Getting there
Maranello - the Mekka for every real Ferrarista in the world. The hometown of the Ferrari factory and the Scuderia Ferrari is located about 20 kms south of Modena, the famous old city in the Italian Emilia Romagna region (170 kms southeast from Milan). Maranello - Italy's secret capital - is so important for the region that the small town is signposted right from the exit "Modena Nord" of the A1 motorway from Milan to Bologna
In the following text you will learn about some Maranello sites not to be missed when you should have the occasion to visit Ferrari's hometown.
The Factory
The factory is located on the Via Abetone Inferiore; this is the very road on which one enters the town if one follows the signposts from the above mentioned motorway exit. Unfortunately, it is normally not possible to visit the factory. Guided tours are sometimes arranged for dealers and their customers; maybe your local authorized Ferrari dealer is willing to provide you with an opportunity to join him on his next visit even if you are not a Ferrari owner - just give it a trial.
But the normal Maranello visitor has at least the possibility to have a look into the entrance hall of the factory which is generally open to the public. Various exhibits are on display there regularly, ranging from current production to Formula One cars.
A nice place for all "Ferrari spotters" is the Via Musso adjacent to the factory; there is the factory gate which is used by all cars (and prototypes!) leaving the plant for test drives.
The Scuderia
The Scuderia Ferrari - Ferrari's racing department - is located in the Via Ascari and guarded like Fort Knox, of course. Don't expect to see Michael Schumacher or EddieIrvine leaving the building. But the Scuderia is cult and hence worth a photo anyway.
The Pista di Fiorano
Ferrari's private test track is located at the end of the Via Dino Ferrari (also see "Galleria Ferrari"). There are some small streets which end right on the fence of the track, providing nice photo spots for people with big lenses.
The Fiorano track is used regularly for Formula One testing, but also for trials with prototypes and normal production cars. Needless to say that it is not allowed to enter the area. Enzo Ferrari's former home is located inside the track, as is the well-known red Starfighter jet plane.
The Galleria Ferrari
Ferrari's factory museum is to be found in the Via Dino Ferrari. You can find photos of the majority of the automotive exposits on this site; but since the exhibits arechanged from time to time, the Galleria is always worth a visit - even if one has already been there once. The Galleria is open daily except on Mondays between 9.30 h and 12.30 h and from 15.00 h to 18.00 h
Shops
There are plenty of memorabilia shops in Maranello. "Warm Up" and "Hors Ligne" are located close to the Galleria Ferrari in the Via Dino Ferrari, "Shopping Formula 1" can be found in the Via Alfieri, facing the factory entrance. And these are only the most "famous" shops. It is possible to buy official Ferrari merchandising products in the Galleria Ferrari, too, by the way.
Hotels
There are many hotels around; I would like to mention two of them: "Hotel Domus" is located right in the heart of Maranello at the Piazza Libertà 38, adjacent to the city hall (which is known to the enthusiast through old factory press photographs; the town hall was often used as an adequate background). Telephone is +39/0536/941071. In the old days, many Grand Prix drivers used to stay there!
For the more sophisticated Maranello tourist, the expensive "Executive Hotel" in nearby Fiorano might be more suitable. Address: Via Circ. San Francesco 2, I-41042 Fiorano. Tel.: +39/0536/832010.
Restaurants
The Italian cuisine is always a pleasure. A "must" for the Maranello tourist is the "Il Cavallino", which is somehow part of the factory and located right across the street from the factory entrance. Enzo himself used to have a small private room over there where he had lunch almost every day. "Il Cavallino" is closed on Sundays.
Another excellent restaurant is "Da William" in the Via Flavio Gioia 1. Ferrari's CEO, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, is a regular customer. Try the Tortelloni con burro e salvia!
If only a little time is left visit the Pizzeria in the Hotel Domus right at Piazza Libertà, where the Pizza and Pasta is excellent. |
