It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to drop a paragraph or two on this growing section of our website. Veronika has done a great job at keeping things moving so far. That said, though – I’M BACK! And what better way to return to writing than by combining my absolute passion for cars with one of our most magnificent stops during our euro trip – Modena, Italy!
Yep, that very same Modena where three of the world’s great luxury car brands are from. Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati.
During our 13-day road trip to Italy and France, we were on the move a lot. As a result, we changed our whereabouts every night except for two locations: Milan, because we thought this self-pronounced fashion mecca would have had a lot to offer, and then, there was Modena.
No need to explain why for car lovers, is there? Modena was much more of a stop for me than it was for Veronika, but that didn’t stop her from enjoying the city as there was plenty to take in during our limited time there.
Arriving at the city of Modena
We arrived in Modena on 30th of August, just after midday, some two hours earlier than we needed to, but that was a positive since the lovely landlady who handed the keys to us took nearly all of the two hours to explain the “What’s”, “Where’s” and “How’s” about the apartment. Needless to say, the length of that time was down to the fact we didn’t speak any Italian, and she didn’t understand any of the four languages we knew.
The remaining four hours of daylight were spent looking for an ATM (yes, we needed to pay in cash for this place, and yes, we also thought of it as a bit odd, but we did get a receipt for our stay, so all was fine). And walking around the centre of Modena which, I have to say, was one of the most pleasant and peaceful walks we had until then. It’s a pleasant and welcoming Italian city.
According to history books (and Wikipedia), Modena was inhabited by Villanovans during the Iron Age and many more tribes as the times moved on, consequently making it nearly impossible to pinpoint an exact date of the foundation of the city, for all we know – it is old, really old!
It shows in the landmarks and on the streets — not in an “old shed, ready to crush under its own weight” type of a way but bearing a resemblance to the “Lamborghini Muira which is being detailed every few years” way. Speaking of cars – name any Italian supercar manufacturer and, be assured they’re based in this city or at least, have some relation to it. That’s an achievement!
The reason for our visit: Ferrari and Lamborghini car museums
The next day was spent glaring at freshly waxed, luxury cars and breathing in the scent of fresh rubber tyres. Above all, we learnt a lot about two brilliant car makers with an inspiring heritage: Ferrari and Lamborghini.
Being much more of a Lamborghini person than a Ferrari one, I was surprised to have preferred the Ferrari museum. But it was the better one, no questions about it. Why? The layout and the power of storytelling.
Ferrari Museum (Museo Enzo Ferrari Modena)
The first thing you notice about the Ferrari museum is the unique way it has been built and styled. The building is full of light and has an abundance of sweet little details which point towards its racing pedigree and the brand’s creator… in addition to the beautiful cars in it, of course.
I don’t want to give away too much about the place as it genuinely was very inspiring to be there and certainly, there were a few key things I’ll take away for my garage, once I get around building it.
An intriguing find was that the Ferrari museum is split into two parts. The one described above is the stunning space which was built in 2012, while the building next to it, a much older structure, is Enzo Ferrari’s home and workshop. The latter is devoted to Enzo’s story and is a treat for real car enthusiasts as they can look upon the “engine revolution” and learn more about the man behind the brand.
Lamborghini factory and car museum
Where Ferrari seems to look back at its heritage while proudly showcasing it, Lamborghini takes a contrary approach, focusing much more towards what awaits in the future. Yes, there were cars from the past, like the Muira and LM002, in pristine condition on display, of course.
However, much of the exhibition was about their new models and concept cars, such as the Asterion or what is now known as Urus. You could feel the creativity in the air and how Lamborghini was full of ideas on what the future might look like for their brand.
I can’t blame them for being so forward thinking, they take around a decade to introduce a new model (until now, that is) and their cars most certainly have a futuristic flair to them.
Which car museum was the best?
All in all, if I have to compare these two brands, I have a simple analogy for you. For me, seeing a Lamborghini driving down the street typically is an event, while seeing a Ferrari — much less so. Similarly, being in the Lamborghini museum was nice, but being in a Ferrari one was an actual event.
It’s possible that the Lamborghini museum experience would have been better if we chose to do the factory tour as well. However, we decided to be sensible and wait. Apparently, all car owners get a complimentary entry to the factory after purchasing a Lamborghini. We didn’t have much time to see the Maserati museum but we could have given it a try if we had an extra day or two in Modena.
The conclusion then is quite simple: If you only got a few hours to spare and can’t decide which one to go for, the Ferrari museum is a safe choice, even if you prefer Lambo as a car.
Seeing the Lamborghini Aventador on the wall was pretty special though, so if you have time, it’s definitely worth it.
There’s more to Modena than cars
Okay, quickly about the city then! Much to my surprise, the city itself was like a desert when it came to supercars and expensive cars in general. One would think that since the three of world’s most celebrated car manufacturers are related to this place, there would be an abundance of them on the streets or they would be displayed sorts all over, but it simply wasn’t the case.
One could have a brilliant tour of the city without even realising the significance it has in the car world.
And in a way, that’s part of the beauty of this city. It would still make for a great stopping point during a trip, even if it didn’t have the heritage we all know it for.
Modena has a quite large and charming square in the city centre with a tall and light coloured cathedral in it. It also offered a decent selection of restaurants to replenish our energy and much to our surprise, one of them even served potatoes. Yummy! Yes, we did miss potatoes on our trip to Italy.
Wrapping it up
I realise that I might be quite biased in saying this, but to me, Modena was probably the closest to what I expected a typical Italian city to be like. Not very big, abundant with sand-coloured houses, narrow streets and full of energetic, cheerful vibes.
Just 36 hours later after our arrival, we were on our way south to Florence. And a few kilometres out of the city we had the pleasure of driving on the types of roads Italy is famous for — fast, attention demanding and smooth. It was pure driving pleasure…. oh, and for the passenger — full with Instagram-worthy views. When in Italy, make sure to avoid the toll roads, and nearly every road will surprise you with scenic views.