
As it turns out, only the week earlier, Lamborghini had halted production and access to the production line was denied. I was devastated. We were set to tour the production line and I was pretty keen on it; As it was we could not.
He had arranged some alternatives though which included a visit to the Collezione Umberto Panini a mind-blowing private car collection located on a dairy farm called Hombre and a chance for us to drive the Ferrari of my choice around Maranello for 45 minutes. It was that or I could get some Euro's back. I said keep the Euro's mate, and let's roll!
We were still able to go to the Lamborghini museum, which was amazing in its own right, and then headed to the Collezione Umberto Panini...It's very cool - A dairy where they also make parmesan cheese, the only place the Vatican buy parmesan from as it turns out. It was an awesome place to visit...But Lamborghini and Hombre are for another time.
From there it was onwards to Fiorano, Ferrari's test track, where we watched some Ferrari's going through their paces and the factory and the museum.
Fiorano, the Ferrari test track.
Old school Ferrari-powered race car Lancia-Ferrari D50 or D50A - Can't recall which.
Maranello is truly Ferrari country and everything there revolves around the vehicle, factory, race team, Scuderia Ferrari, and the love of Ferrari. Yep, there's Ferrari's everywhere, quite literally.
We headed to the factory for a poke around and as we met various people Francesco was surreptitiously handing out bottles of wines and a cheese here or there all of which seemed to materialise out of nowhere. You see, he used to work for the Scuderia, the guy who made Michael Schumacher's steering wheels for his F1 car, so he knew people. It's amazing the access one can gain when a few bottles of wine change hands.
No, you cannot buy it Faith!
From there we headed over to the museum for a bite to eat and to begin our tour.
Francesco ate with us; He was a very cool little guy who spoke good English and had a huge knowledge of his tour and Ferrari in particular. We chatted about all sorts of things...Well, only one thing really, Ferrari, and then headed into the Ferrari museum itself.
Unfortunately my camera at the time and my photography skills weren't the best but I grabbed some shots which you can see in this post.
The Formula One Scuderia Ferrari section which included many F1 cars, pit-wall rigs and various equipment and a sample of every F1 engine they've made. Faith talks to Francesco in this shot.
The Ferrari museum tells their story in pictures, video, simulators and of course the real life cars of which they have so many. The information boards are in Italian so that's where Francesco earned his keep and he worked hard to ensure we had the full picture, the information about what was of interest to us, and he also enlightened us on some of the more interesting facts we might have missed otherwise. He was solicitous to our needs and yet left us to our own devices too; He was, in short, a great tour guide.
We spent over two hours at the museum and saw the evolution of Ferrari from humble beginnings to the powerhouse vehicle manufacturer and race team it is today; We even saw a replica set up of Enzo Ferrari's office exactly the way he left it before he passed away.
Enzo Ferrari at various stages of his life. This was a massive wall of Enzo!
The Ferrari story is fascinating; One man's never-quit attitude, innovation, triumph over adversity and singlemindedness. What he created is nothing short of mind-blowing, as is everything around it. The museum was spectacular in design, layout and presentation and needs to be on the list of places to visit for all car enthusiasts.
Ferrari 458 - We were in Maranello in the launch-week.
After the museum it was time to drive my Ferrari. I chose the F430 Spider and drove around Maranello for about 45 minutes - It sounded and drove exactly like you would expect and was an enjoyable experience. I was still disappointed about not touring the production areas at Lamborghini but this was cool too. Yes, I went fast!
Just rollin', Maranello-style. They see me rollin' - They hatin'. 😁
From there it was off to Ducati and more awesome experiences which I'll write about some other time as this is a Ferrari post!
Our experience that day was so amazing and memorable; It's stuck with us and we remember it vividly. It's difficult to pick out a highlight although I'll be honest, the Collezione Umberto Panini would probably win that accolade. It was truly spectacular and considering we had it to ourselves...Priceless. Not many people see it, most don't even know it exists; Add in the tour of the dairy and cheese-making facility...It was cool.
That night back in Bologna we had a nice dinner and recapped onthe day which started at 8am and went until 6:30pm...A long day but such an amazing one!
This was my favourite in the museum. The 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica. Simply stunning in real life.
Anyway, I'll probably write about that some other time. For now I hope you enjoyed this piece on this aspect of one of our European holidays; It didn't go exactly to plan but was a great day nonetheless. Oh, Bologna is cool too, I'll do a thing on it sometime also.
Thanks for dropping in.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised.
Be well
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Wow!! It is so good to see that you have been in my city (Bologna) ❤️ I am very proud. Beautiful post 😍 I'm a big fan of Ducati, Lamborghini etc 😊
Hey there! Oh yeah, we loved Bologna...All those tall towers! Umm, Asinelli tower is the tallest if I recall. Nice history there, friendly people.
We had a nice time...Walked around, ate at cafes and restaurants...Tried all the local cold cuts and cheese. Lovely place!
Thanks for commenting. 😉
I'm very happy that you liked it! Have a nice day, ciao! 😊
Mother of God. I have a question. Did your cheeks hurt from grinning all day long?
That's just like ultimate for me. I mean, I like lots of stuff. History, battlegrounds, natural phenomena etc. But Lambo, Ferrari and Ducati in one day? I can't even imagine. 45 minutes on a track with a 430?
I'm a little speechless right now. I'm a lot speechless right now. I'm sure I'll come back with more.
It was a great day...Long, but memorable. The CUP was so good and I'm glad we went...I lament not getting the the Lambo production line but it was a good replacement.
The F430 was on the roads, not the track (unfortunately). It was cool driving a Ferrari around where it was made. I was told there is an understanding with the cops too, so...Yeah, I might have gone fast, a bit. But mostly we cruised. Was a lot of fun.
And Ducati...I've ridden many already, but the museum was pretty special.
Faith and have done some amazing things. I'll write about the battlefield tour one day too. Maybe over three of four posts as it'll be loaded with history and probably too long for only one post.
Thanks for your comments mate, I love your enthusiasm! It's infectious. 🙂
You already know I love Ducati (Ferrari too for that matter). Lambo is just impressive but Ferrari and Ducati have heart AND Soul. The sound of a Duc or a flat Ferrari will just stop me.
I never name my motorcycles. Connie is a generic term for the model. But I named my Ducati. Pato Rojo. Red Duck.
I've never owned a Ducati, I'm a Yamaha man, but I've ridden a few and enjoyed them, there's something passionate about them, like Ferrari too I guess. Nice bikes. Oh, I rode an Aprilia RSV Mille 1000 a couple times too...Pretty bloody awesome also. Something with those Italians mate, they build passion into their vehicles and bikes somehow.
How many have you owned?
Just the one. Not saying there won't be another :)
Moto Guzi? I've had people tell me if I ever buy one I'll never be without one. Even Vespa. I have a friend that commutes on a Vespa and saves her Harley Davidson for the weekend :)
I've owned just two Yamaha. My first bike was an 80cc trail bike, and I had a Venture Royale for about 8 years and 150,000 miles. I took some serious trips on that beast. I'd say Kawasaki and Suzuki have been my go to makers. I have one of each now.... I've had a few Hondas and one Triumph. That fucker made me a mechanic :) But damn it was fun to ride in the late 60s. I loved it until I rode a friends KZ1 and I was all done with low and slow.
I like the Triumph Street Cup...You seen it?
https://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/triumph/2017-2019-triumph-street-cup-ar170875.html
If was buying a bike today I think it would be this. (Hope this page loads, it's an Aussie page.)
https://www.indianmotorcycle.com.au/scout-bobber/
Triumph has done so good with the retro/modern look. They are like jewelry. That is a serious good looking motorcycle.
I love the Indians. That scout looks nasty.
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I have NO interest in cars whatsoever (apart from landrovers, and I was brainwashed into those) BUT I have to say, if I am reluctantly DRAGGED to something like this, I always have a great time despite myself (like the time I went to banger racing - omfg!!!!) so I appreciate the joy in this memory. And I ADORE that pic of you and Faith!!!!!
I don't like everything Faith likes, and same in reverse, but we do things together and enjoy the time we spend no matter what.
I'm a 4x4 guy and would never consider buying a car like a Ferrari, even if I could afford it, but I like motor racing, F1 in particular, and so this was on our list. If you ask Faith about it she'd say, quite honestly, that it was an amazing day.
We've done some pretty cool things and always manage to find common ground.
Thanks for commenting on a car post. 🤣
Ha I do try to read things I don't normally like. Broad minds and all that! The look on Faiths face says it all!! She looks totally happy.
Have you ever seen Supercar Blondie on YouTube? I seriously can't get over how much money in in that industry.
I do try to comptomise and open my mimd aboyt things. Haha I even go to steam fairs for Jamie! And I enjoy them even though I mock eyeroll and complain about it haha, like a good wife should. And Jamie occasionally comes to a yoga class with me... 😂😂😂😂
I haven't seen that YouTube thing no. I'm not really that much into cars like that, supercars; I don't really see the point of them. I'm a 4xx guy, preferring practicality rather than the show-off factor. Besides, I'm never going to own one, wouldn't buy one if I had the money, so I don't see the point in spending too much effort into it.
I've been to one of those steam engine events...I found it quite interesting and odd at the same time. There were blokes sitting there watching their steep engine turning wheels and belts, like, just staring at them. It was funny. I also went to yoga with Faith once...Turned myself into a pretzel and stayed that way for three days...Never went back.
Super!)) Your trip looks very exciting!))) I would also like to visit the Ferrari Museum!))) I once attended an open day at the Citroën and Peugeot factory. It was cool!))) If possible, come to Europe again)) Slovakia and Hungary are great countries to travel. Hungary has a particularly delicious national food!))
We were due to be there this year but our flights were cancelled by the airline and refunded. We'll be back...Been a few times and still have much to see.
Auto plants are amazing feats or engineering...I worked in one for 14 years...GM. The technology is amazing, you obviously know as you've been in one. 😉
You. Lucky. Bastard!!! There's certainly something to be said of the majesty, and charm of a Ferrari that's unmatched by few in the car world. Francesco seems like a chap I'd like to meet some day, and he sounds quintessentially Italian. I guess I finally get to learn more about that time when G-Dog drove an F430 Spider, like he keeps banging on about it, all the bloody time XD
One slight note, that old-school Ferrari F1 car is a Lancia, courtesy of the badge. But then again, Lancia did use Ferrari motors for most of their existence, so I wouldn't be surprised to find that on hallowed ground. Looks like Faith is really eyeing that F50. If she's there, tell her that she's got great tastes in cars, and that G-Dog could always mortgage the house for one. It's about $3million or so for a good one, so I guess you could pawn Grouchy, too... :-D
Yeah, the Lancia race car is in there because Ferrari further developed the D50, which I think is what this is if my memory is working well.
Ah, a V8 or a V12?
Not only is it beautiful, but it's innovative for its time, too! This is one of the earlier examples when Lancia started using Ferrari's engines, a legacy that carried over to the Stratos and Thema.
Amazing photos and amazing experience.
I was involved in the high-end luxury car industry a few years ago when involved in The Tramontana Project. Here's a video of one of the first versions.
A couple of years after fight gear recorded the video in UK, we took one of the cars to Jay Lenno collection for him to test it and shoot a video for his garage car video series. I had a chance to visit just one of 4 warehouses he has in Los Angeles full of cars from his collection and boy I was more than amazed I took hundreds of photos.
Incredible!
I've seen the episode... interesting car for sure. I think I'd like to drive it.
That must have been cool to be part of the project and of course Leno's garage is renowned for being pretty spectacular. I'll be we see it in person, most will never, so you're one of a very few who have. Pretty cool. Maybe you'll share some of the photos one day. 🙂
I would have chose the Spider as well. That was really good of Francesco The Fixer!
Haha, yeah he was like the guy in prison who's able to get stuff in, like Caretaker in that Sandler movie, The longest yard.
He was a good sort though. We actually referred some friends to him a few years later as they wanted to do what we did...He looked after them! Good fella.
F430 was sweet. 🙂
It's great when someone goes the extra mile or at least seems to when just doing a good job. There are too many shysters and fops about that try to rip you off and it doesn't pay in the long run!
Yep, I agree. It doesn't take much to add a lot of value and it comes back in time.
Like life itself!! :OD
Yes I agree. Faith and I were only talking about this today...How humans can't seem to get it together, pull in the same direction at the same time. Everyone is out for themselves, and find little motivation to do something for someone else, random kindness. It makes those who do stand out.
Hey, my dear friend, you look cool in a Ferrari 🥰
Thank you...It was a fun day and an enjoyable experience to drive that car. I'd never own one, but am happy to have done so this once.
Haha I would like to do this too🍻
Maybe one day you can...It would be a good post!
Awesome touring those museums etc👍
Well, what do you know? I managed to get in at last. Struggled to log in.
Yes those are some real performers and your drive must have been exhilarating.
They have a Ferrari range on show here in a car museum on a wine farm, but nothing like this as it's the real deal.
Hope that you got some shots of the Lambos.
The Lamborghini museum wasn't as extensive as the Ferrari one, but it was still very cool. And yes, I have pictures from there too.
Lovely photo and I love those flip up doors.
You really had a blast over there and it was great that you were allowed a spin in that Ferrari.
I can imagine that one gets the feeling of a racer in that cockpit lol.
The F430 drives as good as you'd expect it to. I've driven some pretty neat cars in my day, raced go karts and stuff...But driving this car around Maranello, where it was made, the home of Ferrari...It was pretty cool.
Yeah, I have also been in some fast stuff, but driving a car with so much racing history in it's tank must have certainly given you a great lift.
Like riding the cheetah after you have beaten him hahaha.
Btw. Here's a cheetah for you that I posted yesterday!
This one looks as worried as the one I'm racing...He can see his fast reputation disappearing in my dust as I race by and win the G-dog/cheetah foot race!
I think that it is the same champion cheetah that you were going to race lol.
He died of anxiety and turned into stone hahaha.
Obviously fear of being ridiculed as the fastest animal on earth by the great G-dog lol.
Amazing post! My admirations !
Thank you, I appreciate you taking a look and the time to make a comment on my post.
Loving the Just rollin', Maranello-style picture of smiling faces
I figured we'd better get one in there...The only time I'll ever sit in a Ferrari.
well written i liked it
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The two of you looked awesome in that red piece of art. Oh I think you would give up eating all the cashew in the world to have this beauty for yourself in Australia hihi. Beautiful pictures!
It was fun to drive but I'm a 4x4 guy, pick up trucks and off-roaders, not much of a supercar guy; I don't see the point really. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate them, but wouldn't waste my money on one. It was great driving it around Maranello though, and that whole day was very nice.
I bet it was fun. It would be a lot of money that's for sure