My itch to travel after the last few years has been intense. So we’ve decided on a trip to Italy that includes a couple days for the Misano round. This will be my 7 year old daughters first big race (besides local club races and motocross) so excited for her and my wife to experience MotoGP. I’ve never been to Misano so did research on best seats. Decided to prioritize comfort so chose Tribuna B because it’s covered. Also visibility across several corners seems good. Hopefully chose well! Which hotels are good to stay at? Best way to get back/forth to the track? Any tips to do while we’re near Misano?
I haven't been to a race there, so can't give any advice on seats. Its a cool track though... in the middle of town and close to the ocean. Check out the Nicky Hayden memorial I would suggest you stay in Cattolica. Its a super touristy town, but its great for walking, its really affordable for both food and hotels, and your kid will have lots to do there. The beaches are crazy... everyone is packed like sardines in row after row of arranged lounges with umbrellas. Drinks and gelato every meter. To get around, you'll use taxis, or the public bus system. You could rent a car, too, but parking is very problematic in Italy as a whole. Search hotels on Tripadvisor.
There are not too many hotels in the area, the good thing is the track is half-way between Cattolica and Rimini. We rent an AirBnB in the area and always find something about 2 - 3 km away from the track. Driving is easy and parking is what you'd expect - a grass field that takes 30 minutes to get out of after the race. You should plan to take your family into Tavullia on Saturday night. On Friday night the riders and teams will have dinner down at the ocean in Gabicce Mare. Driving up the mountain and spending a few hours in the Republic of San Marino is also fun. Overall the weather is always warm, the food is excellent, and wear bright yellow to the track...like the other 85,000 people.
Thank you both. Found a nice looking apartment through AirBnB in Cattolica. Easy for the girls to get to the beach while I go to qualifying on Saturday. I’m used to public transport in Italy so going that route for the 1.5 weeks we’re there to avoid the rental car hassle. Thanks for tips on dinner in Gabicce Mare and the memorial to Nick (didn’t realize that existed there). Will plan for both. We’re headed to Florence after the races to base for rest of the week. On a whim, I checked the schedule at Mugello. I’ve never been there and it’s been on my list since the 90s to visit. Turns out there is some type of Aprilia track experience with rental rides that week. Has anyone ever heard of this operation: https://www.specialbikecircuit.it/prodotto/exclusive-ride/
Thanks for the advice in this thread for helping with my trip to Misano. Sharing info while it’s fresh for other who travel for the San Marino GP: Italy is very family friendly. Everyone is especially kind to my seven year old daughter so that makes it easier to travel with kids here! We flew into Bologna. Rented a car because it was easier to do that for visiting around Misano and getting to the track with family. Easy 1.5 drive via autostrada to Cattolica. If I was going by myself then I would have rented a scooter locally and taken the train to Cattolica. We visited Castello do Gradara on Friday. Daughter was awed at seeing a medieval castle. It is 15 mins from Cattolica. Visited the VR46 store and restaurant in Tavullia. Cool spot for Rossi fans. They were setting up for a massive party in the town square - everyone was a worn out from travel so we gave it a miss. Stayed in Cattolica at an apartment listed on VRBO. Excellent spot close to the beach, restaurants and only a 10 minute drive to the track. Highly recommended. PM if you want details. Host was fantastic and we had a dedicated parking spot. Parking at the track was easy. Look at the Misano website for driving routes because some roads are closed to lessen congestion. I used the Red route. Parking was super easy. We parked in a field designated for Tribuna parking. Got to parking at 730 both mornings so had prime parking available close to the sidewalk path to the track. Field was just south of roundabout. It was a 15 minute walk from parking to track entrance. Basic security checkpoint before entering. Bags are allowed. I bought tickets for Tribuna B because it was covered. This turned out to be ideal because we would have roasted without the covering if we had been in stadium seats or general admission. Tribuna C is also covered by doesn’t actually have seats; just concrete to sit on. Bought tickets directly from the Misano track website. They were less expensive and had a reduced price kids ticket. Printed at home and they were scanned at entry. Easy.
Just mention here, since you flew into Bologna, that Bologna's old town inside the walls is one of the really cool spots in Italy, lots of medieval and Renaissance buildings, with the city originally dating from Etruscan days circa 3000 BC, which is, of course pre-Roman. It doesn't make it onto most folks' tourist lists, and isn't as touristy as other Italian cities, but it is one of our favorites. We have stayed in a hotel a block off the Piazza Maggiore square that was built as worker housing for folks building the main church about 1200 AD. And relatively easy access to Rimini and Imola. If you are in the area, it is definitely worth a look.
Thank you! We’re headed back to Bologna next weekend so will definitely check out the old town. I should have mentioned that we visited the Ducati factory straight from leaving the airport. It’s only a 10 minutes drive. My wife and I lasted visited the factory eighteen years ago… I think soon after the museum first opened. Was really good to see Nick’s 2010 bike on display. It was a chance to teach my daughter a little about him and his career.
