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MILAN
Miglia since I was 18 and bought my first car,” says Jacopo
Arosio, front of housemanager at ReginaHotel Baglioni
Rome [which is, incidentally, a terrific place to stay;
from
¤
220, book at hotels.easyjet.com
]. Enthusiasts are allowed to
drive behind the racers on the open road, but not in the cities.
To compete in the race is one of my greatest wishes.”
It’s a wish I’m fulfilling – if only bymyself. By lunchtime
I’m inMantua, enjoying a snack at themuseumdedicated
to TazioNuvolari (
tazionuvolari.it
), who twice won theMille
Miglia in the 1930s and after whom the ItalianTV sports
channel is named. Founded in 1985, here you’ll find all
manner of artefacts that once belonged to the famed racer.
It’s a wonderful way towhile away an afternoon, but I have
a schedule to keep, so soon it’s back to the road, towards
Bologna and theGrandHotel Majestic (
grandhotelmajestic.
duetorrihotels.com
). Celebrating its centenary this year, the
plush residence has seenmanyMilleMiglias over the years.
Not that the racers themselves would have been afforded
such luxuries. The first races weremadcap affairs, bolting
down to Rome and back in as fewhours as possible – no
wonder drivers sometimes fell asleep at the wheel! But as the
Miglia becamemore popular, non-contestants would follow,
eating and sleepingwell along the route. Since 1982, the race
has become a
garadi regolarità
(time trial), held over four
days. Average speeds aremuch higher (160kph), but the
attitude of the drivers ismore celebration than desperation.
As I approach Bologna, the countryside grows a lush,
darker green, with tall poplars lining the road. Here in
Emilia-Romagna you see a lot of vines being cultivated. It’s
tempting to divert off-route and sample some Colli Bolognesi
or Pignoletto, but I have dinner booked in the city.
Fifteenth-century Bolognamust have looked like
Manhattan, with its distinctive towers. There used to be up
to 180 of these narrowdefensive skyscrapers, but now there
are only 21. Dinner at Pappagallo (
alpappagallo.it
), at the
base of Alberici Tower, is just what’s needed before another
day behind the wheel: good traditional food, local wine and
old-fashioned service.
The next day, the road leads to Florence. TheMilleMiglia
returned here inMay 2012 after six years of giving the city
amiss. These days, the race is limited to just 375 vintage
cars, but their arrival downVia Cassia is still treated as a
seriously big event, even in this city that isn’t short on history.
The actual course of the race varies each year now, but
Enthusiasts are allowed to drive behind the racers on the open road,
but not in the cities. To compete is one of my greatest wishes”
One of the first photographs ever
taken from the cockpit, taken
during the 1953MilleMiglia
TRAVELLER
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