Italy’s New Ferrari Museum

by Dave Seminara on

Can you imagine driving a 1935 Alfa Romeo 208 mph on a public highway? Or how about a limited edition Maserati that was once owned by Evita Peron? These are just two of the remarkable cars on display at the stunning new Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, Italy, which opened on March 10. The museum is adjacent to the boyhood home and workshop of Enzo Ferrari, the legendary driver and founder of Ferrari, and is located in a striking, bonnet shaped building that took 8 years and more than $20 million to build.

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The museum tells the story of Ferrari’s life and how it fits into the greater context of the automotive history of the Modena region, known as The Motor Valley, home to Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Ducati and other luxury car manufacturers. Ferrari was a racecar driver before he founded the company that would become Ferrari and the museum shows some of the 1930’s era Alfa Romeo’s he raced in as a young man.

The exhibits on Ferrari’s life are interesting but the museum’s real attraction is the collection of more than two dozen classic cars, which come from private collections and will be rotated every six months or so. One of my favorites was the aforementioned 1935 Alfa Romeo Bimotore, a racecar that was designed with two engines. The drivers realized that the car’s two-engine design made it impossible to handle on a racetrack, so they took it out on a public highway near Florence and it set a record by topping 208 mph. Apparently there were no police wielding radar guns in those days.
But if I could take one of these cars home with me it would surely be the 1948 Maserati A6 1500. Only 61 of these beauties were made and vehicle #57 was reportedly owned by Evita Peron. I asked the museum curators what this and the other cars were worth and they could only guestimate that most were worth well over $1 million.

These days, owners of Ferraris and other luxury vehicles are being targeted by the Italian tax authorities for audits, so for those who love these cars but don’t want the scrutiny, this museum is a great place to dream.

If you go: The museum is a five-ten minute walk from Modena’s train station. Modena itself is a beautiful small city but you can also stay in Parma and visit Modena as a very easy day trip. The train ride is only 30 minutes and tickets can be had for about 5 euros each way. If you want to see some modern Ferraris, go to the older Ferrari museum in nearby Maranello. You can buy a joint ticket for both museums at either location.

Tips For Renting Vacation Apartments Or Homes In Italy And Beyond

by Dave Seminara on

Italy is an addictive place. You get a taste of it, and you want more. Indeed, one could spend a lifetime exploring Bella Italia and still not see everything. But with the Euro still relatively strong against the Dollar, it isn’t the most budget friendly travel destination for American travelers.

If you want to spend a week or more in any one town or city in Italy, you’ve probably considered renting a furnished apartment. Below you’ll find some tips for navigating the selection process and making the most of your experience.

Weigh your options- and your baggage. If you travel light, and don’t mind packing and unpacking frequently, renting an apartment might not make sense, unless you plan to spend a significant amount of time in one place, i.e. at least a week. Some landlords in Italy will rent by the night, but most do not. If you have kids or are less mobile, using one place as a base makes sense.

Take a look at the places you want to visit and look into the logistics of making day trips from your base. In some cases, the places you want to visit might not be easy or inexpensive to do as day trips. In choosing your base, try to find a place that’s a transportation hub and is big enough to have a wide variety of restaurants. Car rentals can be prohibitively expensive in Italy, especially if you can’t drive a stick, and gas is pricey, so finding a good hub and choosing your rental home or apartment near public transport is especially critical.Consider looking before you leap. There are a host of great sites for browsing vacation rentals, including Trip Advisor’s FlipKey, VRBO, HomeAway, Wimdu, AirBnb,9 Flats, Owner Direct, BB Planet, Ancora Italia, and a host of others. Depending on how long you plan to stay in a place, how risk averse you are, and how important it is not to unpack multiple times, you might consider booking a hotel or B & B for a night or two and then checking out apartments in person before you commit. You can make contact with owners through the aforementioned sites, set up appointments, and pick the one you like best.

This option is more time consuming, but if you want to make sure you find a place you like, it might be the best idea because it can be hard to gauge what an apartment is like based on website photos. (It’s amazing how misleading photos can be in some cases) When you’re on the ground, you can also gauge what the neighborhood is like, and you might be able to negotiate a better deal in person. That said, if you’re traveling during the high season in Italy, you might end up getting leftovers if you wait until you arrive to book.

Watch out for events and major holidays. If you plan to find an apartment after you arrive, contact the local tourism office and find out if there are any major events, festivals or conferences going on at the time you’ll be there. If you arrive in town during an unusually busy period without a reservation, you might be out of luck.

Make a list of the amenities you need. In contacting a host of different property owners, it’s easy to get mixed up with who promised what, so make a list of the things you think you need. For example, number and size of beds required, WIFI, A/C, shower with bathtub, crib, washing machine, (you won’t find dryers in Italy) dishwasher, etc.

Double check their location on Google maps. A lot of owners will try to be vague on the exact location of the apartment and won’t reveal the exact address until you pay them. Don’t accept their assurance that the place is centrally located on face value, and multiply all time estimates by 2. So if they say it’s a ten minute walk to town, assume it’s 20 to be on the safe side. (At least)

Clarify Internet capability if you need it. If a place advertises WIFI, you can expect it will generally be fast enough to send and receive email, but if you need to do more than that, it’s best to let the owner know that you need to work while you’re in the apartment. Ask them how fast and reliable their Internet connection is. If they’re noncommittal, and you need reliable Internet, look elsewhere.

WIFI can be very hit or miss in Italy, and you might find yourself sitting in your windowsill searching for neighbors’ unsecured connections. If you check out the place in person, I highly recommend bringing your laptop or mobile device and doing an Internet speed test on premises. If they have a modem, bring your own Ethernet cord and plug in- you’ll get better speed.

Watch out for Italian beds. Most mid range and high-end hotels in the U.S. have very high quality beds. Do not expect that level of comfort while renting apartments in Italy. In Italy, box springs aren’t commonplace and many apartment owners skimp on quality when it comes to buying mattresses. I’ve slept in beds that are about as soft and comfortable as the Rock of Gibraltar.

You can ask owners how comfortable the bed is and they will invariably tell you it’s comfortable but some are more convincing than others, and if they hesitate and waffle, you can bet that the bed isn’t very comfortable at all. Of course, the only way to find out for sure is to go check the place out in person, or comb the online reviews of the place.

Don’t be afraid to haggle. Depending on the situation, you might be able to get a substantial discount if you ask for one. The closer you inquire to your date of arrival, the better your chances. If an owner’s apartment is vacant a couple days before your arrival, an offer of 75-80% of their asking price might sound better to them than getting nothing for the week.

Clarify what’s included in the price. Some apartments charge extra for utilities, and items like heat can be very, very expensive in Italy. If you have to pay extra, get a firm range on how much the utilities might cost up front. Many owners also charge “cleaning fees,” so it’s also best to clarify that up front as well.

How equipped is it? Most apartment rentals will include enough supplies to do some basic cooking, but what’s included varies wildly. Some places will expect that you buy your own soap, toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, etc. and some will not. If you’re only going to be there for a week, and need to go out and buy lots of essentials, the cost can add up quickly, but if the place is very well equipped, it can save you a lot of time and money.

Try to avoid payment in full, if you can. Even places that look great can sometimes have lots of problems that aren’t immediately apparent. If you’re staying in a place for a while, ask if you can pay for the first night or two up front and then pay the rest later. That way, if there are serious problems with the apartment, you have some leverage to extract yourself from the commitment. I’ve found that owners who have the best places tend to be fine with this arrangement, while the ones who have dodgy places are the most likely to object and want full payment immediately.

Ask how things work. Some landlords will assume you’ll figure out how all the various appliances work, but I think it’s always a good idea to walk around, test everything and ask questions before they leave.

Assisi’s Quiet Police

by Dave Seminara on

The 13th century Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy is one of the world’s most spectacular places of worship. From the moment you walk into this magical place, your eyes are drawn to the glorious frescoes, the stunning stained glass windows and the Franciscan Friars in their brown robes. But on a recent visit with my two little boys, ages 2 and 4, I was also captivated by a much less heralded institution: the Silencio Police.

Both the upper and lower basilicas have uniformed men, dressed like snazzy police officers complete with flat, wide brimmed hats who patrol the churches, scolding unruly visitors through wireless microphones. The first Silencio Cop we encountered had a voice that was so deep and gravely that it sounded like a Hollywood voice over for God, delivering an angry message to a non-believer.

When I first saw the Silencio Cop in his uniform, holding the microphone, I immediately conjured an image of the cop from the Village People. Only this guy didn’t sing YMCA, he had just three commands he imparted: “SILENCIO!” “SHHHHH!” Or “No Photo!” And they didn’t smile or dance, they just looked stern and grimaced at people.But most of the time, he just barked, “Silencio!” If the offender didn’t quiet down after that, he’d shush them to drive home his point. We visited the basilica on a busy Saturday afternoon and the place was packed, so there were plenty of people who got silencio’d, including my kids.

One could argue that the Silencio Cops were the loudest people in the place, but I was taken with them and the concept of policing quiet. I spent much of the rest of the day bellowing “SILENCIO!” at my children, who enjoyed returning the command. On the way out, I asked about the Silencio Cops and was told that they were paid security guards.

A place like the Basilica of St. Francis commands quiet but I think the concept should be expanded beyond places of worship. In an era of cellphones and a million other mobile devices, silence is becoming an increasingly rare commodity.

I would love to spend a day riding the Metro in Washington, D.C., the “L” in Chicago, or the subway in New York in an official looking uniform with a battery operated wireless microphone on silencio patrol. I would look for people talking too loudly on their cellphones, and then I’d silencio them, and if they ignored me, I’d follow up with a good old-fashioned shushing. It might not work, but it’d be a hell of a lot of fun.

Perugia: The Italian Town Haunted by Amanda Knox

by Dave Seminara on

The medieval city of Perugia is known for its chocolate, its well-respected universities, and for hosting one of the world’s premier Jazz festivals. But in the United States and Great Britain, this city of ancient, winding streets filled with fortress-like stone dwellings is inextricably linked to Amanda Knox, the American college student who was convicted and then acquitted of murdering Meredith Kercher.

The trials attracted a tsunami of reporters from around the world to this ancient Umbrian hill town and exposed a decadent sex, drugs and party subculture that has existed amongst the student population here for a long time. Various news reports indicated that the Knox-Kercher case has scared away British and American tourists and students but according to some in Perugia, the overall effect on tourism here may not be as grim as one might think.

Tourism officials here didn’t want to make an official comment on the effect of the Knox case on tourism in Perugia, but hotel managers and a local who rents apartments to tourists here told me that the publicity surrounding the case has brought more Italian tourists to Perugia, not less.

“Italians have a curiosity to come here and see where the murder took place,” said the apartment manager, who asked that I refrain from publishing his name. “They’re also visiting the island of Giglio to see where the Costa Concordia crashed. People have a fascination with these things.”The apartment manager and others here have told me that locals are nearly unanimous in their belief that Knox and her Italian boyfriend, Raffeale Sollicito, who no longer lives here, are guilty. The fact that Knox has received a book deal that could be worth close to $4 million has only hardened attitudes towards her here. (Kercher’s father is also set to release his own book) Sollicito reportedly finished a computer science degree in prison and, according to ABC News, recently had job interviews in the U.S.

Criticism of the Italian judicial proceedings, which were widely viewed in the U.S. as a travesty of justice, damaged national pride in Italy and created ill will towards Knox’s defenders in the U.S. I followed the trials and was relieved when Knox was acquitted on appeal because I don’t think there was anywhere near enough evidence to convict her of murder. I came to Perguia to see the city’s historical treasures but couldn’t resist taking a walk out to the house where Meredith Kercher was murdered. (see top photo)

As I arrived with my family in tow, a young Bangladeshi couple that now lives in the home were on their way out. They were accompanied by some relatives who were visiting from Great Britain who translated for us. The young man, whose name was Mohammed, just moved into the home four months ago, after emigrating from Bangladesh. The landlord never mentioned that a gruesome murder took place in the home but he wondered why tourists come by to photograph the place.

Initially, Mohammed asked me to take his photo and include it in this story, but I bumped into him later that evening- he sells novelty balloons on Corso Vanucci in the center of town- and he asked me to delete the photos of him from my camera.

The house is located behind an imposing fence on a busy street, very close to the University where Knox was a student. It’s considered a run-down area in Perugia but there is a very nice view of the surrounding countryside behind the home. I found no evidence of any memorial for Kercher, which is a shame.

After looking around the place for a few minutes, I felt like an intruder, even though Mohammed and his relatives were very friendly and seemed to want to ask us about the Knox case, which they had only a vague awareness of. The infamous house has new tenants and life goes on, but Perugia will never be the same.

For her part, Knox has stated that she still loves Perugia and would like to return to Italy, though it’s not likely she’ll do that anytime soon, given the fact that Italian prosecutors have appealed her acquittal. Her parents face defamation charges for comments they made about alleged mistreatment of their daughter by Perugia police officers and Knox is reportedly planning to testify via videoconference. For Perugia, there is no end in sight to the Knox case notoriety.

A Sunday Afternoon Party In Lucca

by Dave Seminara on

As we walked down a quiet street in Lucca, a celebrated medieval town in Tuscany, on Sunday afternoon, we heard drums beating in the distance. Like bloodhounds picking up on a pungent odor, we followed the beat, twisting and turning through the city’s narrow, ancient streets as the tribal drumming grew louder and more insistent. Before long, we were sitting in the town’s atmospheric Piazza San Michele watching a group of young musicians in medieval costumes playing trumpets, beating drums and tossing colorful flags across the piazza.

A few minutes into a spectacular free show, the music stopped for a moment and then we heard ominous drumming coming our way. Another band was marching towards the square and their drum rhythm had a military-style beat to it. The second band made its way into the piazza and several members were wearing suits of armor and carrying ancient-looking weapons, including scary-looking daggers and heavy, bows and arrows.

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On the road, a traveler’s fortunes can change in a heartbeat. Last Saturday, my wife and I were cooped up in our hotel room, seeking refuge from a persistent rain. We encouraged our children, ages 2 and 4, to watch a movie in order to give us a break but they wanted to wrestle and jump on the beds and were driving us mad in the process. Few people enjoy rainy vacation days but trying to amuse toddlers in a hotel room in inclement weather without the benefit of their normal complement of toys can be a sanity-challenging exercise.Long before I go on a trip, I enter the destinations onto the saved weather page on my iPod. I’m not quite sure why, but I check the forecast for these places obsessively in the weeks before my departure. There’s nothing you can do about the weather but somehow it’s fun to imagine what a place is going to be like before you get there.

Lucca and all the other Italian cities I placed on my iPod have enjoyed mostly sunny weather for several weeks prior to our arrival, so when I noticed a six-day forecast that showed nothing but rain the day before our arrival, I felt aggrieved. I called my mom, who spent the entire month of April in Lucca last year.

“We didn’t have a single day of rain all month,” she crowed, making me feel even worse.

Any time you encounter inclement weather while on vacation, you can be certain that people will assure you that the weather was terrific just before you arrived and that it will surely clear up as soon as you skip town. After our first day in Lucca was a washout and the icons on my iPod looked ominous for the next two days, I had very low expectations for our Sunday in town. I simply hoped the rain would be light and intermittent, rather than heavy and steady.

A Swiss couple we met in our hotel told us that they were planning to cut their trip short due to the brutal forecast, but thankfully, my iPod had it all wrong. The morning started cloudy, but right before noon the sun’s rays broke through the clouds and the warmth and light felt like an embrace from the gods. Shortly thereafter, the serendipitous battle of the bands played out right in front of us and the day just kept getting better.

After the show was over, the bands marched back out of the piazza and I spoke to a few members of the first band. A young woman who served as one of the band’s drummers said that it was Lucca’s “Liberty Day” commemorating a 14th century victory over Pisa, the city’s rival.

“At that time, they were our bosses,” she said. “But we kicked them out.”

Her band represented the district of St. Anne, located just outside the town’s ancient walls. The other band was from San Paolino – inside the town walls. No one could recall the year the battle occurred but it didn’t matter.

“The important thing to remember is that we beat Pisa,” she said.

[All photos by Dave Seminara]