PreWar Press

The Magazine

Calling all Drivers!

Transappenninica is an international gathering of historic cars listed in the ASI and FIVA calendar organised by C.R.A.M.E. and Scuderia Romagna since 1985.

The route for the XXXII year will take place in the second week of May starting and finishing in Cervia – Milano Marittima on the Adriatic coast.

The itinerary will run across Veneto, famous Italian region rich in tradition, history art and amazing landscapes and starts at 4pm on Sunday May 6 at the Palace Hotel di Milano Marittima with registration and reception. Limited to a maximum of 40 cars so the organisers can ensure entrants can enjoy the best hospitality, restaurants and resorts.

Up early on Monday morning to glorious Italian sunshine and a route chart takes you north up the Adriatic coast to Comaccio, then the fishing village of Chioggia and on to Mestre with its history and character dating back to medieval times… and of course Venice !

Next day you drive inland in a big loop finishing at Albano Terme, a Spa town west of Venice located on a plain close to a range of low green hills with a sign at the entrance to greets visitors: 'Welcome. Please avoid disturbing noises'. This sums up the atmosphere of the leafy town. Abano is dedicated to rest and relaxation, and does its best to avoid anything which might disturb the languid pottering of its visitors. So any running repairs need to be done quietly please.

If your car behaves itself and your navigator slept well, you will arrive at Lake Garda on Wednesday evening and this writer recommends you get a puncture, (like he did in a 1927 Humber driving back to UK from Istanbul) on the shores of the lake because you will be surrounded by beautiful Italians offering food, drink and hospitality and assistance.

Each day will be filled with amazing landscapes, history, tastes and emotions and if you are lucky you may follow a vintage Bentley running on Castrol ‘R’.

Friday will be interesting because you spend Thursday night in Ferrara where you find Palazzo Schifanoia , a Renaissance Palace built for the Este family. The name "Schifanoia" is thought to originate from "schivar la noia" meaning literally to "escape from boredom". So pedal to the metal all the way as you drive south east back to the Palace Hotel di Milano Marittima and a well-earned drink before the survivors’ dinner.