Jun 14 ’07

Modena->Maranella – Ferrari day!

Jun 142007

One of the main stops planned for our trip is a visit to the town of Maranella, home to Ferrari. (Map) So last night we had dinner at Ristorante Montana, next to the Ferrari test track, a favorite of drivers, racing celebs and fans alike. Nevermind that it took the hotel twenty minutes to figure out directions for us, or that the directions were wrong but we managed to spot it anyway. The walls are covered with signed cloth napkins, racing suits, parts of F1 cars, helmets, and the likes.

We headed back over this morning to see the rest. Not having a VIN number of our own, we couldn’t arrange a tour of the factory, but we did get to see it from the outside and visit the company’s own museum, Galleria Ferrari. Eric was in his own Mecca, and acted as our tour guide. He took about 270 pictures, here are a few:

Travel to Rome

Italy '07, Jun 14 '07

Jun 142007

After the Ferrari tour we returned our rental car and grabbed a taxi to the Modena train station. It was about a 4 1/2 hour train ride (we thought it was supposed to be 3 1/2 hours) through beautiful country.

Interesting thing about the trains – the toilets are an open hole to the railroad tracks whizzing by down below (pun intended).

Our hotel in Rome, The Hotel Columbia (Map), was a short walk from the train station. We checked in, then had a great meal at a restaurant nearby that the desk clerk recommended. Then to bed – big day of walking coming up!