I’ve never had a thing with cars. Boyfriend, on the other hand… So when we decided to travel to Italy for our big 2016 vacation, visiting the Enzo Ferrari Museum Modena and the Ferrari Museum Maranello was a must.
Unfortunately, the Maranello Museum was closed for an event when we were there, but we did get to enjoy the Enzo Ferrari Museum!
The Enzo Ferrari Museum Modena: back to the source
The Museum Enzo Ferrari Modena is located where Enzo Ferrari’s birth house used to be and where his father’s workshop still stands. Instead of the house where Enzo Ferrari grew up, there’s now a futuristic looking mega hall dedicated to the history of Ferrari and different models Enzo designed.
The main hall
When we got there, a movie was just about to start so we hurried in to see that movie projected entirely on one side of the large museum hall. It was an ode to all the Ferrari cars that had ever appeared in movies, both Italian and international ones.
When the movie was done, the lights went back on and we could admire the smooth design of the halls. Really, the architecture of this museum alone is worth a visit.
I definitely was more fascinated by it than Boyfriend, who walked from car to car, reading all the information panels and making remarks I could only nod my head at, pretending I knew what he was talking about.
But even though I’m not into the technical side of cars, I couldn’t deny the beauty of the designs we saw. I especially liked that most of the cars exhibited were older moderns, which is because this Ferrari museum is dedicated to the life of Enzo Ferrari and thus models designed after his death don’t get a place here – except for the Ferrari Enzo, designed in honor of and named after the founder of the brand.
Besides Ferrari cars, the museum also exhibits a few other cars from the region, like Alfa Romeo and Maserati.
The Engine Museum
What used to be Enzo Ferrari’s father’s workshop has been completely restored and turned into an engine museum. Aside from engines, you can also see more car models here as well as a race boat.
I found this part a bit less interesting, but that’s probably because I’m not that interested in engines :-)
Modena, the Ferrari hometown
Being the birthplace of Enzo, Modena can be seen as the Ferrari hometown, especially as Enzo loved his city and the love was – and still is – mutual.
Take a look at the Ferrari flag, for example: the symbol of a horse against a yellow background. Or at the yellow roof of the Enzo Ferrari Museum. Yellow is the color of Modena.
He may be gone, but in Modena, Enzo Ferrari is still very much alive.
Practical information
Museum Enzo Ferrari Modena
Via Paolo Ferrari 85
Modena
There’s a free parking space at the back of the museum, in via Giuseppe Soli 101
Ferrari Museum Modena opening hours:
– 1 November to 31 March: daily (holidays included) from 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
– 1 April to 31 October: daily (holidays included) from 9.30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
– Closed: 25 December, 1 January.
Enzo Ferrari Museum tickets:
Tickets for the museum can be bought online or at the counter. You can buy a ticket just for the Museum Enzo Ferrari Modena, or a combi-ticket for the Museum Enzo Ferrari Modena and the Museum Ferrari Maranello, in which case a discount applies. Check the website for up-to-date ticket prices, opening hours and special discounts.
Take a day tour
Prefer a guided visit? There’s a guided tour that takes you to the Pagani, the Lamborghini and the Modena Enzo Ferrari Museum all in one day.
Click here for prices and more information.
Where to stay in Modena
Boutique: B&B Il Corte dei Sogni
We spent the night at B&B Il Corte dei Sogni in Modena before visiting the Ferrari Museum and the Lamborghini Museum the next day.
Compare prices / View on Booking.com / Read reviews on TripAdvisor
Budget: Ostello San Filippo Neri
The main perks of this hostel is the free bike hire and great location in the center of town (just round the corner from the Enzo Ferrari Museum!). The rooms are basic but comfortable. There are several different dorm size options, with free WiFi available. There’s also a bar and communal living space, shared kitchen and outdoor patio.
Compare prices / View on Booking.com / Read reviews on TripAdvisor
Chain: Best Western Plus Hotel Modena Resort
This Best Western hotel is about five miles out of the city center, but is a clean and contemporary place to stay with a few luxurious selling points. It has two swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), gym, hot tub and Turkish bath, as well as a bar. Parking and WiFi is free, as is the hotel’s own bike hire.
Compare prices / View on Booking.com / Read reviews on TripAdvisor
Luxury: Hotel Rua Frati 48 in San Francesco
Hotel Rua Frati 28 is a five-star hotel within walking distance of Modena’s best sites. Elegantly furnished rooms overlook a quiet town square and have air-conditioning, a TV, a desk, and plenty of space. The hotel also offers a luxury spa with hot tub and sauna, as well as a bar and restaurant.
Compare prices / View on Booking.com / Read reviews on TripAdvisor
Apartment: Stella21 Bed and Breakfast
An attic apartment but surprisingly spacious, with stunning timber ceiling beams and packed full of charm. This flat is in a perfect, central location. A huge well-stocked bookshelf and walls peppered with artwork really makes it feel like home. An authentic italian breakfast is served daily by the hospitable Francesca, who by all accounts is an exceptional host.
Compare prices / View on Booking.com / Read reviews on TripAdvisor
Don’t forget travel insurance
Plan for the best, prepare for the worst. Travel insurance has you covered in case (part of) your trip gets canceled, you get sick or hurt abroad, and sometimes even when your electronics break or get stolen. I always make sure I’m covered every trip I go on.
Don’t have travel insurance yet? Check out SafetyWing. They offer super flexible plans that you can even sign up for while you’re already on your trip. On top of that, they were the first travel insurance to cover COVID, and when I got COVID, they reimbursed all of my expenses without making a fuss. Their customer support team is great and I can personally recommend them.
IN FOR LATER/b>
We were offered two tickets to the museum in order to be able to write an honest review about our visit.
Radin says
Hi Sofie,
Thanks for this info. My wife and I are planning a few days in Italy in August 2017.
So, I wanted to spend one day around Modena visiting: 1) Enzo museum Modena , 2) Ferrari museum Maranello (+ factory tour) and then 3) Lamborghini museum (no factory tour). But is all this possible in one day?
I wanted to take an early morning train in from Milan (while my wife stays back in Milan), and then take a train back from Modena to Milan after the tours.
Thanks!
Sofie says
Hey Radin,
My pleasure! Thanks for leaving a comment :-)
Yes, I think it’s definitely possible in one day. We spent about an hour at the Enzo Museum and another at the Lamborghini Museum. Both aren’t that big and we combined them in a morning. We then wanted to have lunch near the Maranello Museum when we noticed it was closed for a special occasion so that would give you all afternoon still to visit the museum and do the factory tour.
Try to be at the first museum when it opens, though. We were at the Lamborghini museum when it opened and almost had the place to ourselves. As we finished, a bus full of other tourists arrived so we were rewarded for being early!
Have a great trip!
Radin says
Awesome, Sofie, thanks for your input. I wasn’t sure which museum to go to first but this gives me a great ‘roadmap’ for the day :)
Sofie says
My pleasure!
We had a car when we were there so you might want to look at the best option from the train station and go from there.