One thousand (imperial) miles – or about 1600 kilometers round trip – from Brescia to Rome and back. In Italy, the Mille Miglia race has been a traditional granfondo road car competition since 1927, with 24 editions held from 1927 through 1957. And since 1977, the Mille Miglia has become a historic stage race – with participation limited only to cars produced before 1957 that have already participated in (or at least signed up for) the original race. But above all, the Mille Miglia race is today synonymous with style, elegance, taste and sophistication – combined with the freedom to be a little unconventional and the excitement of the competition! A race that inspires adventure and curiosity, thanks in part to the gorgeous Italian landscape featured along the way – from cities and countryside to pristine Italian lakes and even the sea. The 2020 edition (the 38th since the competition was revived), was held last October in four stages – that also served as a journey through the flavors and aromas of Italian cuisine and wine excellence. This is how it went.
1st Stage: Wine, Shellfish and "White Gold"
On October 22nd, the historic Mille Miglia race started in Brescia. Then the cars launched out towards Garda Lake, to cross the Valpolicella Wine Road, where some of the most classic and renowned Italian wines – such as Amarone, Ripasso and (indeed) Valpolicella – are produced. Here, the wineries, restaurants and the local Enoteca della Valpolicella are always ready to welcome travelers with wine tastings and typical dishes from the region. For their first dinner and overnight stay, the motorists stopped in Ferrara, a city which functions as the gateway to the Po Delta, where you can find 17 different “pearls” of local Italian cuisine and wine, ranging from seafood (such as eels, clams, mussels, shrimp, sea bream, sole and sea bass) to fresh vegetables from the region (like the rice, radicchio, asparagus, pumpkins, mushrooms and truffles). In particular, the most valuable shellfish comes from Sacca di Goro – a lagoon with the perfect habitat for their cultivation. Continuing through the Comacchio Valleys, the race “track” reaches more Italian specialties from the region of Emilia-Romagna – featuring wines such as San Giovese and Lambrusco, with food specialties like the piadina romagnola and Cervia salt (recognized by the Slow Food Presidium since 2004). In fact, the integral salt from Cervia is considered “white gold” because of its unique physical and mechanical processing, with a history that dates back millennia, which you can explore further in the Museo del Sale (Salt Museum) founded in the 1980s to preserve the city’s cultural heritage of salt mining.
2nd stage: Fabriano Salami, Olive Ascolane, Amatriciana and More
The second stage of the race – from Cervia to Rome – is 550 kilometers of Italian cuisine excellence. The first stop is in Fabriano, where the city makes a traditional salami from the Marche hinterland, with a dense consistency, a garnet-red color and a particularly even distribution of lard. A little further on, you can taste the stuffed olives local to Ascoli Piceno accompanied by the typical wines of the area. Then the route leads you to Amatrice, the home of spaghetti all'amatriciana – famous all over the world and TSG-recognized (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed) by the European Union since March 2020. And thanks to the donations following the earthquake, with the help of the Municipality of Amatrice and the Lazio region, the famous architect Stefano Boeri re-designed eight restaurants in the city, where you can once again taste a delicious plate of amatriciana. After Amatrice, you’ll end up in Rome, where the cars drive down the long, elegant Via Veneto as if it were a catwalk. Here, you can dine on traditional dishes of the local peasant tradition in the Testaccio district at restaurants like Checchino (since 1887), which boasts an incredible international wine list, or Felice al Testaccio, to which Roberto Benigno once dedicated a poem. Then there’s the Osteria Fernanda, a venue halfway between a bistro and a gourmet restaurant.
3rd stage: Brunello di Montalcino Wine, Pienza Pecorino Cheese and Prosciutto di Parma
On the way back, you’ll pass through the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany, which offers an unforgettable landscape among rolling hills, rows of cypress trees, ancient villages and farmhouses. Not to mention the unique food and wine specialties, like Brunello di Montalcino, a wine celebrated throughout the world, and Pecorino di Pienza, one of the oldest cheeses in the world still produced in the same way today as it was a thousand years ago at a now-recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 2004). Then, you’ll journey through Siena, Lucca and Viareggio, as the cars drive north to arrive in Parma, the 2020 Italian Capital of Culture and UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy. With so many delicacies, it’s easy to see why Parma has won so many awards, with such excellent symbols of Made in Italy food items – like the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, the Prosciutto Crudo di Parma PDO, and even the Culatello di Zibello PDO and the Coppa di Parma IGP. All of which you simply must try with gnocco fritto and wines from Colli di Parma PDO.
4th stage: From Casoncelli Pasta and Polenta to Franciacorta's Bubbles
On October 25th, we left Parma for the last stage, leading us back to the drivers’ starting point. Salsomaggiore Terme, Castell'Arquato, Treviglio and Bergamo. The city of peasant cuisine and traditional dishes – such as the casoncelli stuffed pasta and polenta, with gourmet venues like Da Vittorio, a 3-starred Michelin restaurant in Brusaporto. Between Bergamo and Brescia, nestled between the hills of Lago di Iseo, you’ll come across the realm of bubbles – Franciacorta. Where you can taste metodo classico sparkling wines in renowned wineries, from Berlucchi and Bellavista to Ca’ del Bosco and Contadi Castaldi. Then enjoy gourmet cuisine in restaurants like the Albereta Relais. And then finally, we’re led back to the finish line in Viale Venezia in Brescia. With a mind full of adventures and a belly full of delicious Italian cuisine.