Italy gets everything. The food. The art. The cars. Living next door in Greece makes visits easy enough. Yet one box remained stubbornly unchecke.d the Museo Alfa Romeo in Arene. Until this year. The brand’s annual birthday aligned perfectly with the museum’s 50th anniversary. An excuse finally formed.
I paid for this trip. Every euro except for the press car. Alfa lent me one. They wanted to see the event through Alfisti eyes. So I took the wheel.
Before the museum. Let’s drive. We’re going to Milan. Then Lake Como. Then Lugano. It’s a journey.
The Car in Question
The vehicle? An Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida Sport Speciale. It sits below the Initiale and Veloce grades. But look closer. Brera Red paint. Black roof. Three-spoke phone-dial wheels on 18-inch Fori alloys.
It looks more expensive than it is.
The styling wasn’t always my favorite. Too busy? Maybe. But in this trim? It works. There’s an exotic flair to it. Gloss black accents run along the edges. Vintage Alfa lettering sits across the scudetto. It makes people look twice.
Inside? That’s where the money talks. Perforated Alcantara mixes with Ice white leather on the seats. They heat up. They massage. The driver gets extra love. More importantly, Alcantara coats the steering wheel and dashboard. It fixes the “cheap plastic” complaints aimed at standard Juniors.
Spec-wise, the 1.2-liter mild-hybrid turbo puts out 143 hp. The chassis hasn’t changed. But the Sport Speciale adds flair. Optional Techno Pack includes Matrix LED headlights. Better ADAS. A 180-degree rear camera. Hands-free tailgate.
Pricing in Italy? Start at €31,150 for the mild-hybrid SS. Add €1,650 for the bi-tone paint. Add €1,000 for the tech pack. Not cheap. But not outrageous for an Italian badge.
“It has a smidge of exotic flair.”
Milan Without The Parking Headache
Milan is iconic. Start at the Duomo di Milano. Gothic marble cathedral. 3,400 statuse. 135 spires piercing the sky. It dwarfs you.
Next door sits the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The oldest shopping center in Italy. Glass ceiling. Elegant arches. Walk through to Teatro alla Scala on the far side. Art lovers should hunt down Pinacoteca di Brarea. Pinacoteca Ambrosian. Originals from Caravaggio. Da Vinci. Raphael.
Tip: Rent an electric bike.
The app charges €9 for a week. Then €0.75 an hour. You bypass parking. You stop anywhere. I pedaled to Sforza Castle for sunset. Navigli Canals at night? Magical. Just watch the bumpy cobblestones.
For longer legs, like San Siro stadium (Inter and Milan), take the train. Or drive the Junior. It was a heatwave. The car’s A/C blasted ice-cold air. The ride stayed quiet despite those chunky 18-inch tires. It held together well.
Frozen Screens And Dead Batteries
Until the screen died.
Right after I picked it up. I switched the infotainment language from Italian to English. Hit “Accept.” Then? Nothing. System frozen. Engine won’t start. Car locked.
Stuck by the road. Half an hour passed. The culprit? An accidental OTA update that stuck on “Complete.” No reboot. No exit.
Fix? Disconnect the 12V battery. Wait 10 minutes. Force a hard reset. The Alfa blinked awake. Life resumed. Lesson learned. Never update software on vacation.
Lake Como Twist
One hour outside Milan. Lake Como.
A 170-km Y-shaped ribbon of water. Surrounded by mountains. Roads? Twisty. Narrow. Dangerous if you don’t pay attention. Visibility sucks. Pull-off spots? Non-existent.
So you drive calmly. You take pictures. You don’t drift.
The Junior handles the curves nicely in Dynamic mode. Steering tightens up. Throttle response improves. It’s not a Stelvio. Don’t pretend it is. But for a small SUV, it dances better than expected. On the highway, the mild-hybrid system (Stellantis shares this with many brands) does the job. 120 km/h? Comfortable. Faster? Noisy.
We stopped in Como. Took photos. Drove to Nesso. A tiny village. Perfect for pizza overlooking the water.
After lunch, I walked down tight green alleys. Found a small bridge next to a waterfall. Young locals jump in from TikTok height. The air from the mountain cooled me down naturally. No AC needed.
Switzerland And Carspotting
Forty-five minutes north. Cross the border. Lugano.
Switzerland. Green everywhere. Roads perfect. Still speak Italian? Mostly. The lakefront invites lazy walks. Grab ice cream. Rent pedal boats. See Fiat 500 jet boats speeding by.
It’s expensive here. So rich people buy fast cars.
I spent an hour walking. Saw everything. Lamborghini Revuelto. Porsche 911 GT3 Touring. Ferrari 296 and Roma. Aston Vantage.
Then I saw them.
A classic Alfa 2000 GT Veloce from the 70s. Parked right next to a modern Giulia GTAm. Old school met new school against a lake backdrop. Felt staged. Beautiful. It teased the next day’s real destination.
Arese Day One
The Museo Alfa Romeo. 50th anniversary.
Parking lot full. Owners came from everywhere. Giulia Quadrifoglios everywhere. Vintage 156 GTAs in sedan and wagon forms. MiTo. Classics. Newer stuff.
Atmosphere? Electric. Friendly. People ignored the heat. They celebrated together. A mural made of cars spelled “Museo 50” on the grass.
Alfa showed off two beauties: The 33 Stradale supercar replica. And the ultra-rare Giulia Quadrifoglio Luna Rossa. They stood among classics like giants.
Then we went inside.
Behind The Velvet Rope
Most tourists see the main hall. I got keys. Three extra floors. Rare concepts. Vault items from Centro Stile Alfa Romeo.
It was overwhelming.
Top pick: The 2003 prototype for the 8C Competizione. Pre-production. Rawer than the 2007 version.
Next? 1967 33 Stradale Prototipo. Arguably the best designed Alfa ever built. Curves that defy logic.
Also there: The Disco Volante Spider by Carrozzeria Touring (1952). Shared floor space with the coupe. A wedge-shaped Carabo by Gandini. The Iguana by Giugiaro. 33/2 Speciale by Pininfarina. Concepts from every design school.
Then racing history. 1960 Giulietta Sprint Speciale by Bertone. Wide-body 1750 GTA. Boxy 1993 155 DTM. Parked near F1 cars. Endurance racers.
My guided tour led me up to more secrets. 156 GTA from 2002. The monstrous SZ Zagato Il Mostro (coupe and roadster). Weird 2003 Kamal SUV. 1991 Proteo concept with a glass roof.
Racing freaks saw 164 Procar. V10 engine. F1-derived power. Stillborn Group C racer.
And oddities. Giugiaro designed a New York taxi in 1976. Fire truck 164 for firefighters. A Monoposto Spider. Weird. Unique.
“The true magic lives in the unspoken rule.”
Is It Worth It?
Some say the Junior is just a dressed-up Peugeot 2008. Overpriced French engineering wearing red lipstick.
Others laugh when I disconnect the battery. “Very Alfa,” they say.
After three days? It’s neither terrible nor miraculous. It’s a decent European contender. Crowded market? Sure. But this one stands out. Looks distinct. Drives adequately.
I drove it to Arese. Watched history circle the track.
Alfa doesn’t make sense on spec sheets. Power? Weight? Resale value? All debatable. But the soul? Real. You follow the heart here. Not the head.
If you’re going to Arese? Go.
Take the bike in Milan. Watch the water in Como. Spot Ferraris in Lugano.
You’ll come back tired. But happy.
