A Week in Bologna: Exploring Italy’s Motor Valley — With a Stop at Imola
It’s been almost a year since I planned my trip to Bologna around the Imola Formula 1 Grand Prix—a race that, for now, isn’t on the F1 calendar anymore.
But looking back, what stayed with me wasn’t just the race weekend… it was everything around it.
Because even without F1, Bologna and Italy’s Motor Valley are absolutely worth the trip on their own.
The race ended up being just one part of a much bigger experience—one that included quiet factory tours, winding drives between legendary car brands, espresso stops in Modena, and discovering how deep the region’s automotive culture really goes.
So while Imola might be off the calendar for now, I’d go back in a heartbeat—and I’d plan it almost exactly the same way.
Here’s how that week looked, and what I’d recommend if you’re thinking of doing something similar—with or without a race weekend.
Planning Around the F1 Race
I started planning this week very late, only a few months before Formula 1 race, so, options for lodging and the F1 ticket were limited. A great resource to research attending an F1 Race Grand Prix Destinations. For my particular case, I got a lot of useful information from their Facebook group Going to the Imola Grand Prix (gpdestinations.com). I actually wanted to buy tickets through them.. But I quickly ran into a dealbreaker, you couldn’t choose your exact seat, only the grandstand. For the price, that didn’t sit right with me.
So I ended up buying through Ticket One, where I could pick my exact seat. After way too much time debating options, I chose the top row, section A of Gresini Variante Alta 4. And honestly? Great choice—mostly.
The view was fantastic (see photo), except for one perfectly placed light pole right in the middle of my sightline… which made photography very interesting, lol.
Motor Valley: The Real Highlight
As a car enthusiast, this part of the trip was non-negotiable. Emilia-Romagna (Motor Valley) is basically sacred ground, home to some of the most iconic brands in the world.
My “must visit” list looked like this:
Lamborghini
Pagani
Ferrari (Modena & Maranello)
Ducati
I booked everything online, directly through each museum’s website, and for all except Ferrari, I also did the factory tours. Why I did not do the Ferrari factory tour? Becase my understanding was that it was mainly in a bus, so it did not looked to appealing.
If you’re even remotely into cars, do the factory tours. That’s where the magic happens.
Most of these places are about a 40–50 minute drive from Bologna, except Ducati, which is only about 20 minutes away.
Where I Stayed (and Why It Mattered)
Usually, I like to book directly from the hotel, but this time I did it through Booking.com, and had no issues. I split my stay between two places:
Hotel Marconi Express (for race weekend)
The key factor? Both are just a couple of blocks from Bologna Centrale train station.. That made everything easier—trains, car pickup, early mornings… all of it.
Quick note on parking: Astoria Comfort Rooms doesn’t technically have on-site parking, even though it might seem that way. They partner with a nearby garage (€15/night), first-come, first-served. I never had an issue finding a spot.
Getting Around
For trains, I used a mix of:
Italo (Rome ↔ Bologna) – super comfortable, easy booking with a non-Italian credit card
Trenitalia (3-day package) – bought it for the race weekend, through the website since the app didn’t work for me
Trainline app – perfect for last-minute tickets (game changer). The flexibility of being able to book a train minutes before departure was something I didn’t fully appreciate until I needed it.
Since I wanted the flexibility of defining my own schedule, I booked a rental car through booking.com for Noleggiare, no issues with booking. But when picking up the car at the counter, I was told that I could have gotten a cheaper price booking directly.at the counter.
What I Packed (Photo Gear)
I brought my Fuji X-T20 (X-T50 being the latest) with the kit lens 18-55mm f2.8-4.0, a 55–140mm f2.8 lens and a 2x extender. I had read that some events restrict lenses to 200mm, so I played it safe and also left my monopod behind. Turns out… that was unnecessary.
At the F1 race, there were people with massive 500mm and 600mm lenses—and monopods everywhere.
Lesson learned…
The Trip
Tuesday - Arrival and Lamborghini
I started the trip with an Italo train from Rome to Bologna—smooth, comfortable, highly recommended.
After arriving, I picked up a rental car from Noleggiare near the station. Got a nearly brand-new Fiat Panda, which turned out to be perfect for narrow roads and small parking spaces.
That afternoon, I visited the Lamborghini museum + factory tour.
The cars were incredible, but the factory tour was the highlight. It lasts about an hour, and while photos aren’t allowed, it’s worth it just to see how everything comes together.
Wednesday - Pagani and Ferrari
It was an early morning, getting breakfast and heading to the Museo Horacio Pagani. There is no official parking, but I arrived early and parked right on the street outside the museum..
And wow… these cars are something else. Not just machines—art. Easily my favorite stop of the trip.
The Pagani factory tour doesn’t feel like a typical car factory at all, it is more like walking through a workshop where everything is built with insane attention to detail. You’re not watching cars roll off an assembly line, you’re seeing them come together piece by piece. Even if you’re not deep into hypercars, it’s hard not to be impressed by the level of craftsmanship and how much pride goes into every single car.
The iconic quad exhaust of the Zonda R
I just stopped and stared, seeing it up close was something else. The craftsmanship is on another level—you can tell nothing here is accidental. It’s the kind of detail that makes you realize these cars are as much art as they are engineering
After Pagani, I drove to Modena, to visit the Enzo Ferrari Museum. I didn’t expect much going in, but it ended up being one of the surprises of the trip. This place is a tribute to Ferrari’s history and to Enzo himself. Walking through the museum, you move between beautifully displayed road cars, like the F40LM, F50, 250 GTO, etc. But also race cars, like the Ferrari FXX K, Le Mans prototype and a couple of Formula 1 machines (Villeneuve and Mansell). The building itself is impressive too, with its bright yellow roof and open layout making every car feel like part of an art exhibit rather than just a museum display.
Enzo Ferrari Movie
Every so often, maybe each hour or so they project a short movie celebrating Enzo Ferrari’s life. Since founding Scuderia Ferrari and passing through the Lauda era, Villeneuve, Prost, etc. It is worth watching.
Homage to the Engines
There’s a room dedicated to the engines, road cars and several F1 V12 and V10. My favourite, the legendary F2003 GA.
Later that day, I headed to Maranello for the Ferrari Museum. The parking lot was full, so I parked across the street and paid a few euros. I have visited this museum before, many years ago, and preferred the old layout. On this new one, sure there were some nice cars, but the lighting was weird. Still, one of the highlights was the “Hall of Victories” where some of the F1 championship-winning cars are displayed.
Also, there are some photos of drivers and their helmers, including my all-time favourite driver, Michael Schumacher.
Overall, it is still worth the visit, but I liked the Enzo Ferrari museum in Modena a lot more.
Thursday - Ducati and Imola
I left Ducati for Thursday since it’s closest to Bologna and I had to return the car that day.
Parking is a couple of blocks away, and like the other tours, it runs about an hour. Afterward, you can stay in the museum as long as you want (though parking is limited to about two hours).
When I got back to mine, the car next to me had a smashed window. So one important reminder:
👉 Don’t leave valuables in your car.
The Ducati Museum surprised me. It’s much smaller than the Ferrari museum, but it feels more authentic. Instead of polished supercars under dramatic lights, you’re surrounded by road and race bikes, engines, and years of Ducati racing history.
After returning the car, I took the train (the Trainline app is great for regional trails, it makes very easy to book your tickets). I wanted to get familiar with the track. Thursday is perfect for this—quiet, relaxed, and you can actually enjoy the walk from the station to the circuit
Ayrton Senna Memorial
Senna’s memorial at the Acqua Minerale park, a very quiet area inside the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola
2024 marked the 30th anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s passing.
After the memorial I wandered around the track. I’ve been to other F1 races (e.g. Montreal), where you are locked-in to your grandstand area and you cannot go anywhere else. Here was the total opposite, you can walk everywhere. I have to say that I regret missing visiting Ratzemberger’s.
I ended up at the “Fan Zone” where some of the cars that would later run in the historic race. As well as other cars on display. It was pretty cool to see these old cars.
Friday & Saturday - Finding My Spots
Both days followed a similar routine:
Train from Bologna (~50 minutes door-to-door)
Let at least one packed train go before squeezing into the next one
Spend the day walking the track
Security was pretty relaxed. Small water bottles and food in backpacks were fine. I saw people with folding chairs and big lenses, even though I had read mixed reviews beforehand.
I spent most of my time exploring different corners, watching the supporting races like the Porsche Supercup, F3 and F2, and trying to find good photo spots.
Sunday - Race Day
Sunday was… chaos.
I got to the station at 7am and still had to let two trains go before getting on one. By the time I reached Imola, everything was packed—cafés, walkways, grandstands.
General Admission areas were completely full, so I made my way to my seat earlier than planned.
Gresini Alata 4
The grandstand itself was decent—plastic seats with backrests—but very tight spacing.
Drawbacks for the seat I got: There were about 20 seats between stairways, and people ended up sitting in the stairs, blocking movement. Once you were in, you kind of stayed put, and there’s a light pole just in the middle of the chicane blocking all your pictures. Food and water were easy enough to find, though expensive (as expected). The images below are from my seat.
After the race, I decided to wait it out a bit before heading back… but even then, it took:
~2 hours just to get on a train
Another hour+ to get back to Bologna
Total: about 3.5 hours door-to-door
What I’d Do Differently
Would I go back? Absolutely.
But next time:
I’d book tickets much earlier for better grandstand options
I’d probably do grandstand ticket for Sunday only, GA (General Admission) for Friday/Saturday
I’d plan meals better—grab food in Bologna or Imola instead of relying on track options
On Sunday, I’d get to the station even earlier (6:30am)… and stay in Imola longer after the race
Honestly, staying for dinner and taking a later train would probably make the whole experience way more enjoyable.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, the F1 race might have been the reason I planned the trip—but it wasn’t the reason it was memorable. The real highlight was everything around it: the museums, the factory tours, the drives between towns, and just being in a region where car culture runs so deep.
So even if Imola isn’t on the calendar for a while, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this trip.
Because Bologna—and the Motor Valley—don’t need a race weekend to be worth it.
For high quality prints, canvas of some of the and other items visit my cars, trains and planes collection. If you’re interested in an image that is not listed in the store, please contact me for availability.
Thank you for reading.