An Unforgettable Ferrari Drive Through the Hills of Italy

One of the best parts of changing our planned Italy itinerary away from the usual Rome-and-Tuscany focus was that our new destinations offered some unique experiences that hadn’t even been on our radar before. One of the best and most memorable was M’s hour-long Ferrari drive through the Italian countryside.

It was the bucket-list adventure we didn’t know we needed, and easily one of the top five experiences of our entire trip to Italy. There was just something magical about cruising our way through the Italian countryside in a bright red, Ferrari convertible. Hearing the engine thrumming as we curled a hairpin turn. Relishing the wind in our hair as colorful villages blurred by. Feeling the adrenaline leaping through our bloodstream as we accelerated to racetrack speeds in seconds on the highway, yet at the same time feeling perfectly safe thanks to the remarkable craftsmanship of the vehicle.

It was an hour that we’ll never forget.

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There were two reasons that we chose Emilia-Romagna as the first region we would visit on our Italy trip: its incredible food and its storied automotive history. The brands that hail from here are legendary: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Ducati, and Pagani, to start. This high concentration of exceptional automotive manufacturers has led to the region also being known as “Motor Valley.”

Most enticing for us was Ferrari, which has been headquartered in the town of Maranello since a plant was built here in 1943. Maranello is located just south of Modena (of balsamic vinegar fame), roughly halfway between Parma and Bologna. It may seem like an out-of-the-way place, but a visit here is absolutely worth the detour; for gearheads and other automotive enthusiasts, it’s more like a pilgrimage.

M and I stopped in Maranello on our second full day in Italy as we traveled from Parma to our agriturismo (farm stay) in the region of Umbria. It took about an hour to drive there from our hotel in Parma, and at first glance Maranello was just another town on the map. But then the sound of revving engines started to reach our ears, a deep and powerful growl that was unlike any car engine I’d heard before. Soon, we were passing Ferraris left and right; red ones in the opposite traffic lane, black ones turning a corner ahead of us, more red ones parked in test drive lots or emblazoned on signs.

We had definitely reached Ferrari country.

Within a few minutes, we’d reached our destination: a test drive company called Pushstart that is located right across the street from the famous Ferrari Museum.

We checked in for our Ferrari drive, then had some time to admire the fiery red vehicles waiting outside. I am by no means a car expert or aficionado, but you couldn’t deny that they were gorgeous machines.

Pushstart offers many different options for taking a Ferrari drive in Maranello, Italy. There are multiple vehicle models to choose from, and you also get to decide whether you’d like to drive on a track or on the road. (Track experiences are all about speed, while the road tours give you a taste of speed but also allow you to experience the handling and precision of the vehicle.) Once you’ve picked your car and your driving location, you also get to select the amount of time you’d like to have behind the wheel.

It was a lot to consider, and prices vary widely based on all these different factors. Eventually, M decided on a sixty-minute “Mountain” tour in a Ferrari Portofino. This 65-kilometer experience gave him the opportunity to drive the car along fast, flat highways and up into the mountains, following the same route used by Ferrari’s own test drivers. While definitely a splurge, the Mountain tour seemed to provide the perfect combination of a decent length of time and a nice variety of road conditions.

We couldn’t wait.

Soon enough, we were introduced to Richard, who would be taking us on the test drive. His job was to sit in the passenger seat, show us where to go, and help M get the most out of the vehicle as we went. (And presumably, to prevent us from damaging this $250,000 piece of machinery.) He started by explaining some of the finer details of the car, making sure that M was comfortable with all the controls, and helping me squish myself into the tiny backseat so I could come along for the ride.

And then, we were on our way! A few minutes’ driving took us out of the town of Maranello – just long enough for M to get acquainted with the car – and soon enough we were on the highway.

This part was all about speed. And the first time M punched it to pass another vehicle, the acceleration took my breath away. It was an amazingly smooth, serious burst of speed. What a rush!

(And, in my case, what a blast of wind! The guys up front were shielded by the windscreen, but all that air came right over the top and into my face as we shot forward at 140 miles per hour.)

We continued on that road for a little while, pushing the car when we could, whipping around slower vehicles when we encountered them, and thriving on the gentle roar of the engine.

Richard was awesome, and the perfect guy to take us on this drive. The three of us bonded on our way out of town, and he did everything he could to make sure that M had an incredible experience pushing the Portofino to its limits. He wasn’t afraid to encourage M to hit the gas, make a pass, or fly around a corner. He also knew the course by heart, which allowed M to drive more confidently (and quickly) than someone who doesn’t know what’s coming around the next turn.

Eventually, we turned off onto a smaller road that led up into the hills. Now M got to enjoy the precision and handling of the car as he navigated the serpentine streets. A short while later, though, we came to the town of Serramazzoni and Richard directed us to park the Ferrari in front of a municipal building.

In true Italian fashion, it was time for an espresso.

After a delightful few minutes sipping espresso (or, in my case, water) in the fresh Italian air, we returned to the Ferrari for the second half of our drive. This next portion was my favorite, as the way was winding and the scenery was great. We threaded through small, colorful towns and whizzed around corners, catching glimpses of green hills and mountains along the horizon. It was simply gorgeous, and I’m sure my pleasure as a passenger taking it all in was only surpassed by M’s as he drove the course.

As is probably obvious since he was the one to do the driving, M is much more of a car guy than I am. (Before we started planning the trip, my knowledge about Ferraris was limited to “they’re the red ones with the horse logo” and the plot of the movie Ford vs. Ferrari.) But even I, a complete novice, could tell there was something special about these cars. The engine purred – I’d heard that term before but nothing had ever fit it so perfectly – and it was amazing how even from the backseat I could tell how well it handled the turns. It felt like we were glued to the road. I’m sure it was wonderful to be the driver, but it was truly a delight to be a passenger, as well.

Sadly, we eventually found ourselves back in Maranello and returned the Ferrari to Pushstart. My hair and clothes were wildly disheveled thanks to an hour of high-speed wind, but both M and I were both on a complete high from the drive.

We soaked up our last few moments with the Portofino, snapping some final photos in this gorgeous machine.

A Ferrari is a reasonable purchase for a middle-class family with small kids, right? I did see hooks for a car seat in the back, and winning the lottery can’t be that hard.

All in all, I can’t say enough about what a fun and special experience our Ferrari test drive in Italy was. Because it was such a splurge, it was really important to me that M had a good time and felt it was worth the money. Thankfully, he was absolutely thrilled with the experience and still counts it as one of the absolute highlights of our time in Italy.

I’m so grateful to Pushstart and especially to Richard for taking such good care of us!

Tips for Your Ferrari Drive in Italy

As I mentioned above, there are tons of options when it comes to booking a Ferrari drive in Italy. Not only are there multiple companies ready to get you behind the wheel, but you also will need to choose the model you’d like to drive, how long you’d like your experience to be, and whether you want to drive on a track or on the road. M was really pleased with the sixty-minute Mountain Tour in a Portofino because he got to push the limits of the vehicle while simultaneously driving through a gorgeous area of the country. The longer tours are more expensive, but I wouldn’t recommend any less than an hour; the shorter tours don’t go as far up into the hills and I think you’ll be left wanting more time behind the wheel. If you’re going to splurge on this kind of experience, you’ll be glad you didn’t shortchange yourself time-wise.
I was really glad that we paid the extra €20 for me to come along as a passenger. Even though it was windy, it was an amazing ride.
Booking ahead is essential.
Make sure to allow plenty of time to reach Maranello and find parking. The area gets busy during the day and parking spots can be scarce. You don’t want to be late and have to cut your drive short!
We are not usually buy-the-souvenir-photos-and-videos people, but the 360 degree video of M’s drive was absolutely worth the price. There’s just no way to properly capture the experience from the backseat, and you obviously won’t be able to get any photos while driving.
I’m not sure if you’re able to request a specific co-pilot, but Richard was wonderful and we would recommend him to anyone. He really did a lot to make M’s experience unforgettable.
You can easily extend your Ferrari experience in Maranello with a visit to the excellent Ferrari Museum. Alternatively, the Enzo Ferrari Museum in nearby Modena focuses on the company’s founder.
There are plenty of Ferrari- or automotive-centric tours from Parma, Bologna, or further afield if you’d prefer an organized option to planning a visit yourself. Most include a visit to one or both Ferrari museums, and some include test drives or foodie experiences as well.