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The stretch of Emilia-Romagna between Bologna and Modena is known as the Motor Valley, and for good reason. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati, Maserati and Pagani are all based here, along with the Imola circuit. Most of their museums are open every day, and with a little planning you can see the best of them in two days.
This guide covers what each museum offers, how to get between them without a car and how to fit them into a stay in Modena or Bologna.
Plan Your Trip
- Museo Ferrari Maranello ticket with shuttle from Modena station
- Museo Enzo Ferrari tickets in Modena
- Lamborghini Automobile Museum tickets in Sant’Agata Bolognese
- Ducati Museum tickets in Bologna
- Private transfer from Bologna Airport, fixed price
Why Motor Valley Is Here
The concentration of famous names in one small area is no accident. Maserati was founded in Bologna in 1914, starting as a car repair workshop before its trident badge became a symbol of Italian grand touring. Enzo Ferrari, born in Modena, built his racing team and then his road car company around Maranello, about 18 kilometres south of the city. Ferruccio Lamborghini, a successful tractor manufacturer from the area, founded his car company in 1963 and set up the factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Ducati grew up in Borgo Panigale on the edge of Bologna, and its museum now tells the story of the company’s motorcycles and racing department. More recently, Horacio Pagani, who once ran Lamborghini’s composites department, built his hypercar company near Modena.
What connects them is a deep local tradition of engineering, workshops and suppliers, and a culture that treats speed as something close to art. For visitors, it means world-class museums within an hour of each other, surrounded by some of Italy’s best food.
The Motor Valley Museums at a Glance
| Museum | Where | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| Museo Ferrari | Maranello | Road cars, racing cars and Formula 1 cars, simulators and changing exhibitions, next to the Ferrari headquarters |
| Museo Enzo Ferrari | Modena | A futuristic gallery built around the house where Enzo Ferrari was born |
| Automobili Lamborghini Museum | Sant’Agata Bolognese | Models from the Miura to the Huracán, at the factory; factory tours on a separate ticket |
| Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini | Funo | The founder’s story, with cars, tractors and helicopters |
| Ducati Museum | Borgo Panigale, Bologna | Ducati’s history and racing department; factory tours of the production lines |
| Maserati | Modena | Showroom visits and factory tours |
| Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari | Imola | Formula 1 circuit with the Museo Checco Costa |
Museo Enzo Ferrari, Modena
Opened in 2012, the Modena museum is as much about architecture as cars. The design by Jan Kaplický of Future Systems wraps a glass-fronted gallery around the house and workshop that Enzo Ferrari’s father built in the late 19th century. The curved yellow aluminium roof, cut with slits that echo the air vents on a car bonnet, is visible from the station. Inside, the main hall shows up to 21 cars on raised platforms, while the restored workshop tells the story of Enzo Ferrari’s life with projections and personal objects. Book Museo Enzo Ferrari tickets here.
Museo Ferrari, Maranello
The Maranello museum focuses on the cars themselves: road cars, sports prototypes and Formula 1 machines, with temporary exhibitions that change regularly. Its Formula 1 simulators are popular, so book a slot early if you want to try one. A panoramic shuttle bus tour around the Fiorano test circuit and through the factory along Viale Enzo Ferrari is offered as a separate experience; check availability when you book. Several ticket bundles also add a short drive in a Ferrari with an independent operator in Maranello, such as the Museo Ferrari ticket with Ferrari test drive.
Day One: The Two Ferrari Museums
Ferrari has two museums, and you can visit both in a day from Modena. The Museo Enzo Ferrari is a short walk from Modena railway station; the Museo Ferrari is in Maranello, next to the company headquarters. A shuttle bus links Modena station, the Modena museum and the Maranello museum several times a day, and the Maranello ticket with shuttle bundles both. Departures are limited, so check the current timetable on your ticket before you plan the day. The Maranello museum is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00.
Start in Modena in the morning for the story of Enzo Ferrari himself, take the shuttle to Maranello for the cars, and return in time for dinner. Our guide to the Museo Enzo Ferrari and Maranello goes into more detail on both collections, and a glass of Lambrusco with dinner in Modena is the local way to end the day.
Day Two: Lamborghini and Ducati
The Lamborghini museum sits at the factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese, between Bologna and Modena. It is open daily from 09:30 to 18:00, with last admission an hour before closing. The standard entry ticket covers the museum only; factory tours are sold as a separate, more expensive ticket and are worth booking well ahead. If you want to see Ferrari and Lamborghini on one booking, the Ferrari, shuttle and Lamborghini combination ticket includes all three, but note that the shuttle serves only the Ferrari museums; you need your own transport to Sant’Agata.
Ducati’s museum is in Borgo Panigale on the western edge of Bologna and is the easiest stop to reach without a car. Book Ducati Museum tickets here; factory visits are booked through Ducati directly. If you have time on the way, the Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini in Funo tells the story of the founder, who built tractors before he built supercars.
Factory Tours
For many visitors, seeing the cars being built is the real highlight. Factory tours are run separately from the museums and need to be booked well in advance:
- Lamborghini, Sant’Agata Bolognese: a factory tour that follows the production process, sold as a separate ticket from the museum entry.
- Ducati, Borgo Panigale: guided tours of the plant covering manufacturing, assembly and testing, including the race department. Book through Ducati directly.
- Maserati, Modena: tours of the Modena plant with the car collection, company history and assembly line.
- Pagani, near Modena: guided visits to the atelier, showrooms and production line, by reservation.
Places on factory tours are limited. If one is the main reason for your trip, book it first and plan the rest of the itinerary around it.
Getting Around
- Without a car: Modena and Bologna are on the main rail line. The Ferrari shuttle covers both Ferrari museums; Ducati is reachable by local transport from Bologna.
- With a car or driver: needed for Lamborghini in Sant’Agata and for the Lamborghini family museum in Funo. A private driver also lets you combine Lamborghini and Ducati in one morning.
- Arriving by air: Bologna is the nearest airport. A pre-booked private transfer from Bologna Airport takes you to Modena or central Bologna at a fixed price.
Where to Stay
Modena is the most convenient base for the Ferrari museums and the best place to eat; Bologna is better connected and closer to Lamborghini and Ducati. With two nights, stay one in each, or base yourself in Modena and drive to Bologna. If you are hiring a car, compare rental prices on Localrent and choose a hotel with parking, as both historic centres have limited traffic zones. Travelling between cities on check-out day? Radical Storage lets you leave bags in town while you visit a museum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you visit both Ferrari museums in one day?
Yes. The shuttle between Modena station, the Museo Enzo Ferrari and the Maranello museum makes it straightforward, and the Maranello ticket with shuttle bundles both. Start in Modena in the morning and spend the afternoon in Maranello.
Can you visit the Ferrari factory?
The production lines are not open for general visits, but the panoramic shuttle tour from the Maranello museum passes the factory and the Fiorano test track.
Do you need a car?
Not for Ferrari or Ducati. For Lamborghini in Sant’Agata Bolognese and the Lamborghini family museum in Funo, a car or private driver is much easier.
How many days do you need?
Two days covers the main museums comfortably: one for Ferrari, one for Lamborghini and Ducati. Add a third day for a factory tour, the Imola circuit or a food tour.
Is Motor Valley worth it if you are not a car enthusiast?
The Museo Enzo Ferrari in particular is worth seeing for its architecture alone, and Modena is one of the best food cities in Italy. Combine one museum with the city, its cathedral and a long lunch, and the day works for everyone.
Beyond the Cars
Motor Valley sits in one of Italy’s great food regions, and the two fit together easily. Modena has its Romanesque cathedral and the Ghirlandina tower and the Pavarotti museum just outside town, while our guide to Emilia-Romagna from Bologna to Ravenna covers the wider region. Before you go, set up an eSIM for Italy for tickets and shuttle times on your phone.
Related guides: read our articles on Verona, Valpolicella and Lake Garda and the best day trips from Florence.
Exploring Emilia-Romagna? See our guide to Ravenna’s Byzantine mosaics.
For fashion, design and contemporary art, see our guide to Milan for design and fashion lovers.
For the region’s food, see our guide to Bologna and the Food Valley.
