Imola

Imola is a town within Bologna Metropolitan District, best known for its motor-racing circuit, which hosts Formula One and other big events.

Understand
Until 200 BC, Rome only controlled a small part of Italy. The broad fertile plain of the River Po was obviously worth seizing, so they built Via Aemilia as a great trunk road, with a line of colonies, fortresses and towns along it. Imola was one of these towns, established by the dictator Sulla around 82 BC. Other despots also thought it worth seizing, so Imola was at various times held by the Lombards, the Pope, and the warring Italian great families. It particularly enjoyed patronage in the 15th century and again in the 18th, with many fine buildings created or embellished. The town's main trades were agriculture and ceramics, like nearby Faenza.

Imola in 2017 had a population just under 70,000; it's a commuter town and has excellent transport along the valley, so you could use it as a base to explore everywhere from Bologna to Ravenna. But what made its name famous was the racing circuit, set up in 1953 as the home circuit of the Ferrari racing team.

Get in
By air, Bologna Airport is closest and has budget flights by Ryanair. Venice Marco Polo has a wider selection of flights and is little over an hour's drive.

Regional trains run every hour or so from Bologna Centrale via Castel San Pietro Terme, taking 20 min to Imola and continuing southeast to Faenza, Forli, Rimini and on down the coast to Ancona. Inter-city trains don't stop here, you can change in Bologna.

TPER Bus 101 takes 75 min between Bologna and Imola, running every 15 min M-F and hourly Sa-Su.

is on the north side of the town centre.

By road follow A14 Autostrada Adriatica.

Get around
The central sights are all in walking distance, including the racing circuit - head south down via Dante Alighieri. Buses 101 and 140 run by Piratello, for the sanctuary.

Further out

 * is a small town with a castle, but best known for its elaborately painted walls.
 * is a small town with a castle, but best known for its elaborately painted walls.

Do

 * Carnevale dei Fantaveicoli are whacky races in February.
 * Imola in Musica is a weekend in June.
 * CRAME is a motor show at the racing circuit in September.
 * Baccanale is a food festival in November.
 * Baccanale is a food festival in November.

Buy

 * Lots of convenience stores in town centre. Lidl and Aldi supermarkets are on via Selice north of the railway station.

Eat

 * Lots in town centre, including Anonima Fornelli, San Domenico, La Tavernetta, Vicolo Nuovo and Forum Cornelii.
 * Just for a change, there's Ayaki Sushi on piazza Alessandro Bianconcini.

Drink

 * The main strip for bars is along via Mazzini.

Sleep

 * and are near the race track.
 * and are near the race track.

Connect
Imola has 4G with all Italian carriers. As of April 2021, 5G has not rolled out in this region.

Go next

 * Bologna is a beautiful and historic city needing several days to explore.
 * Faenza gave its name to faience ceramics.
 * Ravenna is another fascinating old city.