Incredible food, rich culture, and some of the world’s most infamous automotive heritable lies between the Italian cities of Parma and Bologna. Welcome to Modena, the birthplace of Enzo Ferrari and his supercar franchise, and the #1 Restaurant in the World.

Oh yeah, did I mention that Maserati is also based in Modena and Lamborghini is in nearby Sant’Agata Bolognese? Pagani has just moved nearby and one of the world’s top motorcycle creators, Ducati, also resides in this region. I’m more of a Porsche fan but anyone with a bit of petrol in their veins is sure to appreciate Modena! The village is also a location in season two of Aziz Ansari’s Master of None when he spent time abroad.

We stopped by for a bit of midday exploring, a tour of the Enzo Ferrari Museum, and for a ridiculously satisfying lunch!

Modena

What to Do

• The Enzo Ferrari Museum

  For me, this was a must! If you genuinely have no love for cars, perhaps it’s not for everyone. There are two facilities; one is in Modena and the other in neighboring Maranello. Each museum offers a single or double pass depending on how must time you wish to spend. The Modena museum is easily accomplished in under an hour and includes historic cars, Enzo’s history, the Engine Room, and of course the part of his home still intact at the corner of the Engine area. If time permits, head south to Maranello (25-minute drive) for more F1 and race heritage.

• Duomo di Modena

  A 1400’s Romanesque cathedral with a beautiful rose window.

• Torre della Ghirlandina

  The beautiful bell tower of the Cathedral of Modena.

• Walk Around Modena

  It’s not a large place, and the streets just have such a friendly vibe. It’s that quintessential Italian village feel.

• Eat Gelato

  Because you're in Italy and it's gelato!

Where to Eat

• Ristorante Da Danilo

  If you can’t get into Osteria Francescana or would just prefer to save several hundred Euro? Give Ristorante Da Danilo a try! They have been serving up classic regional fare since 1934, and it’s beautifully authentic. We enjoyed Tortelloni Soup, Lasagna, and the Filleto di Manzo and it was truly delicious. Visit their Facebook page here.

• Osteria Francescana

  If you have previously researched Modena or even considered stopping through, it may be because of Osteria Francescana, the best restaurant in the world according to ‘The World's 50 Best Restaurants’. This 3-Star Michelin restaurant is the product of world-famed chef, Massimo Bottura. If you don’t know of Osteria Francescana and/or Massimo Bottura, stop what you are doing right now, turn on Netflix, and stream Chef’s Table - Season 1, Episode 1. Do I have glowing reviews to rave about the infamous Mediterranean Sole or any of the other gorgeous dishes? No. It’s incredibly hard to get a table and it’s seemingly rare to impossible to get a call for the waiting list. Set a reminder on the 1st of the month reaaaallly early and you may be able to get a table for 3-months out (Example: On 1 May 2019, the books open online for 1-31 July.) I was unsuccessful in securing a table this time, but I wish you better luck!

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