Ferrari & Lamborghini Museums: How to Visit Them from Modena

Modena is a small city with an outsized legacy: within a few kilometres of flat Emilian plain, some of the most desirable cars in the world were born. They call it the Motor Valley, and this is where Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani — and, a little further on, Ducati — built their legends. If you come to Modena for the engines, or simply out of curiosity, you'll find the temples of the supercar all within easy reach: the furthest is half an hour away by car.

This guide has everything you need to plan the visit: what to see in each museum, hours and tickets, how to get around (even without a car), how to reach Modena in the first place, and the itineraries we suggest to our guests — from half a day to a full weekend. One caveat that runs through the whole article: prices and opening times can change, so always check the official websites before you go.

Where Modena is, and how to get there

Modena sits in Emilia-Romagna, in northern Italy, right between Bologna and Parma — and that location is a gift, because it puts you in the heart of the Motor Valley and within easy reach of two major gateways.

• From Bologna Airport (BLQ): the simplest option is the train. The Marconi Express monorail links the airport to Bologna's central station in about 7 minutes, and from there frequent trains reach Modena in roughly 30 minutes — about 54 minutes door to door. A direct bus also runs from the airport to Modena in around 45 minutes for a couple of euros, and by car it's about 33 minutes.
• By high-speed train: Modena is on the Milan–Bologna line. Direct high-speed services link it with Florence in about 1 hour and 5 minutes; Bologna — the region's high-speed hub — is just 30 minutes away, and from there you're 37 minutes from Florence and about an hour from Milan. Rome is roughly two and a half hours.
• By car: Modena is on the A1 motorway. Just remember that the historic centre is a limited-traffic zone (ZTL) — you'll want to park outside it (more on that below).

The short version: you don't need to rent a car to enjoy the Ferrari museums. Stay in central Modena, and the rest falls into place.

The Enzo Ferrari Museum, in town

The Enzo Ferrari Museum is the one inside Modena, a few minutes' walk from the historic centre and right by the train station. You'll recognise it instantly by its great yellow bonnet-shaped roof — a piece of contemporary architecture by the studio of Jan Kaplický that wraps around and protects the historic building beside it: Enzo Ferrari's birthplace, complete with his father's mechanical workshop.

This is the museum of the man before the myth. In the house-workshop you trace the beginnings: early-twentieth-century Modena, a passion that became a trade, the first races, the birth of the Scuderia. In the vast main gallery, the cars are staged like works of art on a platform that transforms through immersive projections and a soundtrack that turns the visit into a story. You won't only find Ferraris here: the gallery often hosts themed exhibitions devoted to engines, marques and the eras that shaped the history of the automobile.

It's the perfect stop if you're short on time or arriving by train: you walk there, and in about ninety minutes you understand exactly how it all began — and you're already at the doorstep of the old town. For anyone who wants to know who Enzo Ferrari was, and not just what he built, it's the more moving of the two museums.

The Ferrari Museum in Maranello

About 18 km from Modena, in Maranello, lies the beating heart of the legend: the Ferrari Museum, inside the citadel where the red cars are still built today. If the Modena museum is about the man, this one is about the machines and the triumphs.

The showstopper is the Hall of Victories, gathering the Scuderia Ferrari's Formula 1 titles: over 110 trophies and 9 original helmets of the world-champion drivers, in a display that gives goosebumps even to those who don't follow racing. Around it, rooms dedicated to the Scuderia, to the single-seaters that made history, to the dream GTs and the prototypes. A black-and-white projection traces Enzo Ferrari's life, closing the circle with the Modena museum.

The experience everyone remembers, though, is the shuttle tour that takes visitors along the Fiorano test track — where Ferrari develops its cars — and the Enzo Ferrari avenue inside the factory. It's the only way to get close to where it all really happens.

For a shot of adrenaline, Maranello also has an F1 simulator: a semi-professional rig with about 10 minutes of experience (7 of real, technician-assisted driving) on legendary circuits such as Monza, Imola, Silverstone, Barcelona, the Nürburgring, Zandvoort and Mugello. It's a separate activity from museum admission, with a height limit of 160–185 cm. And if the dream is bigger still, test-drive packages let you drive a Ferrari on the roads around Maranello — book those well ahead.

Even if you're not a fan, Maranello has an atmosphere you won't easily forget: red is everywhere, from the shop windows to the pavements.

The shuttle between the two Ferrari museums

The best news is that the two Ferrari museums are easily done in the same day, without a car. A dedicated visitor shuttle links the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena (and the railway station) with the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, running roughly every 90 minutes.

Route	Departures
Modena → Maranello	09:50 · 11:20 · 12:50 · 14:20 · 15:50 · 17:20
Maranello → Modena	10:30 · 12:00 · 13:30 · 15:00 · 16:30 · 18:30

The shuttle ticket is about €10 return if you visit both museums (around €6 one way; about €11 return if you visit only one). For entry, the best value is the Musei Ferrari Pass, the combined ticket covering both museums, to be used within 48 hours of each other — so you can even spread them over two days.

Both museums are open daily from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM, with last entry at 5:00 PM. Admission prices and shuttle times can change: always check the official Ferrari Museums website before you go, and buy tickets online to skip the queue on weekends.

The Lamborghini Museum in Sant'Agata Bolognese

About 30 km from Modena, at Via Modena 12 in Sant'Agata Bolognese, you'll find the Automobili Lamborghini Museum (MUDETEC), the official museum of the house of the Bull. Across two modern, interactive floors you trace the whole story of the marque: from the historic icons — the Miura, the Countach, the Diablo, the Murciélago — to the hypercars and prototypes that look to the future, such as the Veneno, the Centenario and the Sián. A section is devoted to motorsport and to the technologies born on track that end up on road cars.

For lovers of design and engineering it's unmissable: smaller and more intimate than the Ferrari museums, but beautifully curated. Those who want to go further can book a factory tour to see where the supercars are assembled by hand.

• Tickets: full €18, reduced €14 (over 65, students, groups), reduced plus €6 (under 19 and people with disabilities); free under 5.
• Hours: open daily, typically 9:30 AM–6:00 PM (seasonal variations).
• Booking recommended. Check prices and hours on the official Lamborghini website.

By car from Modena it's about half an hour — the perfect detour to pair with a day out of town.

The rest of the Motor Valley

If engines are your passion, there's much more around Modena, all within an hour by car. These are quieter than the Ferrari museums, and all the more rewarding for it.

• Horacio Pagani Museum — in San Cesario sul Panaro, about twenty minutes from Modena. Here the car becomes art: the Zonda and Huayra, masterpieces of carbon fibre built almost entirely by hand. You can book a guided tour of the atelier and factory to watch the world's most exclusive hypercars come to life.
• Umberto Panini Maserati Collection — a hidden gem, housed at the Hombre organic farm on the edge of Modena. It's the historic Maserati collection that Umberto Panini (yes, of the football-sticker family) rescued in 1996 when it risked leaving Italy: single-seaters, grand tourers and rare models, displayed among wheels of Parmesan cheese. Usually open Monday to Friday (morning and afternoon); check the hours and book ahead.
• Ducati Museum — in Borgo Panigale (Bologna), at Via Antonio Cavalieri Ducati 3, about 40 minutes away. For those who love two wheels: the story of the bikes that fuelled dreams, with the option to add the Borgo Panigale Experience (museum + factory). Open daily 9:00 AM–6:00 PM, closed on Wednesdays; booking recommended.

On their own, these three addresses are worth a second day — and a great reason to make Modena your base.

Modena: day trip or base?

Plenty of travellers base themselves in Bologna or Florence and consider Modena a day trip — and it works: you're about 30 minutes from Bologna and roughly an hour from Florence by train. If that's your plan, arrive in the morning, walk to the Enzo Ferrari Museum, take the shuttle to Maranello, and you'll have seen the essentials by evening.

But here's the honest local view: for the motor museums specifically, staying overnight in Modena is the more relaxed choice. The Maranello shuttle leaves from the city, so you skip the car and the parking; you can take your time over both museums across the 48-hour Pass window; and in the evening you're already in one of Italy's great food cities, sitting down to tortellini instead of catching the last train back. If the engines are the reason you're coming, sleep where they were born.

How much time you need

It all depends on how far you want to push it. Here's how we plan it with our guests:

• Half a day: the Enzo Ferrari Museum on foot from the centre. Ideal if you're passing through or have an afternoon train.
• A full day: both Ferrari museums with the shuttle. Start early from the centre, see Modena, take the shuttle to Maranello, have lunch there and head back in the afternoon.
• Two days: add Lamborghini (or Pagani, or Ducati) and enjoy the city too — Piazza Grande, the Duomo, the Albinelli Market and the great Modenese cooking.

A practical note: Modena's historic centre is largely a limited-traffic zone (ZTL). If you arrive by car and want to do the museums in a day, the easiest approach is to stay in the centre, leave the car in a car park outside the ZTL, and use the shuttle to Maranello, which departs from the city. For Lamborghini, Pagani and Ducati, the car is the simpler choice.

Tips from a local host

A few things we always tell our guests:

• Buy tickets online, especially on weekends and in spring–summer. You skip the queue and lock in your time slot, including for the simulator.
• Use the 48 hours of the Musei Ferrari Pass: do Maranello one day and the Enzo Ferrari Museum the next, with no rush.
• It works brilliantly with kids: cars, sounds and projections appeal to every age. Just remember the Maranello simulator has a minimum height of 160 cm.
• Lunch in Maranello at one of the historic trattorias frequented by drivers and mechanics is part of the experience. If you head back to town instead, we tell you where to find the real tortellini in our guide to the flavours of Modena.
• Avoid the crush of race weekends or major events: if you can, pick a weekday to enjoy the museums in peace.

Where to stay near the museums

The most relaxed way to enjoy the motor museums is to stay in central Modena. The Enzo Ferrari Museum is a few minutes' walk away, the Maranello shuttle leaves from the city, and in the evening you're at the table in the historic heart without ever getting back in the car. A central base saves you time and stress — and lets you experience Modena beyond the engines.

Our apartments are all in the historic centre, a short walk from the station, the sights and the restaurants. If you're travelling by car and planning the trips to Maranello, Sant'Agata or Bologna, we recommend Modena Prestige: it's right at the edge of the centre, with public parking out front and an EV charging point 50 metres away — ideal if you're driving. If you'd rather wake up over the rooftops, take a look at the penthouses with a Ghirlandina view.

Whichever you choose, you book directly with us, with no booking-platform commissions, and we're on hand for any advice on tickets, shuttles and timings. Browse all of our apartments in Modena and pick your base for the Motor Valley.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get to Modena from Bologna or its airport? Modena is about 30 minutes by regional train from Bologna and roughly 54 minutes from Bologna Airport (the Marconi Express monorail reaches Bologna station in 7 minutes, then a train to Modena). A direct bus from the airport takes around 45 minutes, and by car it's about 33 minutes.

Do I need a car to visit the Ferrari museums? No. The Enzo Ferrari Museum is a short walk from central Modena, and a dedicated shuttle links it to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello. A car is handy only if you also want to visit the Lamborghini, Pagani or Ducati museums.

What's the difference between the Enzo Ferrari Museum and the Ferrari Museum in Maranello? The Enzo Ferrari Museum is in Modena, next to Enzo's birthplace, and tells the story of the man and the origins through modern architecture. The Ferrari Museum in Maranello sits inside the Ferrari citadel and celebrates the cars, Formula 1 and the factory, with a shuttle tour around the Fiorano track and an F1 simulator.

How do you get from Modena to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello without a car? A dedicated visitor shuttle links the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena (and the station) with the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, running roughly every 90 minutes. If you visit both museums, the shuttle ticket is about €10 return.

How much does the Lamborghini Museum cost? Full admission to the Automobili Lamborghini Museum (MUDETEC) in Sant'Agata Bolognese is €18, reduced €14 and reduced plus €6; free under 5. Booking is recommended. Always check current prices on the official website.

Can you visit Modena as a day trip from Bologna or Florence? Yes — Modena is about 30 minutes from Bologna and around an hour from Florence by train. But for the motor museums, staying overnight in Modena is more relaxed: the Maranello shuttle leaves from here and you can enjoy the city in the evening.

Can you try the Formula 1 simulator at the Ferrari Museum? Yes, the Ferrari Museum in Maranello offers a semi-professional simulator with about 10 minutes of experience (7 minutes of assisted driving) on circuits such as Monza, Imola, Silverstone and Mugello. It's a separate activity from admission, with a height limit of 160–185 cm.

How many days do you need for the motor museums? A full day covers both Ferrari museums using the shuttle. To add Lamborghini, Pagani, Maserati or Ducati, plan for two days and use Modena as your base.