DAY BY DAY
Here’s a guide to what’s planned. Your Roadbook will be filled with details of interest at each destination, suggested routes to take and points of interest along the way. Details subject to change.
Date Main activity Overnight Other details Wed 11 Arrive Milan Brescia Collect rental cars Milan, drive to Brescia (60km) Dinner together in Brescia old town centre Thur 12 Start of Mille Miglia Brescia View cars in town square, presentations Fri 13 Tour to Lake Garda (30km) Brescia Dinner at historic Sirmione on Lake Garda after touring Sat 14 Finish of Mille Miglia Brescia Free day, Mille Miglia ends at night in Brescia Sun 15 Drive to Milan (60km) Milan Optional visit to Monza circuit – WTCC race Mon 16 Free day Milan Plenty to see in this historic city, Italy's fashion centre Tue 17 Drive to Modena (177km) Modena Dinner together in historic Modena town centre Wed 18 Ferrari Day Modena See Galleria Ferrari, Fiorano circuit, other Ferrari sights Thur 19 Visit to Lamborghini Modena Museum and factory tour. Also visit Bologna Fri 20 Drive to Lake Como (230km) Como Dinner together - Lake Como Sat 21 Explore Lake Como Como Explore Menaggio, Bellagio, etc or even Lugano, Switzerland Sun 22 Concorso d'Eleganza Como At picturesque lakeside Villa d'Erba, Cernobbio Mon 23 Drive to Turin (170km) Turin Museo dell Automobile, Lingotto etc, Dinner together Tue 24 Drive to Nice (280km) Nice Dinner at beautiful Villefranche sur Mer Wed 25 Drive to Cannes & back (30km) Nice See the glamour of the Cannes Film Festival Thur 26 Visit Monaco Nice Grand Prix practice, classic car auctions in Monaco Fri 27 Nice own arrangement Lunch with F1 commentator Bob Constanduros in Nice Sat 28 Monaco GP Qualifying own arrangement Dinner in Vieux Nice, old town centre Sun 29 Monaco Grand Prix own arrangement Details to be confirmed and are subject to change without notice E&OE
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia, probably the world's most famous road race, began in 1927 and ran through to 1957 taking a route running clockwise from Brescia, down to Rome and back. The arduous event attracted the greatest drivers and cars. In the 1980s the event was revived as a historic event, but not losing the bravado required for crews to blast along the roads, and through towns where the streets are lined by cheering crowds. Interest in the event is immense, with continuous television coverage while the event takes place.
The event attracts over 360 cars each year, and entries are restricted to cars which are the same as models that competed in the original event – several are actual past Mille Miglia competitors. Collectors from around the world ship their cars to be a part of this most evocative of motoring events. Several car manufacturers also support the Mille Miglia with entries. Every year you can expect to see several world famous racing drivers and celebrities among the participants.
While I've personally attended the Mille Miglia on previous occasions, this is the first time one of our tours has included it. There is a real buzz in Brescia in the lead-up to the event. The public can get close to the amazing cars and crews in the town squares on the day before the event. The famous start is on a closed road near the outskirts of Brescia.
There is also an excellent Mille Miglia Museum in town which opened only a few years ago. Brescia is a very beautiful ancient town which shows all the character of a town which has been very prosperous for centuries.Concorso d'Eleganza
In 1929 the inaugural Concorso d’Eleganza was held at the magnificent Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como - and today the event continues as Europe’s most prestigious event of its kind.
The grounds of the palatial hotel provides a stunning setting for the very best collectors’ cars from around the world to be displayed and judged. Cars can participate by invitation only. The Saturday event is open only to exhibitors and invited guests, however on Sunday, at Villa d’Erba, a little way down the road, the lakeside location becomes the venue for all of these cars plus additional special exhibits, open to the public. And we’ll be there...
With the dates of the Mille Miglia and this event now set, we have been able to adjust our schedule for The Ultimate Grand Prix Experience to add this world renowned event to our tour.
If you’re interested in more information about this amazing event go to - www.concorsodeleganzavilladeste.comFerrari and Lamborghini
Our trip will take us to the heart of the supercar homeland, where we will visit Galleria Ferrari – a large complex which is much more than a museum, focussed entirely on Maranello's most famous products. This factory-owned facility includes a cafe and is not far from the factory itself and has other specialty shops in the vicinity. Factory tours are only available to owners of Ferraris by prior arrangement. We can have a look at the Fiorano test circuit as well.
Lamborghini's factory in Santa d'Agata, near Bologna. Their recently opened museum adjoins the factory and contains some spectacular examples of the marque's illustrious history. There are windows giving a view right into the factory. We're hoping to arrange a factory tour for our group, dependent on availability on our date.Monaco and the Grand Prix
The principality of Monaco is quite unique. The famous tax haven is rich in many ways. There is plenty to interest visitors aside from the Grand Prix festivities. The Monte Carlo Casino is presently undergoing a major refurbishment and will be re-opened by the time we are there. Monaco is proud of its many beautiful gardens and museums. The royal family's car museum houses a very impressive collection. Whilst dates have not yet been announced Europe's major auction houses will be holding their annual sales of collectors' cars just before the Grand Prix. These auctions always include some of the most spectacular cars in the world.
And at Grand Prix time, vast numbers of exotic cars converge on the Principality. If you've never seen an Ascari or a Spyker, a Pagani Zonda or a Bugatti Veyron, this will be your chance. You may well see several of each... Monaco absolutely buzzes at Grand Prix time. Because there are so many options for viewing the race, we don't include tickets. In the past, some of our tour participants have stayed at hotels with a view (no need for tickets), booked at restaurants with a view of the track (also no need for tickets), or purchased grandstand tickets. There are non-grandstand areas at lower costs. The internet offers many options. To book grandstand tickets, visit www.acm.mc the Automobile Club of Monaco's website (they run the GP), and you can select where you'd like to sit by seeing the view from each grandstand and then book specific seats.
