The Best Northern Italy Road Trip Stops for Foodies and Formula 1 Fans
If you stumbled upon this page, it is likely you are one of three people:
Foodies seeking culinary experiences and food tours in Northern Italy
Formula 1 lovers who want to see the Temple of Speed and Enzo Ferrari's mecca in Modena
One or the other, trying to build out a Northern Italy itinerary that suits the whole family!
Below we'll discover together the quaint hillside agriturismos to host your stay, factories and food tours for discovering the secrets of the land, and some insider tips to exploring Italy - both for Foodies and F1 lovers.
Note: Always Pack Tissues represents many tried and tested travel sites as what is called an 'affiliate' partner. That means if you click on my ads I may get a commission from a resulting sale.
For the Love of Food
If you've watched Stanley Tucci's Italian foodie show, "Searching for Italy" (if you haven't, you should), one particular episode called out to me and I can't stop thinking about it. The episode was about Bologna, or more specifically, about the Emilia-Romagna area in Northern Italy which comprises Bologna, Parma, Modena, and so on.
These areas are well-known as foodie havens offering up the best of the best in parmigiano-reggiano aged cheeses, prosciutto, and the nero oro "black gold" balsamic vinegar. This trifecta to me, is worth seeking out, especially after seeing Stanley Tucci visit the factories, farms and wineries in this episode.
It became an important quest of mine to do as Stanley Tucci did, and so I put these spots on the map for my next trip to Italy.
For the Love of Racing
Meanwhile, I swear when it comes to my Spaniard husband there are only two things that rank higher than anything else on this planet, and it is food and formula one racing.
So when he saw me building our our itinerary for the Northern Italy trip his face lit up. "We're going to Monza, too!?" To me, Monza was a town outside Milan with a nice Hilton hotel (more on that later). But to him, it was the home of the Italian Grand Prix, the track dubbed the "Temple of Speed", and basically every man-boy's fantasy destination to visit.
I already changed all of our plans to make sure my husband could visit the Ferrari Museum in Modena, which meant we'd be renting a car instead of hopping around Italy by train, and then Monza came into view.
So, what's an itinerary-building mama supposed to do?
Creating a Northern Italy Road Trip For Foodies and F1 Lovers
In order to tackle a fancy itinerary for cheese lovers and foodies paired with the adrenaline loving, speed demon husband-stuff, I had to get creative with our itinerary to satisfy everyone.
Here, let me take you through my notes on how to create a Northern Italian road trip itinerary for lovers of both food and F1 racing, and what our plans were.
In this article we will discover:
DIY Parma Food Tours to Book if You Have a Car
As I mentioned, there's a trifecta of food experiences you must have in Emilia-Romagna, and those are:
Taste balsamic vinegar in Modena
Try prosciutto ("Parma Ham") from the source in a salumificio near Parma
Witness how they make and store parmesan cheese near Parma
Although there are honestly dozens and dozens of choices for Parma food tours, they all generally offer the same types of tours and prices. It's just a matter of contacting the properties by email, booking online through their booking request forms, and studying up on the vibes that work for you.
My best approach to this was by using Google maps. Literally I zoomed in on the map and looked at photos and websites of probably 100 properties. I contacted at least half a dozen of each, until the prices, dates, times and vibes all worked for me. Here's what to look for:
For balsamic vinegar tours in Modena look for:
Websites with cheap or free tours
Tours that allow you to visit the vineyard
Tours that include a tasting
Scheduled or drop in tours (whatever works best for you)
Ultimately we decided on the private customized tour at Acetaia Marchi. For 20 euros we got all of the above.
Remember here that the coveted 'nero oro', or black gold balsamico is the best of the best in all the world. It is a thick, rich glaze perfect for pairing with parmigiano-reggiano or other aged cheeses.
A regular bottle of this can cost over $100 but makes for a wonderful souvenir that will literally last you years. My parents still have theirs from a decade ago.
On this tour you'll learn about the incredibly fascinating process for making balsamic vinegar, including the intricacies that go into the IGP and DOP certifications. You'll learn about the aging, labeling, and of course sample lots of great options, including some more modern and offbeat options like these balsamic pearls.
A visit will undoubtedly include seeing the different levels of vinegar storage, including a barrel room and an attic space for aging.
Enjoy savoring the amazing flavors of balsamic and be sure to bring some home.
For prosciutto tours near Parma look for:
Factory visits
Included tastings
Bonus for tastings that include a glass of wine!
Online booking forms
We chose Salumificio Conti and paid 25 euros per person. I liked their website and location and they had everything I was looking for.
On these tours you will see the aging process of the ham, how they are cured and hung, and will see their interesting measurement tool made from bone that checks for doneness. Of course at the end, sample the products and take some for snacking in the car.
For the parmigiano-reggiano tours look for:
Early morning tours to see them making the cheese
Tours that have you wear caps over your head and shoes, and a protective coat (I find this not only fun for photos, but also very sanitary!)
Tours that offer a visit to the stables to see the cows
Tours involving the maturing rooms (where the giant wheels of cheese are housed)
Tours including tastings
We eventually booked with Latteria LaGrande for all of the above, their availability on our timetable, and online presence. This tour, unfortunately, does not include a visit with the cows.
The cheese factory tour, I think, is by far the coolest of the three, for its uniqueness in seeing the cheese preparation. From vats of milk see the cheesecloth process, the curdling process, and eventually the maturing (and then the sampling!) processes.
Seeing the cows would have been a bonus, but we had Formula 1 activities to get to in Monza! (More on that below).
Food Tours to Book through Viator
If you don't have a car, don't fret. There are so many tours available from Parma or Bologna. Many offer lunch as an included part of your day, or visits to a castle. They'll pile 1, 2, or all three of these options into one epic day, depending on your desires, and can be private or group style bus tours. Here's some of the ones I picked out and booked for myself before we decided to rent a car instead.
Also, psst...if you are on the fence about renting or going about it by tours...check out my Do's and Don'ts: First Hand Tips for Renting a Car Abroad.
Full Day Tour: includes lunch at a winery, Parma Ham tour and cheese tour
This tour does not include Modena vinegar
This tour is private!
Cost from $199: https://viator.tp.st/vtHW5w6z
Half Day Tour: includes lunch at an adorable trattoria, Parma Ham tour and cheese tour
This tour does not include Modena vinegar
This tour is with other people!
Cost from $149: https://viator.tp.st/BeLeNTU1
Now, for the car lovers...
Formula 1 Attractions in Italy
Monza
My husband, as we have established, loves F1 racing. He spends hours on the weekends on his phone watching the races, hollering and shouting. My four year old daughter is even getting into it with him, so aside from seeing the "Leaning Tower of Pizza" for her in Pisa, we'd be veering off course for my husband on our adventure, too. Destination: Monza.
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.
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. 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!
Modena
Modena, although known to most foodies as the place for balsamic vinegar, it is 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 two museums dedicated to the brand.
Here's a little information to get you going:
First start here: https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/museums
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. My husband tried this on our last MSC Cruise, and he was smiling ear to ear.
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, not necessarily the Formula 1 racing brand, so if you have time for one (and not both museums), keep this in mind.
Of note, the Enzo Ferrari Museum is also good for visiting nearby acetaia locations (vinegar tours and tasting). The town of Modena is walkable too.
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.
Which Ferrari Museum is Better to Visit?
We chose to purchase a combination ticket to access both museums. About 11 euros more than purchasing a one museum ticket, we have the added choice of 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.
If you like F1 - go to Maranello
If you like supercars and History - go to Enzo Ferrari
There is also a track and factory bus tour.
Details can be found here: https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/museums/factory-tour
Note that you cannot actually go inside the factory. The tour is conducted by bus only.
F1 Tours, Tickets and Booking
Follow the links above for DIY booking, or below discover some easy pre-packaged tours through Viator:
Do all of the Ferrari options (all three including the factory bus tour) + lunch on this tour: https://viator.tp.st/CP21WRAr
Or, wet your pants with this similar tour that also includes a Ferrari 458 Spider Test Drive.
Browse other options on Viator's site for skip-the-line tickets and more here.
Where to Stay in Emilia-Romagna
For Monza stays:
Part of the SLH Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, this Hilton Property called Hotel de la Ville is not only high end, but just minutes from the autodromo track.
Enjoy negronis and tapas at the Derby Bar or enjoy their upper crust cuisine in the Derby Grill.
Although I'd love for you to book it through my affiliate link above, I will also share that the rooms are surprisingly affordable on points, too, if you are a Hilton Honors member. Keep that in mind!
For Emilia-Romagna stays:
For me, I like a little luxury, a little roughing it, and a lot of charm. For this, agriturismos are perfect stays for my family. A typical agriturismo is located in the countryside, perhaps with a farm, a restaurant, and places to relax like lounges or a pool.
In my case, we found all of the above at the lovely Agriturismo Ca' del Ciuco south of the main highways, between the hills of Modena and Parma.
Take a swim, have an aperol spritz, or enjoy arranged dinners, starting typically around 8pm.
About 20 minutes from here, find hidden gem Podere Broletto Azienda Agricola, where they host fabulous picnics in their vineyard and farm to table dining.
Last Thoughts
Regardless of the type of traveler you may be, we always have to think of our loved ones and fellow travel companions. A little bit of this, a little bit of that goes a long way in curating a fantastic trip to please everyone!
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