Fast and Ferrari-ous Car Museums in Italy for the F1 Fan in Your Life
Updated: Nov 25
Does racing set your heart a pit-patter? Does the smell of motor oil and grease give you goosebumps? If you are a fan of Ferrari or Formula 1, these are must visit attractions, all within driving distance of each other in Northern Italy.
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Where to Find Formula 1 Attractions in Northern Italy
The Northern Italian towns of Modena and Monza are home to some of the best Formula 1 car museums in Italy.
Monza, located not far from Milan, is an easy day trip by train or by car. Visit Monza and learn more about how to spend a great day there (aside from just the racing stuff).
Modena, home to balsamic vinegar and Enzo Ferrari, is a great home base for racing fans.
What This Article Covers
You'll be able to explore and learn more about these car museums below including:
The three above are kind of like the 'meccas' for Italian car racing, but I know others will beg to differ, which is why I've also included a list here of additional car museums in Italy that are all pretty much in the same area as Modena! Fancy that?!
For other great car museums in Northern Italy:
Ferruccio Lamborghini Museum: Bologna
National Automobile Museum: Turin
Lamborghini Museum: Modena
Alfa Romeo Museum: Near Milan!
Mille Miglia Museum: Brescia
Horacio Pagani Museum: Near Modena!
Follow the links for tour information, or put them on your bucket list for next time. Let's explore Monza's "Temple of Speed", and the infamous Ferrari Museums in Modena, below.
Traveling to Italy with Kids?Check out my Kid's Travel Journal - Scavenger Hunt Italy!  |
The Temple of Speed, Monza
Home of the Italian Grand Prix, the track dubbed the "Temple of Speed", and basically every man-boy's fantasy destination to visit, Monza's autodromo race track was a must-see on our itinerary to satisfy my Spanish husband's love for F1.
Monza, a lovely town just minutes from Milan and also Bergamo Airport (which was convenient for our last overnight stay in Italy), not only boasts the infamous autodromo race track, but also is a city of green spaces and villa gardens to explore. There is plenty for anyone in the family to enjoy, but the focus of course is the track.
A visit to Monza might include enjoying the town sites and a morning or early afternoon visit to the racing area. They have carefully curated numerous activities for F1 fans, along with shops for memorabilia and nearby kitschy spots like the "Pit Stop Cafe" for getting in the mood.
What to See at the Monza Race Track
There wasn't much to see or do when we got to the autodromo, aside from witnessing the shops and sideline views of the track, but it was a pleasant visit. My husband was besides himself seeing the trucks still geared up from the Grand Prix that had occurred just days prior, and when hearing the vroom of cars racing or practicing on the track.
Be sure to visit the small gift shop offering hats and shirts at reasonable prices, or if you are into model cars, they sell those there too.
Across from the gift shop find a cafe for a quick bite.
Honestly, it was a simple, but very cool experience.
Getting Around Monza Race Track
I had read that people found the entryway very confusing to this track area, which I'm not sure I understand why. Simply follow the park and drive around. It's all accessible, even to people who want to rent a bike for the day, or take a nice run.
Because it is adjacent to Monza's large green space park, this is a common past time in Monza to bike through the track area. You can rent bikes at the Monza Circuit gift shop.
Tours of Monza Race Track
If you arrange online in advance, you can take a private tour, but there are limited spaces for this. You cannot arrange a tour on arrival.
To learn more about visiting the Monza National Racetrack, go directly to their website https://www.monzanet.it/. There you will find a calendar of events and experiences on offer, which includes things like:
A visit on the autodromo track by van or car
See the press room, briefing room, podium and behind the scenes
A go-karting experience at the track
and more!
Ferrari Museums Near Modena
Modena, although known to most foodies as the place for balsamic vinegar, is also known to lovers of F1 as the home to all things Ferrari. Undoubtedly one of the most respected car brands in the world, discover in Modena where Enzo Ferrari spent his life, visit the Ferrari factory where the cars are made, and tour the museums dedicated to the brand.
There are two museums:
Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena and the Ferrari Museum in Maranello. Both museums offer artifacts, cars, history, and fun F1 simulators to get in the hot seat.
Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena
The two museums are located about 30 minutes distance from one another, and they do have a shuttle between the two as needed. The Enzo Ferrari Museum is dedicated more to the life of the man, with a beautiful showroom of cars. It follows the history of Ferrari and is located in the center of town, easily accessed by the train station.
There's a nice video that plays in the car showroom that is worth watching (but bring tissues, it definitely brought a tear to my eye - it was very beautiful!).
This showroom catered to Ferrari fans who like the car brand, not necessarily the Formula 1 racing brand, so if you have time for one (and not both museums), keep this in mind.
Inside the large showroom find a dozen or so hot cars old (more vintage or classic) and new (supercars), and even futuristic "Back to the Future cars" as my daughter exclaimed.
Then outside the main building, find another brick building full of engines and more information on the legacy of the Ferrari name.
Parking is free and easy, right next to the museum. There is also an onsite cafe and restaurant.
Also Near the Enzo Ferrari Museum
To note, the Enzo Ferrari Museum is also good for visiting nearby acetaia locations (vinegar tours and tasting). The town of Modena is walkable too. There's also a nearby mall for mama's who are uninterested (or need some retail therapy before all the car stuff).
There is also a Maserati stop a few blocks from the Enzo Ferrari Museum, which we did not visit. They have their global headquarters, showroom and flagship store there.
For foodies and formula 1 fans, be sure to check out my round up of culinary adventures in the area, including the balsamic vinegar tours.
Ferrari Museum in Maranello
The location in Maranello is further out of town. This museum was way more "Ferrari" than the Enzo Ferrari Museum, notably due to its red grand stand style entryway and it's interiors filled with racing legends and the cars to pair with the stories.
Great for F1 lovers, this museum takes about an hour to go through.
Their F1 simulators were a lot nicer than the ones at the Enzo Ferrari Museum, "the real deal", versus what looked more like a video game at Enzo Ferrari.
There was also an amazing trophy room showcasing all of the greats from Ferrari's victorious past, as well as nods to the pit wall and more. Check out the pics:
Basically, if you're an F1 fan, this is the place to get juiced.
There is a great gift shop here full of options from clothing to merchandise for Italian car racing fans. This gift shop I think was better and bigger than Enzo Ferrari's Museum.
You can also find a comfortable cafe and several other dining options within steps of the museum here, all appropriately in theme.
Which Ferrari Museum is Better to Visit?
This question is asked all over Reddit and online forums, and it still wasn't clear to me until I visited myself. But now that I have, it's clear as day to me, having both witnessed my F1 Fan husband's giddiness and also experiencing it for myself I can safely say:
If you like F1 - go to Maranello
If you like supercars and history - go to Museo Enzo Ferrari
It's that simple! If you have time for both, do both. There's a great tour (below) that includes both of these museums, lunch, and even the factory bus tour, which most people don't end up doing if they visit DIY.
Ferrari Museum Tours and Tickets
Book your Ferrari Museum tour here. This tour includes both museums, the factory tour (by bus) AND lunch.
Or, wet your pants with this similar tour that also includes a Ferrari 458 Spider Test Drive.
If you just want to visit the museum on your own, head to the Ferrari Museum website and consider purchasing the two museum ticket. About 11 euros more than purchasing a one museum ticket, you can add the second museum, which is usable within 48 hours of the chosen ticket day.
I.e. if you have a ticket for September 5, you have to visit the first museum on the 5th, but have 48 hours to visit the second museum. This is great if you are staying in the area and want to spread things out.
Browse other options on Viator's site for skip-the-line tickets and more here.
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