Prancing horses and preening: Ferrari Factory Museum

By Jim Mathers in Marenello

It was a fitting start. A bus pulled up and a bunch of young Italian men, most of them sporting a Mattia Binotto hairstyle, jumped out, casually flicked their hair back and posed for a group photo under the Ferrari sign. They then scampered towards us to join the short queue to enter the Maranello Ferrari Museum. A block away, a Ferrari engine roared to life as a visitor jumped into the passenger seat for a paid ‘test drive’.

We’d decided to have a gander at the larger museum at Maranello. There’s also an Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena (Maranello is about about 30 mins from Modena). It’s a bit smaller but no less fancy, as you’d expect from Ferrari. But the museum at Maranello has more of a focus on production racing and Formula 1 cars, which piqued our interest. As we were staying in Modena, we briefly visited the Enzo Ferrari Museum but that was mainly to catch the shuttle bus to Maranello after having a quick and very decent machiatto in the resident cafe to kick start the day. 

You can easily do the museum at Maranello in an hour and a half. 

There’s a special display covering Scuderia-Ferrari’s 90 years in F1, with several cars featured, including the championship cars of Schumacher and Raikonnen. 

You can also wander amongst several red or yellow Ferrari supercars, including the GTO, F40, F50 and Ferrari Enzo. There is some fine machinery here. 

For 30 euros you can sign up for a go on one of four F1 simulators, after you’ve drooled over the fine cars in the museum. A 10-minute ‘drive’ on the simulator includes three minutes of instruction. Plenty of people gather to watch, so you can have a race day-like audience cheering on your perfectly executed high-speed crashes. 

There is, of course, the obligatory merch shop. You can pick up a pair of Ferrari-branded espresso cups for 30 euros or a nice Ferrari t-shirt for 80 euros. They also sell Ferrari leather jackets but the purchase of one of these might require you to first mortgage your house. 

If you like fine cars, and Ferraris in particular, a visit to Maranello’s house of prancing horses is worth the effort. Entry costs 22 euros, or you can buy a combined ticket to both museums for 30 euros. You con add a factory and track tour for 20 euros (you stay in the bus). The shuttle bus between the two venues costs 12 euros return. 

Now freelancing, Jim Mathers was managing
editor of RACQ's The Road Ahead 
for nearly 25 years. He's also pretty
 handy on the guitar.

Cooperative Swiss: Shopping and saving in the Alps

There’s a Coop not far from the statue of the late, great Freddie Mercury at Montreux
… an extra bonus is the free loo near the entrance!

In Switzerland, the Coop is your friend. Jim Mathers loves the way Swiss shop.

While Switzerland is amongst the most scenically beautiful destinations in the world, it is also amongst the most expensive to visit. Coop is a chain of generally very well-stocked supermarkets (Migros is another, but we found Coop to be a bit better). You’ll find these outlets everywhere and you’ll almost always find one near a train station. One of the great things about Coops is their range of pre-prepared foods. You can pick up a ham and cheese sandwich, salad roll, a vege wrap, dozens of types of cheese, a sausage roll, a full salad plate, some fresh pastries and all manner of drinks, including beer and wine. This is handy if you’re jumping on a long-distance train and don’t want to spend big bucks on an onboard meal. 

Flash Lithgow, Wallerawang and Portland

An easy day drive or ride from Sydney and a historical centrepiece of the NSW Central Tablelands, Lithgow is easily overlooked as riders head west out to Bathurst and beyond

So I stopped in for an extended stay and exploration of the former industrial town and its neighbouring villages of Wallerwang and Portland. 

Ten facts and myths about Cuba

Cuba has long been a favourite destination among travellers. World traveller, Robert Fletcher, shares some observations from this energetic, welcoming and endearing destination.

Perito Moreno Glacier: No such thing as too much ice

El Calafate pre or post-Antarctica is the perfect fit. This is all totally different to the Antarctic experience. This area of Patagonia is covered in forests, lakes and mountains which make the landscape entirely different.

Holland America brings you the world

“Oh oh, here they come again,” says Ty, our skipper and fishing guide, “you’ll need to get your fish in nice and quick.”

This advice is not unusual for me. If we were fishing anywhere in the Kimberley or Top End back home, we’d be talking about ravenous reef sharks that would pounce on your hooked fish if you didn’t get it in the boat in 30 seconds. 

Sail and Bike in the Netherlands aboard Leafde fan Fryslan

Travel specialist, Martyn R Paterson takes us to the Wedder Sea and Friesland Islands

My week aboard the sailing ship Leafde fan Fryslan was thoroughly enjoyable. The trip was varied and interesting with everything going smoothly despite some wild, windy days.

Idiots Abroad: The stupid things we do when travelling!

Years ago when I was still at uni, my final assignment was on the risks of injury or death while travelling overseas. It turned out to be quite an eye-opener and revealed to me the various dangers travellers face while overseas for business or leisure.

Best-selling author, Fiona McIntosh, explores the Haunch of Venison

This photo shows the Haunch of Venison, which is one of southern England's oldest hostelries, tracing its first record around 1320 when the building was used to house craftsmen who were working on the now famous Salisbury Cathedral spire. Apparently, beneath the fireplace, there is an old bread oven that contains a smoke-preserved and mummified hand and - I love this - is believed to belong to a demented card player from the eighteenth century who supposedly lost his hand during a game of whist because he was found to be cheating!

Why Trains beat planes for travel in Europe

Travel writing doyen, Jeremy Bourke, ponders the many advantages of training versus planing through Europe. His considered verdict follows.

Ah, the irony. I'm gliding between the Austrian city of Villach and beautiful Salzburg, writing this ode to the joys of rail travel – on a train I shouldn't be on. I caught the right one, from Slovenia's capital Ljubljana to Frankfurt, and it departed 10 minutes late. Acceptable.

Buffet 101: Top 10 buffet blunders you should avoid

We’ve all seen it. The hotel guest with apparently no clue about the function of the breakfast or dinner buffet. COVID procedures have certainly retuned our awareness of sanitary matters - or should have - with many hotels and resorts closing their buffets for good.

A recent visit to a premium resort reminded me that money and wealth do not beget manners. So, this prompted me to compile a short list of common buffet faux pas.

Is this a tourist scam in Livorno?

from Ian McIntosh travelling in Italy

It seems the transport authorities in the Italian city of Livorno are not only targeting tourists - but ripping them off in the bargain. A group of Australian tourists were hijacked by transport authority thugs in Livorno Italy yesterday and ripped off for 40 euros each. 

Aboard Azamara in the Mediterranean

from Ian McIntosh aboard Azamara Journey with wife and author Fiona McIntosh

Boarding Azamara Journey in Barcelona was quick and easy - there were plenty of staff and with only a shade under 800 guests the terminal was never very crowded. It seems Covid fears have gone out of the window - we were asked if we were feeling ok - and that was it. When you finally make it on board the reception area is a bit ordinary but a glass of champagne made up for any disappointment. 

Scuba diving Vanuatu

While it may seem that Port Vila and Santo get all the attention with their many wrecks and reefs, in truth the whole island group of Vanuatu has an enormous variety of diving experiences to suit all levels and interests. Almost divers will arrive in Port Vila, but how can you extend your experience when you've ticked off the well-known operators in town?

New World War 2 museum for Luganville, Espiritu Santo

I’ve made several visits to Luganville over the last few years but one new addition to the main street caught my attention. A tiny building in Unity Park at the western end of Main Street, almost on the banks of the Sarakata River, is where Stage 1 of the South Pacific WWII Museum will be located

Visiting Seattle USA

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North to Alaska: Cruising with Holland America

Holland America Line brings more people to Alaska than by any other means and have been doing it longer than any other cruise line.

Which US capital city can you not drive to? It’s a great trivia question and it's true: you cannot drive to the state capital of Alaska, Juneau. But you sure can cruise there.

The Suite Life: Why upgrade to a suite on your next cruise?

Royal Suite Class RCCL

Firstly, the comment that “walking around the decks must be like attending the New Year store sales - an absolute bun fight – and the restaurants must be packed as well.”  Not true. Some passengers get their daily exercise walking around the deck - others love the pools.

From On Board: Ovation of the Seas

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Now is the time to visit Australia’s North West #WesternAustralia

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Groote Eylandt: Is this the best fishing in Australia?

I still have fond memories of fishing with my grandmother on the Murray River back in the 1960s, before the invasion of European carp. We would sit on a massive river gum root coaxing tiny translucent shrimps onto little hooks in our quest for callop, cod or catfish.

Cafe Culture in Oslo

Thick Blankets of Fog and Fur

My flight arrived into Oslo from Bangkok at about 7.30am on September 13th. The middle of September is the very beginning of autumn, but the city was waking up to a thick blanket of fog.

Thailand's giant ICONSIAM is the world's most expensive shopping mall - but the food is cheap

#hugthailand # amazingthailand

Should we include Bangkok among the world’s greatest shopping cities? Does Thailand's frenetic capital rate against the traditional Asian retail meccas of Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai? Travel journalist, Roderick Eime explores the mighty megamall of ICONSIAM.

If we were to ask veteran ABC journalist and presenter, Jonathan Green, then the answer is an emphatic ‘yes’. In his Radio National podcast series, ‘Return Ticket’, Green examines Bangkok’s fascination with the glittering megamall and declares “there is no better placed on Earth than Bangkok to study the proliferation of the mall.”

Green draws particular attention to the opulent shopping metropolis that is Bangkok’s newest megamall, ICONSIAM. Opened in 2019 to great fanfare on the eve of the global pandemic, the US$1.5 billion complex must have had investors in a cold sweat as cities and travellers came to a grinding halt for two years.

Read the full story at Amazing Thailand.

ABOUT

ICONSIAM is a massive shopping and entertainment complex located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand. It opened in November 2018 and has quickly become one of the city's most iconic and luxurious malls. Here are some key features and highlights of ICONSIAM:

Size: ICONSIAM is one of the largest malls in Southeast Asia, spanning over 750,000 square meters (approximately 8 million square feet). It consists of two main buildings connected by a skywalk, and it features both indoor and outdoor shopping areas.

Luxury Shopping: The mall is known for its high-end and luxury brands, making it a popular destination for luxury shopping. You can find a wide range of international and Thai designer boutiques, including many flagship stores.

Dining: ICONSIAM offers a vast array of dining options, from fine dining restaurants to casual eateries and international cuisine to traditional Thai food. The mall's riverside promenade features numerous dining establishments with stunning views of the Chao Phraya River.

Entertainment: The complex includes a dedicated entertainment area known as ICON CINECONIC, which offers a premium cinema experience. Additionally, there is an indoor floating market where you can explore and shop for traditional Thai products and street food.

Art and Culture: ICONSIAM places a strong emphasis on art and culture. The mall features various art installations, exhibitions, and cultural events throughout the year. There is also an art gallery called "Art Icon," showcasing contemporary Thai and international art.

Observation Deck: ICONSIAM boasts the "ICONIC Multimedia Water Features," which includes a stunning multimedia water fountain and a daily light and sound show. You can enjoy this show from the mall's riverside promenade.

Transportation: The mall is conveniently accessible via boat, as it has its own pier, allowing visitors to arrive by boat along the Chao Phraya River. It's also connected to the BTS Gold Line's Charoen Nakhon Station.

Overall, ICONSIAM is not just a shopping mall but a destination in itself, offering a mix of shopping, dining, entertainment, art, and cultural experiences in a luxurious and scenic setting along the river. It's a must-visit for anyone looking for a high-end shopping and leisure experience in Bangkok.