Why every car (and food) lover should take a road trip through Italy's Motor Valley

Telegraph

5 hours ago

Few places are more exhilarating to car enthusiasts than Motor Valley. Spread across northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, this fabled stretch of road is home to some of the world's most prestigious car and motorcycle brands – including Ferrari, Lamborghini and Ducati.
Steeped in automotive tradition, Motor Valley links the cities of Piacenza, Parma, Modena and Bologna, extending east to Rimini on the Adriatic coast. Little more than 150 miles long, it forms the spine of what remains a manufacturing and exporting powerhouse.
Along with factories where you can watch master craftsmen at work, Motor Valley boasts four internationally renowned racetracks and a dozen motor museums. With an array of iconic names symbolising luxury and speed – Bugatti, Maserati and Pagani are also local – this region is the beating heart of Italy's deep-rooted love for mechanical artistry and style.
But the broader Emilia-Romagna region is a food-lovers' paradise too. The three-Michelin-star Osteria Francescana in Modena is consistently ranked among the world's best for its innovative take on regional cuisine; as is Franceschetta, its more casual sister restaurant nearby.
Tucked away in Motor Valley's backstreets, though, are countless humble osterias and more formal trattorias serving simple and affordable yet superb local dishes – lasagne, tortellini en brodo (meat-filled pasta in broth), cotechino (a slow-cooked pork sausage, often served with lentils) and piadina and crescentine (hot flatbreads and filled muffins).
From tagliatelle al ragù bolognese (the original dish that's worlds apart from the spaghetti bolognese often found abroad), to prosciutto di Parma (delicate cured ham) and torta barozzi (a dense, fudgy, subtly spiced chocolate cake, often paired with mascarpone cream), regional specialities are served with pride here and often washed down with lashings of lambrusco – Emilia-Romagna's ubiquitous sparkling red wine.
So, amidst the supercar test drives and tours of vintage classics, car lovers can enjoy food-related adventures as well. Whether it's watching artisan producers make Parmigiano Reggiano in centuries-old dairies, touring acetaie vinegar lofts where thick sweet-tart balsamic matures like fine wine, or taking fresh pasta-making lessons with smiling nonnas who've done it their entire lives, Motor Valley will supercharge your culinary senses too.
My Motor Valley journey began where many do: in Bologna, via a flight from London Stansted. A marvellous medieval centre, with a thriving university (thought to be Europe's oldest, dating back to 1088), this is a true gastronomic capital, with atmospheric restaurants, colourful markets and bustling bars.
The first night I stayed at the reasonably-priced Hotel Touring. Smart, centrally-located and family-run, it has a fabulous top-floor terrace offering views of Bologna's medial towers and terracotta rooftops.
Dinner was at Salumeria Simoni – a downtown deli stuffed to the rafters with all kinds of cheese and hams, including a celebrated local delicacy of lean pork speckled with lumps of lard, made in Bologna using a method legally codified by the papacy in 1661. Whether ground into meatballs, grilled with aged balsamic or eaten simply in slices, mortadella is melt-in-mouth fantastic.
My first stop the next morning was Piazza Maggiore and San Petronio Basilica – Bologna's largest church, which dates back to 1390. Famous for its music chapel, with a still-functioning organ built around 1470, San Petronio also boasts the world's longest sundial. I then took a stroll along the vast Portico di San Luca, which, more than two miles long, and featuring 666 arches, took me out of the city and up the hill to San Luca Basilica for elevated views of Bologna from the church dome.
Then it was time to drive. With winding country roads, vine-covered hills and charming medieval towns dotting the landscape, the entire Emilia-Romagna region is perfect to explore by car.
I took a short trip to Sant'Agata Bolognese and Museo Automobili Lamborghini, a shrine to the daring design and extreme engineering of classic models like the Miura and Countach. Tours here include a walk along the production line, where you can see Lamborghini's famously throaty V10 and V12 engines being hand-assembled – a testament to the precision and care that goes into every car with the raging bull emblem.
Then it was on to Borgo Panigale for the Ducati Museum and Factory tour. Showcasing its origins from 1926, dozens of Ducati's famously red motorbikes are displayed, with interactive multimedia providing technical insights into each model – from the legendary 916 to the adventure touring Multistrada and the liquid-cooled Monster. Even if you're not a motorcyclist, the engineering prowess is impressive.
After one night downtown, I shifted to Palazzo di Varignana, an elegant health and gastronomical resort nestled in the hills outside Bologna, which worked well as a base for the rest of my visit. Among several superb meals in the resort's various restaurants, dinner at Il Grifone stood out. Faced with three separate tasting menus – Sea, Land and Garden – I chose Sea. The old-style squid, wild herb ravioli and tuna belly was sensational, as was the sommelier's choice of Collio, a premium pinot grigio.
A particular highlight of my Motor Valley stay was a day trip to Modena. Even using the more scenic, single-lane route via Castelfranco Emilia, it's less than an hour's drive from Bologna. Modena's Ferrari Museum is built around the restored house where Enzo Ferrari was born in 1898, combined with a futuristic exhibition hall designed by architect Jan Kaplický.
Packed with historic models, from the first late-1940s pro-types to modern-day supercars, alongside engines, memorabilia, and trophies, the museum is superbly curated. I spent three hours but could easily have spent far longer.
And while my budget wouldn't stretch to Modena's most celebrated restaurants, I was delighted to have a late lunch at Trattoria Pomposa al Re Gras, a short walk from the very charming Piazza della Pomposa, the heart of Modena's historic centre. The owner's daughter recommended a wonderful gramigna (wheat pasta) with sausage, which didn't disappoint.
Another day trip from my billet just outside Bologna was to Rimini – where Motor Valley meets the sea. Famed for miles of sandy beaches, Rimini has a festive vibe as well as a rich Roman heritage, including the Arch of Augustus and the well-preserved Tiberius Bridge, along with the Malatesta Temple showcasing Renaissance art and architecture.
Rimini is no culinary slouch, either. With countless options, I wandered into Il Re Dei Mari, just inland from the seafront. I had pulled up at the wheel of a Ferrari, and yet despite this lofty bar, the highlight of my trip was the mixed grilled seafood, followed by the traditional tiramisu that arrived at my table – worth the journey not just from Bologna, but from London.
Essentials
Liam was a guest of Ducati. Hotel Touring has doubles from £145 per night, including breakfast. Palazzo di Varignana has doubles from £245 per night, including breakfast.