Ferrari Museums in Maranello & Modena: Which is Better?
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On our recent trip to Italy, I knew that my Formula One-loving husband would be in heaven if we planned a day trip to the Ferrari museums. But when I started researching the Ferrari museums in Maranello & Modena, I really didn’t find a lot of information out there.
So here is my guide to help you plan your visit to the Ferrari museums: how to get there, where to buy tickets, add-on experiences, how to see both museums in day, and which Ferrari museum is better to visit.
Quick Links to Plan Your Visit Before You Go
🎟️ Tickets:
Refundable Ferrari Museum Tickets
🚍 Shuttle:
Between Museums & Modena Train Station
🏎️ Add-on experience:
🏨 Where to Stay:
Modena:
Vittorio Veneto 25
Bologna:
Hotel Corona D’oro 1890
What is the difference between the two Ferrari Museums?
The Ferrari Museum & Factory is located in Maranello, a 45-minute drive from Bologna and 25-minute drive from Modena. The museum is part of the Ferrari corporate complex, where the Ferrari Factory, test track and company offices are located.
The Enzo Ferrari Museum is located in Modena, just under an hour’s drive or an express train ride less than that from Bologna. As the name indicates, the museum is dedicated to the man behind the Ferrari name, Enzo Ferrari, who was born in Modena. The museum gives a look into his childhood and the early history of how the company was formed.
Both museums have Ferrari cars on display and they are a 25-minute drive apart.
Tickets to Ferrari Museums
You can buy tickets for each museum or a combination ticket if you plan to visit both. Both portions of the combination tickets must be used within 48 hours of each other.
I recommend buying tickets through Get Your Guide. You can reserve now, pay later and you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. This flexibility is great if your travel plans change and you need to reschedule.
Is it Worth Going To Both Ferrari Museums?
My quick answer is yes, especially if you are going to be in Modena anyway. If you only have time for one or are not planning to go to Modena, then I would choose Maranello. You’ll get more of the Ferrari experience there, with more to see and do.
Here is some information on both museums to help you decide.
Ferrari Museum in Maranello
It’s hard to know where to start. If you are a car lover, you are going to be overwhelmed. Luckily, the museum is very well-organized, allowing you to take it all in and at your own pace. The visit to this museum takes on average 1 to 1.5 hours.
The museum gives a history of how the Ferrari car, the company, and brand has evolved over time. Ferrari branding, logos and cars are everywhere.
Room after room displays cars from the company beginnings, showing how both interior and exterior designed have changed over time. You aren’t allowed to touch or sit in the car but you can get pretty close. The cars aren’t behind glass or barriers, making it feel almost like a hands-on experience.
We spent a lot of time in these rooms, and it never felt crowded, allowing us to take our time, even though we visited at the height of tourist season.
Another room displays all of the current interior fabric samples and exterior color finishes, making you feel as if you are about to buy a car (if you can afford one!).
There are also many F1 cars on display and a Victory Room filled with the trophies, with driver photos and winning race cars on display. I wasn’t sure if my husband would ever leave.
The museum ends at the gift shop where you can find every possible Ferrari-branded item from clothing to collectibles. It’s actually a nice store and my husband bought a book on the history of Ferrari, which they shipped to us so we wouldn’t have to lug it around for the rest of our trip.
Add-on Experiences at the Maranello Museum
There are several add-on activities at this museum for an extra fee:
Onboard Photo
The only opportunity to sit in a Ferrari within the museum is if you would like to pay to have your picture taken in it. They print the photo for you and it was a nice memento to have from our trip but not a must-do. Cost : €20 or €25, depending on the photo size.
GT Simulator
Both museums offer F1 simulator car experiences, but the simulator at the Maranello museum is better. It is a simulated seven-minute ride on a racetrack to give you the race driver experience. You can book a spot in advance or when you arrive.
I personally didn’t think they looked worth it but if you have kids or teenagers with you, they would get a big kick out of it. Cost: €25 or €30 euros, depending on the museum.
Ferrari Factory Panoramic Tour
After doing a lot of research on this factory tour, we decided against it. It is a 45-minute tour of the outside of the factory, not the inside. You ride around on a shuttle within the Ferrari campus and factory area and see the outside of buildings but you don’t actually get to see inside the factory where cars are made.
Apparently, those tours are only for clients and F1 sponsors. You also cannot get off the bus or take photos or videos.
If you are Ferrari-obsessed, there is some good information from the guide. Occasionally, there is a car being tested on the track that you can see but it doesn’t seem to happen very often.
Tours only take place twice a day at 12:30 and 1:30 pm, so plan your visit accordingly if you are interested. Cost: €25
Ferrari Test Drive
Several companies across from the museum offer Ferrari test drives. You can sit behind the wheel and drive around the streets of Maranello, with a guide seated beside you. Test drives range from 10 minutes to 1 hour, with prices varying for length of drive time.
Definitely a memorable experience for any Ferrari enthusiast!
Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena
Casa Enzo Ferrari and Enzo Ferrari Museum are two interchangeable names that refer to the same museum, located in Modena. Enzo Ferrari was born in Modena and this was the site of his childhood home.
The house has been refurbished and displays Enzo’s first office and his father’s workshop. The rest of the space in the house hosts various exhibitions.
Across from the house is a building with a large, futuristic-designed showroom dedicated to the Ferrari Supercars, a collection of Ferraris that highlights the company’s technological advances. There’s also an immersive video playing as you walk through that tells Enzo Ferrari’s story.
This museum is much smaller and can be seen in under an hour. It’s a nice complement to the Maranello experience but if you don’t have time to visit, you won’t feel like you are missing anything if you have already been to the Maranello museum.
Can you visit both Ferrari museums in one day?
Yes, it’s easy to do. Here’s the schedule we followed:
10:40 am – Shuttle from Modena train station to Maranello
11:15 am – Arrival at Ferrari Maranello Museum
1:00 pm – Lunch at Cavallino ( 3-minute walk from the Museum )
2:45 pm – Shuttle from Maranello Museum to Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena
3:25 pm – Arrival at Enzo Ferrari Museum
4:45 pm – Less than a 10-minute walk to Modena Train Station
What To Know Before You Go
Here is some information on how to get to the museums, how to travel from one museums to another on the same day, and where to eat while you are there.
How To Get There
By Car:
If you are coming by car for a day trip, it is a 25-minute drive between the two museums. Each has parking lots with free spaces and paid parking nearby at reasonable prices. If you’re visiting both museums, you can park the car at one museum and take the round-trip shuttle to the other.
By Train from Bologna:
Getting to the Ferrari Museums by train was one of the fastest day trips we’ve done. Train rides take up to 32 minutes and we hopped on an express train that got us there in 22 minutes! Much faster than driving.
Bologna’s train station is very hectic so I recommend buying your tickets online, instead of in person. It was the only leg of our trip where we didn’t and the lines were so long at the station that we almost missed the train.
Once we arrived at the Modena train station, we took the Ferrari shuttle to both museums.
How To Travel Between Museums
Ferrari operates a shuttle that stops at the Modena Train Station, the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena and the Ferrari Maranello Museum, making it easy and effortless to visit both. This shuttle runs on a limited schedule so pay attention to the departure times and stops.
At the Modena Train Station, the shuttle departs from the small outdoor bus terminal that is right outside the main entrance. It’s not clearly marked which bus bay is for the shuttle but just follow the crowds or look for a coach bus, you can’t miss it.
At both museums, shuttle stops are right outside the entrances.
The morning shuttle runs only from Modena to Maranello, so if you’re relying on it, start your day there. Then take the shuttle back to Modena for the other museum or to the train station.
➡️Quick Tip: Book your shuttle spot in advance. I’m not kidding, every seat on our bus was taken. Otherwise, you’ll need to get there early and wait in line, which isn’t how anyone wants to spend their trip.
Where to Eat
Both museums have casual cafes to buy lunch but if you’re looking for a sit-down meal, definitely go to Cavallino, Massimo Bottura’s love letter to Ferrari.
We don’t usually sit down for a formal lunch when we travel as we are focused on sight-seeing but this restaurant is part of the Maranello Ferrari experience.
Massimo Bottura is a three-Michelin star chef from Modena who has put the city on the culinary map. You may have seen him featured on in Season One of Netflix’s Chef’s Table.
His claim to fame is Osteria Francescana, his restaurant in Modena, named several times as one of the world’s best restaurants. The restaurant is very exclusive, with only 12 tables and one seating at lunch and dinner. Reservations open six months in advance if you are lucky enough to grab a spot.
If you’re looking for a taste of Massimo’s cooking style, Cavallino in Maranello is the perfect comprise – wonderful, creative food, a fantastic selection of wine, and a 3-minute walk from the Ferrari museum.
It’s an elevated lunch that is still expensive (not as expensive as Osteria Francescana) but if you’re a foodie or looking for a relaxing lunch, you will appreciate the experience.
The food was phenomenal. You can order a set menu or a la carte. It was one of the most delicious meals of our trip and a bit of a splurge but completely worth it.
Where To Stay
Most people visit Modena for the day but if you are looking for the small town experience, consider staying at:
Vittorio Venetto 25 – a modern hotel in an old villa, centrally located in the historical part of town. There isn’t an elevator in the hotel but there is free parking.
For luxury accommodation, Rua Frati 48 offers beautiful Renaissance decor and spacious rooms, located right in the city center.
For stays in Bologna: Located in the city center, Hotel Corona D’Oro 1890 offers modern rooms, excellent service and a generous breakfast.
FAQs
Can you visit Enzo Ferrari’s house?
Yes, part of the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena is housed in Enzo’s childhood home. The building has been refurbished though, so it is not a house tour. You can see Enzo’s first office and his father’s workshop.
How Can You Get A Ferrari Factory Tour?
You can take a tour of the outside of the buildings in the Ferrari complex, which includes the factory. Tours inside the factory are reserved for customers and F1 sponsors.
Savvy Summary
The Ferrari Museums in Maranello and Modena each offer something unique for visitors. Whether you choose to visit one or both in a single day, you’re sure to enjoy the full Ferrari experience.
Tickets, add-on experiences, and transportation are all easy to arrange, making it perfect for a day trip or an overnight stay in Modena.
If you can only visit one, the Ferrari Museum in Maranello is well worth the trip. However, if you’re already in Modena, don’t miss the Enzo Ferrari Museum. The convenient shuttle between the two makes visiting both museums simple and hassle-free.
