by Italy is famous for its picturesque landscapes, exquisite cuisine, rich art, and beautiful cars. Living nearby, in Greece, I have had the opportunity to visit it many times. However, one important goal on my automotive bucket list remained unfulfilled — the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese. The opportunity I was waiting for finally came thanks to the annual celebration of the brand’s birthday, which this time coincided with the museum’s 50th anniversary.
I planned the trip independently and covered all expenses, except for the press car, which Alfa Romeo kindly provided so I could experience the event through the eyes of an Alfista. Before reaching the museum, let me take you through the urban spaces of Milan, the picturesque villages of Lake Como, and the lakeside town of Lugano on the other side of the border with Switzerland.
Getting Acquainted with the Alfa
My car for this journey was the Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida Sport Speciale, which sits below the flagship Initiale and Veloce trims. The body was painted in Brera Red, which favorably offset the contrasting black roof and 18-inch Fori alloy wheels with three spokes. This combination gave the small SUV a richer look than one might expect for its price.
Photo: Thanos Pappas / Carscoops
In addition to the Sport Speciale badges on the fenders, this trim is distinguished by the vintage Alfa Romeo script on the grille and glossy black accents. Initially, I was not a fan of the overloaded style of the Junior, but I must admit that in this configuration, the model has a share of exotic charm and makes you look twice.
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Although there are no changes to the engine (143 hp, 1.2-liter turbocharged mild hybrid) or chassis compared to the standard Junior, the Sport Speciale reveals its true essence when you step inside the cabin.
Photo: Thanos Pappas / Carscoops
The seats are upholstered in perforated Alcantara and Ice white leather, with heating and massage functions for the driver. More importantly, Alfa added Alcantara inserts on the steering wheel, dashboard, and center console, addressing some complaints about material quality in the standard Junior.
Equipment is generous: the optional Techno Pack adds matrix LED headlights, more ADAS systems, a 180-degree rearview camera, hands-free trunk opening, wireless charging, front and rear USB ports, and a better audio system with six speakers on top of the standard 10.25-inch infotainment system. If you are interested in the cost, the mild hybrid Sport Speciale starts from €31,150 ($35,600) in Italy, with an additional €1,650 ($1,900) for the two-tone paint and €1,000 ($1,100) for the Techno Pack installed on the press car.
Exploring Milan
Photo: Thanos Pappas / Carscoops
With the basics of the car covered, now let me take you through Milan. The first stop is the iconic central square and its majestic marble cathedral, the Duomo di Milano. This Gothic landmark is impressive up close: with its scale, 3,400 statues, and 135 spires reaching into the city sky.
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Next to the largest Catholic cathedral in Italy is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The oldest active shopping center in the country has a beautiful ceiling overhead and leads to the Teatro alla Scala, waiting at the other end.
Art connoisseurs will appreciate the Pinacoteca di Brera and the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, which are also historic palaces located near the city center. There you will find original paintings by masters such as Caravaggio, Francesco Hayez, Andrea Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci.
Photo: Thanos Pappas / Carscoops
I would also recommend renting an electric bike, which costs €0.75 ($0.86) per hour after a weekly subscription of €9 ($10). This allows you to stop almost anywhere, avoiding parking troubles in Milan. Personally, I enjoyed the sunset on the Navigli canal and rode the bike to the Sforza Castle park. However, you must be very careful on uneven cobblestone roads and, where possible, stick to bike lanes.
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For slightly longer distances, for example, to visit the San Siro stadium, where the famous football clubs Inter and Milan play, you can always use public transport. This time I chose the comfort of the Junior, as my trip coincided with a heatwave. Fortunately, the small SUV had icy air conditioning and provided a quiet and comfortable ride, despite the 18-inch Sport Speciale wheels.
Note to self: don’t update the infotainment on vacation
Photo: Thanos Pappas / Carscoops
The only real problem I encountered with the Junior was an unexpected error that left it immobilized on the roadside for about half an hour, and it happened shortly after I received the car. It all started when I pressed “Accettare” on the infotainment screen before switching the language from Italian to English.
As it turned out, I had accidentally activated a wireless update that got stuck on the “Completed” stage and refused to start the engine or move the car an inch. The solution was to disconnect the battery and wait a full 10 minutes, essentially force-restarting the Alfa, before it agreed to work.
Fortunately, the SUV came to its senses, and everything worked perfectly for the rest of my trip. This incident taught me to avoid software updates altogether, especially when I am far from home.
The Beauty of Lake Como
Photo: Thanos Pappas / Carscoops
Returning to our tour, I spent a day exploring some of the beautiful villages scattered around Lake Como, which is about an hour’s drive from Milan. The famous Y-shaped lake stretches 170 km around its perimeter, and the picturesque terrain of the surrounding area is filled with winding roads that beg to be driven.
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The views are stunning and easily inspire spirited driving, although you have to keep a close eye on oncoming traffic. The roads are narrow, with poor visibility and few places to stop, so it is better to keep a relaxed pace and enjoy the scenery.
As for the Junior, although it cannot match the sophistication and exceptional handling of the larger Stelvio, I appreciated its manners in Dynamic mode, which makes the steering sharper and improves throttle response more than I remembered from my review.
Photo: Thanos Pappas / Carscoops
The performance of the mild hybrid system, widely used in Stellantis models, proved more than adequate on the highway. Despite the size of the internal combustion engine and the tiny electric motor, the SUV showed a good balance between dynamics and efficiency, remaining a comfortable cruiser at speeds up to 120 km/h, after which it got a bit noisy.
After a quick stop for a photo shoot in the main town of Como, I headed to the tiny village of Nesso, where I enjoyed a traditional pizza with a beautiful view of the water. After lunch, I walked through the narrow, green-covered alleys and found myself on a small bridge next to a waterfall that you might have seen on TikTok. Young people use this place to jump into the lake, but for me, the highlight was the cold air coming down from the mountains, like a natural air conditioner.
The truth is, driving around Lake Como never gets boring, as there are more places worth visiting than you can imagine. However, I had a tight schedule, and since I had already enjoyed a short ride on a Riva boat during a previous trip, I decided to move on.
Next Stop: Switzerland
Photo: Thanos Pappas / Carscoops
Just 45 minutes from Como and a little over an hour from Milan, you will find the Swiss lakeside town of Lugano. The landscape changes as soon as you cross the border between Italy and Switzerland, welcoming you with even more greenery and much better roads. The picturesque town is located in the Italian-speaking part of southern Switzerland, so attempts to communicate with the locals are almost no different.
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Lugano has a long promenade, perfect for relaxing walks. You can also buy ice cream, rent a pedal boat, or take a ride on Fiat 500 boats that operate in the region.
Photo: Thanos Pappas / CarScoops
Switzerland is a rich country, so car enthusiasts will enjoy watching cars, as the city creates a perfect backdrop for your photos. I spent about an hour there and still came across several exotic models, such as a Lamborghini Revuelto, Porsche 911 GT3 Touring, Ferrari 296, Ferrari Roma, Aston Martin Vantage, and others.
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However, what truly caught my attention was a classic Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce from the 1970s, parked next to a modern Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm. The positioning of these two cars against the landscape backdrop made it seem like I had ordered a photo shoot with the owners. This encounter was an appetizer for the next day, which was to mark my first visit to the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese.
A Feast for Alfisti
Photo: Thanos Pappas / CarScoops
Visiting the museum on its 50th birthday was an unforgettable experience, as there was much more happening than a regular tour. Owners from around the world gathered for the event, and the parking lot was packed with all sorts of Alfa Romeo models.
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The number of Giulia Quadrifoglio was impressive, joined by older gems like the 156 GTA in sedan and wagon forms. The atmosphere was great; everyone was friendly and having a good time, despite the extreme heat. Whether you came in a MiTo or a sought-after classic, you felt at home; there was a sense of unity among owners and fans.
The program included parking private cars all around the Arese track, some forming a colorful “Museo 50” sign on the grass. Alfa Romeo displayed the stunning 33 Stradale supercar and the ultra-rare Giulia Quadrifoglio Luna Rossa, which mingled with beautiful classics. Then the museum held an indoor presentation, saving us from the blazing sun.
The Alfa Romeo Museum
Photo: Thanos Pappas / CarScoops
In addition to the special events, I had the chance to explore the museum and see some of my all-time favorite designs, which was one of the highlights of the entire trip. Personally, the best for me was the original prototype of the luxurious 8C Competizione from 2003, which later inspired the production version in 2007. Close to it stood the unique 33 Stradale Prototipo from 1967, a car widely regarded as one of the most beautiful ever created.
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You also cannot help but look at the curves of the C52 Disco Volante Spider, built by Carrozzeria Touring in 1952, which shared the floor with its coupe sibling. The collection of concepts brought together Gandini’s wedge-shaped Carabo, Giugiaro’s Iguana, and Pininfarina’s 33/2 Coupe Speciale, all parked in one room.
Photo: Thanos Pappas / CarScoops
I also liked the 1960 Giulietta Sprint Speciale by Bertone, the wide 1970 1750 GTAm racing car, and the angular 1993 155 DTM, which stood next to stunning endurance racing cars and Formula 1 cars.
A Private Behind-the-Scenes Tour
In addition to the main collection, I was invited on a private tour of three additional floors filled with concepts, rare production models, racing cars, and a multitude of scale models from the Alfa Romeo Centro Stile archives. This tour is offered for an additional fee, but in my opinion, it is worth it for die-hard fans of the Italian brand who want a look behind the scenes.
On those upper floors, I saw a wide variety of classics from Alfa Romeo’s early days up to the 2000s. A few memorable examples: a 2002 156 GTAm, the early 1990s Zagato SZ “Il Mostro” in coupe and roadster forms, a 2003 Kamal SUV concept, and the 1991 Proteo concept with a retractable glass roof.
Photo: Thanos Pappas / CarScoops
I was also impressed by racing sedans with custom body kits, the 164 ProCar with a Formula 1-derived V10 engine, and a Group C racing car that never went into production. Finally, you come across oddities like a 1976 New York taxi by Giugiaro, a cutaway 164 Vigili Del Fuoco built for firefighters, and the 1998 Monoposto Spider concept.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed this story and the photo galleries as much as I enjoyed this journey. As for the Junior, some will joke that disconnecting its battery on a hot Milan afternoon might be the most authentic way to experience a modern Alfa Romeo, while others will dismiss it as an overpriced Peugeot 2008 in different clothing.
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However, after spending a few days with it, I came to the conclusion that, although it is not a flawless machine or a thoroughbred car like the Giulia, it holds its own as a worthy contender in the crowded European compact SUV segment, targeting buyers who want to stand out from the crowd.
Watching decades of history parade around the museum’s track, I realized that the real magic of Alfa Romeo is not in the technical specifications at all. It lives in the community, the heritage, and the unwritten rule of following your heart, not your head. If you have ever dreamed of making a pilgrimage to Arese, my advice is to do it. You will return home with a few good stories and a soul full of memories.
This trip was not just a test drive of the new Junior but also a deep dive into the culture of a brand that has evoked mixed emotions for decades. On the one hand, technical drawbacks, such as the software glitch, remind you of the compromises you have to make for style and character. On the other hand, the atmosphere at the celebration in Arese and the variety of models on display prove that Alfa Romeo is more than just cars; it is a community united by a shared passion. The Junior, despite its controversial looks and Stellantis technical base, managed to convey this emotional component, especially in the bright Sport Speciale trim. It does not claim to be the best in class but offers what many competitors lack — individuality and a connection to history.
