My family and I (3 in total) will be taking a train from Rome to Bologna. We wish to tour the Pagani Factory and then perhaps do a tour of a Balsamic Vinegar making operation. Would it be advisable to rent a vehicle at the Bologna train station and drive to the factory. I feel this may be a less expensive option and allow us more flexibility.
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3203 posts
I would avoid renting and driving in Bologna. If you want to rent a car, why don’t you continue to Modena by rail. Frequent Regionale trains are scheduled. Costs €3.85 for the half hour trip. Both Hertz and Europcar have offices near the station. You could check with the Tourist Information office in Modena about food tours to Balsamic factories as well as farms where Parmigiano and prosciutto are produced.
Another option, and this could be the most economical and stress-free choice, would be to take the train to Castelfranco-Emilia and take a cab to Pagani. After your tour, take the train to Modena and sign up for a food tour of your choice. If you Google “balsamic tours Modena” you’ll have many to choose from.
Vroom, vroom!
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
Philip has given you excellent advice.
Info and pricing on the tours.
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Mr. Philip, thank you for your prompt and extremely helpful response. If I plan for a full day in the area, should I have sufficient time to do the Pagani factory tour and then one or more other tours? Pagani is the "must do" but either the balsamic vinegar or the prosciutto tour (or both) do sound very interesting and appealing to us. Thank you for your assistance, John.
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3203 posts
It’ll take you about 3 1/2 hours to get to the factory by rail and taxi. Add another 1/4 hour if you want to start in Modena and visit Pagani in the afternoon. I’m fairly sure you’ll be able to do both in a loooong day if you can coordinate the times of two tours. Viator, a tour consolidator, offers various tours to Balsamic factories and other food tours. Since the auto factory is your primary visit, I would contact them to find out at what hours the factory tours begin. The web site only says morning or afternoon. Once you establish that, you can see which other tours would complement that. You might also email the TI in Modena to see if they have any suggestions
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thank you Phillip. Appreciate your input and guidance.
Posted by
Vignola, MO, IT
664 posts
If renting a car suits your times better don't hesitate to do so. Driving and avoiding the ZTL in Bologna will not be difficult. The drive from Bologna to Modena and or Castelfranco Emilia is not difficult. The first time we went we were forced to rent a car because the trains and buses were on strike. I prefer the mass transit but my husband prefers to rent a car each time he comes to Bologna.
Posted by
seattle
2062 posts
If you do rent a car in Bologna to visit Pagani, take a look at the Villa San Donnino balsamic vinegar tour. It’s an excellent tour on beautiful grounds south if Modena. No cost, but reservations needed.