Monza, Italy

Monza is the fastest circuit in Formula 1 and the spiritual home of Ferrari. The Autodromo Nazionale Monza sits inside the Royal Villa of Monza, a 700-hectare park of formal gardens and ancient plane trees 15km north of Milan — the most beautiful circuit setting in motorsport. The Italian GP crowd (the Tifosi) is the most passionate and theatrical in F1; if Ferrari win at Monza, the scenes are unlike anything in world sport. Even if they don't, the combination of the fastest cars on earth, the parkland setting and the Italian devotion to the spectacle makes this essential.

F1 2026: 4–6 September. Early September in northern Italy is outstanding — warm (24–28°C), the summer crowds thinning, the light extraordinary. Milan is at its best in autumn. Book accommodation months ahead; the Italian GP is enormously popular and Milan hotels are significantly more expensive during race weekend. Monza and Lecco (on Lake Como, 30 minutes from circuit) are alternatives.

Milan Centrale to Monza is 12 minutes by regional train (S5/S6 lines). The circuit is a 15-minute walk from Monza station. On race days, the frequency of trains increases significantly. From Milan, all the main attractions are accessible by Metro. No hire car is needed if based in Milan.

Milan is the obvious base — one of Italy's great cities and extraordinarily well connected to Monza. Monza town centre has good hotels at lower prices than Milan and a beautiful historic centre rarely visited by tourists. Como (45 minutes from circuit) combines circuit access with Lake Como — outstanding but more expensive during race weekend. Lecco (30 minutes from circuit, on Lake Como) is cheaper and less touristy than Como.

The Villa Reale di Monza and gardens — the 18th-century royal villa and its 700-hectare park that surround the circuit are open to visitors; the formal Italian gardens, the Orangerie and the rose garden are outstanding. Monza Cathedral (Duomo di Monza) — one of the finest Gothic-Romanesque buildings in Lombardy, containing the Iron Crown of the Holy Roman Empire (said to contain a nail from the True Cross). The Last Supper (Il Cenacolo) in Milan — Leonardo da Vinci's mural in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie; book well in advance, the experience is 15 minutes and completely transformative. Pinacoteca di Brera — Milan's finest art museum, with Raphael's Marriage of the Virgin, Caravaggio's Supper at Emmaus and outstanding Lombard Renaissance painting. Lake Como — Bellagio, Varenna and the gardens of Villa Carlotta are all within 45 minutes of the circuit.

Milan and the surrounding Lombardy region produce some of Italy's finest cuisine. Risotto alla Milanese (saffron risotto, the defining Milanese dish) at Trattoria del Nuovo Macello. Cotoletta alla Milanese (the original, bone-in veal schnitzel) at Osteria del Treno. The Mercato Centrale Milano at Milan Centrale station has an outstanding food hall. For the full F1 Italian GP experience, the restaurants in the Monza park that open only during race weekend serve excellent Lombard food to an enthusiastic Tifosi clientele.

Monza circuit involves some walking on grass and unpaved surfaces, particularly in the free grandstand areas. The parkland setting is beautiful but the September heat can be significant. Milan is flat and very accessible by Metro.

Italy is a safe country for tourists in the areas described. The emergency number is 112. Pickpocketing is a risk in Milan's tourist areas and on the Metro — keep valuables secure.

The Parabolica (Curva Alboreto) grandstand is the finest viewing position at Monza — the penultimate corner where drivers brake from 340km/h, followed by the flat-out run to the finish line; the roar of the cars exiting the corner is extraordinary. The Lesmo curves are accessible via general admission and give an unobstructed view of high-speed cornering through the forest — the atmosphere among the Tifosi in the trees is unique. Take the train from Milan to Monza on Saturday morning and walk through the park before the qualifying crowds arrive — the circuit at 8am, with the cars already present in the paddock and the Lombardy light in the plane tree avenue, is one of the great experiences in motorsport.