Parma: Discover Motorsport Excellence with a Simulator at Dallara Academy

Step inside the world of professional racing at one of Italy's most iconic motorsport institutions.

At the Dallara Academy simulator experience, visitors gain rare access to a living archive of motorsport engineering and the chance to take the wheel of a professional driving simulator in Varano de' Melegari, just outside Parma. This two-hour visit blends history, architecture, and hands-on technology in a way few attractions in Italy can match. The experience is rated easy and is suitable for a wide range of visitors, from curious first-timers to dedicated motorsport enthusiasts.

Inaugurated in September 2018, the Dallara Academy occupies more than 5,500 square meters within a striking modern building designed by Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia. The structure is conceived as a harmonious composition of mechanical parts, where a spectacular glass spiral ramp connects two floors housing exhibition areas, workshop spaces, MUNER lecture halls, and a 350-seat auditorium. The building opens onto the Val Ceno landscape through a sweeping glass wall that follows the curve of the ramp.

The exhibition at the heart of the Academy presents legendary vehicles that trace Dallara's 50-year history, from the Lamborghini Miura and Fiat X19 to American IndyCars, Le Mans prototypes, Formula 3 and Formula E machines, and the road-going Dallara Stradale. Each car represents a chapter in the story of Engineer Giampaolo Dallara, who founded the company with the intention of sharing technical expertise with future generations of engineers and racing enthusiasts.

The simulator session is the highlight of the visit for many guests, offering a chance to experience the sensation of a professional racing car from a cockpit designed with the same attention to detail found in real competition vehicles. The combination of exhibition and simulator creates an experience that is both educational and genuinely exhilarating.