Anyone for a FERRARI Factory Tour?

Hey Group. I seem to be (by default) the ringleader of the Richmond, VA Ferrari owners group (we have about 10 here in Richmond, another 10 in VA Beach, Williamsburg, Charlottesville). One of our group, has an F430 coming down the assembly line. We (7 of us) are going over to Maranello. Slots/reservations are made. All the work is done. Itinerary is below. I have one more "guest" slot. If you are interested, let me know. John Dowliing ([email protected]).


Wednesday, Feb 21: Leave Richmond airport late afternoon.
Thursday, Feb 22: Arrive Milan 10 AM. Drive to Bologna, day in Bologna.
Friday, Feb 23: Ferrari factory tour 10 AM, Ferrari Museum.
Saturday, Feb 24: Sightseeing, touring.
Sunday, Feb 25: Depart Milan at 12 Noon, arrive Richmond 6 PM.

 

We are a pretty tight group down here. Ferrari factory tour/Italy in Feb. Grand Prix kick-off at a sports bar at 9:30 PM Saturday (Australia, Sunday) in March, Marriott Tour in April, BBQ in May, Canadian GP in June.

 

No, no specific English/Italian. If they have more English people that week, the English tour guides just work harder that week. As needed...

Went throught Ferrari NA. Had to fill out request form with car VIN. Each owner/VIN could bring 2 other (non-Ferrari guests).

No on under 16.

Airfare $707 RT Richmond-JFK-Milan. Hotel $175 a night (but it is very nice, king, suite). Staying in Bologna, lots more to do.

Dinner reservations made at Il Cavallino and Ristorante Montana. Also plan the Ferrari museum Modena, world's largest Ferrari dealer in Modena, trip to San Marino (1 hour away) and Maranello Rosso museum in San Marino.

 

We're flying into Milan and doing the 120 mile drive down to Modena. RIC-JFK-MXP is only a 2 legger. Less that could go wrong. Going into Bologna was a 3 legger with a change in Paris, Frankfurt, or Zurich... and also adds about 4 hours to the flying time.

Have 7 of us going. Renting 2 cars.

 

No, never did a post. Here you go....

We went last Feb 21. Did a bonsai trip, 5 days (1 travel on each end... 3 days in the middle). That is all the 6 of us could find as a common denominator.

Landed in Milan (MXP). Flying to Bologna would have added 4 hours and about $100 a piece, so we figured we'd land in Milan and rental/drive down. It was a wash, because the drive took maybe a good 2 1/2 hours. It was fun to see the sites on the ground, but the drive was a bit longer than a 3 day trip should warrant, probably. We stayed in Bologna... we figured more to do. It was a good call, more restaurants, more sites, but not spectacular.

Day 1: Drove about 75 miles from Bologna out to San Marino to a museum called Maranello Rosso. Maybe 35 cars... all original, all regularly driven in historic races. Lots of 250, 275, 330, 365 types. The Mille Miglia was run in San Marino, so a lot of the cars are used in the recreation of some of the routes. It was a private collection open to the public. Worth doing, but again, added to the driving. Back to Bologna for an awesome group dinner at a local family type place.

Day 2: Ferrari factory tour. The factory is hard to find... so allow extra time. Despite how well known you think Ferrari is... some people 10 miles away had no clue (or they didn't feel like giving directions). I don't think they have ever left their village. Roads are not clearly labeled, exits not numbered, little distance info. So, I would allow a lot of extra time. Factory tour kicked off at 10:00. About 16 people, broken into 2 groups of 8, each with guide. They give you a pre-recorded iPod like device for around your neck, at various stages listen to #1, listen to #2, etc. Take you around in a "Ferrari" bus. Immaculate, painted in all the F1 team colors and logos. Of the 20-something buildings you get to in maybe 6 or 7. No liability worries, no OSHA crap. You go right on the floor, elbow to elbow with the workers and wander around. I walked right up to a guy building up a 599 head by hand. The guy was polite, moved over so I could see what he was doing. Very nice, very open. They took us to the machine shop (cranks, heads and blocks), paint building, engine assembly building, leather/interior shop, final assembly building. I know it does not sound like a lot, but each building has a lot to see, and the tour lasted a full 3 hours. Nothing is roped off, nothing behind barriers, no viewing through glass. Walk right up to all the stuff. The cool part is that throughout the tour they have maybe 10 cars on display (F1 cars, F40, old 212, 250, 288GTO, the Ferari Indy car (yes there was one!).

The tour ends around 1:00. I recommend you walk across the street and have lunch at Il Cavallino, the restaurant that is the favorite of the drivers and execs. At 1:00 it is not crowded. Don't worry about a reservation. Just walk up, you will get a table. Pictures, autographs, everywhere.

Then, there is the official Ferrari store with engine parts, shirts, jackets, books, golf balls, pens, paperweights, etc. etc. etc. everything Ferrari. The store is about an hours worth.

Then, a MUST SEE is the Ferrari museum, also across the street. This is a good 2 hours. Factory supported. 20 F1 cars (6 Schumi, Berger, Lauda, Villenueve, Alboreto, and vintage). 15 road cars (250, 275, 512bb, Enzo, F50, etc.). It is factory supported and some serious displays. Excellent.

Between the factory tour, Il Cavallino, the Ferrari store and Ferrari museum, plan on a full day. You'll easily fill the day till 6. There are also some independent F1 stores with tons of books, DVDs, models, flags, stickers, etc. etc.

Day 3: Sick of Ferraris and got drunk in the town square in Bologna!

Definitely plan the full day in Maranello. If you have not had enough Ferrari, down the street is Ristorante Montana... another favorite of the drivers/execs and the team. Also, if you show up when they open at 7:30, you can get a walk up table. Most of the restaurants get busy around 9:00 or 10:00 PM.

Hope this helps.

- John

 

It really is a holy pigrimage. To be there in Maranello, the factory, Ferraris are coming and going through the gate constantly (25 cars per day roll off the line. Each gets road driven. They have 10 test drivers).

Wetpet - I am not sure what to say, exactly. Leaving MXP from the rental car area you probably change roads/exits 15 times in a 20 mile strectch before you get on the Autostrada. Not easy, but doable. Just really have to constantly watch. Then, once on the Autostrada you go about 100 MPH the whole way. Maranello is another 20 miles inland from the Autostrada, and again, not intuitive, not high speed roads. You might be looking 3 hours total from the airport until you check into your hotel.

I printed Mapquest in advance, believe it or not, and it was accurate. There was another internet accessable Mapquest type service that was European based which I also cross referenced... forget the name, but I will get it for you. It made it easy that there was a car full of us to read directions.

Let me get home and check my notes... more to follow...

-John

 

Wetpet: you want to use the European Mapquest call "Mappy". Gay I know. It is at:

http://www.mappy.com/

You can plug in the Malpensa with Maranello central as the destination. Malpensa postal code is 21010. Maranello is 41053.

You change freeways a lot in the beginning, but always stick with A8, the Autostrada. Above all else, keep exiting for "A8".

The directions you get in your Ferrari packet are not good at all (Note: I would like to apologize in advance to anyone employed by Ferrari who might be reading this if I do not have my FACTS correct).

Do you have a rental car. If not, let me know and I can recommend one for you.

Here is the link when I plug in the coordinates for you. It is hellaciously long, not sure if it will work:

http://www10.mappy.com/sidUzYwf7L+Hr3Mn21w/CFGT?anchor=0&option=0&csl=i3%2Cv1%2Cv2%2Cv3%2Cv4%2Cv5%2Ci4&fsl=i3%2Cv1%2Cv2%2Cv3%2Cv4%2Cv5%2Ci4&gsl=i3%2Cv1%2Cv2%2Cv3%2Cv4%2Cv5%2Ci4&isl=i0&ivsl1=v1&ivsl2=v2&ivsl3=v3&ivsl4=v4&ivsl5=v5&iveh=car&isveh=sedcar&xsl=2&out=2&issl=i3&iesl=i4&show_poi=0&sveh=car&wci3=&noi3=&tci3=&a10i3=&xi3=&yi3=&wni3=&tni3=malpensa+airport&pci3=21010&sci3=&cci3=380&coi3=EU&wcv1=&nov1=&tcv1=&a10v1=&xv1=&yv1=&wnv1=&tnv1=&pcv1=&scv1=&ccv1=826&cov1=EU&wcv2=&nov2=&tcv2=&a10v2=&xv2=&yv2=&wnv2=&tnv2=&pcv2=&scv2=&ccv2=826&cov2=EU&wcv3=&nov3=&tcv3=&a10v3=&xv3=&yv3=&wnv3=&tnv3=&pcv3=&scv3=&ccv3=826&cov3=EU&wcv4=&nov4=&tcv4=&a10v4=&xv4=&yv4=&wnv4=&tnv4=&pcv4=&scv4=&ccv4=826&cov4=EU&wcv5=&nov5=&tcv5=&a10v5=&xv5=&yv5=&wnv5=&tnv5=&pcv5=&scv5=&ccv5=826&cov5=EU&order=0&wci4=&noi4=&tci4=&a10i4=&xi4=&yi4=&wni4=&tni4=Maranello&pci4=41053&sci4=&cci4=380&coi4=EU&itimode=0&imode=0&iveh=car&isveh.car=sedcar&icvn=0&isveh.van=van&itra.van=3ax&isveh.tru=lt3.5&itra.tru=3ax&ipass=1&idist=km&ifkind=petrol&ifcost=1.25&idev=euro&ireimb=0&x=27&y=7