Great vintage cars, beautiful scenery, challenging roads: a perfect recipe for pleasure and one that's open to participants in the various tours organised by a group known as Amici Americani Della Mille Miglia.

I don't speak Italian but what little I know of the language suggests it translates as American Friends of the Mille Miglia, that being the fabled 1000-mile sports car race from Brescia to Rome. The Mille Miglia is long-gone but recreations of the event, limited to classic cars and safer speeds, are held annually in Europe and North America.

The deadline for entering this year's California Mille has passed but you at least have plenty of time to plan for next year. And if that event doesn't fit your timetable the group offers similar tours lasting from a day to a week. If I had a suitable car (that Porsche 356 would do just fine) I'd sign up immediately.

It's hard to imagine anything more enjoyable for a classic car enthusiast, so if this is you, check out the Amici Americani Della Mille Miglia Web site and discover how much fun it could be to tour California in grand style.