About Italian Vespa Scooters
First let’s start with a little story about why I think Vespa scooters are so cool.
Audrey Hepburn did it for me – starring with Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday. Just like a classic, her fashion sense and elegance made her a timeless style icon. A beloved film, memorable performances, beautiful visuals and honestly, who doesn’t love a good old classic Hepburn film?
But, the most iconic scene is where Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) and Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) ride through the streets of Rome together on a Vespa. The entire film oozes romance, adventure and a touch of comedy, but I want to dig a little more into that scene…
Iconic Italian Vespa scooters, have become synonymous with style, freedom, and the spirit of exploration. With their sleek design and effortless manoeuvrability, Vespas offer a unique way to navigate through bustling city streets or picturesque countryside roads. Whether you’re zipping through narrow alleys in Rome or cruising along the Amalfi Coast, riding a Vespa allows you to immerse yourself in the local culture and experience Italy like a true local.
Here are some of the best itinerary suggestions, not just for the stunning landscape but did you know Italy has some of the most luxurious car museums?
FURTHER READING: Uncover Italy’s Automotive Heritage: A Guide to Remarkable Car Museums and Collections
1. Tuscany
Escorted Tours: The Vespa Trip
Self Guided: Viator
If you really want to look like an Italian local, it is almost prerequisite that you go around by scooter or motorbike in Tuscany. With lots of small roads and tracks through the countryside, you can avoid traffic and go scenic. The southern area of Tuscany provides several days’ worth of natural and man-made attractions to pepper your days of riding.
There are three natural hot springs here. Saturnia features white terraces of iridescent blue pools while a day trip to Bagni di San Filippo has dramatic white cliffs of built-up calcium deposits or Bagno Vignoni is a town whose main piazza is actually a large rectangular pool of thermal water.
Visit the hilltop towns of Montepulciano, for excellent wine and leather goods, and Pitigliano, whose houses built on a rocky outcrop sit above a network of underground caves.
Plan your visit to the Vespa factory and Piaggio Museum near Pontedera
Places to Stay: Fonteverde or Airbnb
2. Salento, Puglia
Escorted Tour: The Vespa Trip
Self-Guided: Archetta
At the very base of the stiletto heel of Italy’s boot lies the area of Salento. Its coastal roads can make for a three- to four-day trip, allowing plenty of time for exploring sea caves and eating fresh seafood. This side of Salento’s coast is characterized by dramatic cliffs, rock formations, and grottoes. Stop at Grotta della Poesia, a natural swimming pool formed by erosion, and Sant’Andrea with its monumental rock formations and sea arches. The southern point of Puglia, Santa Maria di Leuca is dotted with sandy beaches like Le Maldive di Salento. A town protruding out into the sea has a local speciality – raw red prawns of Gallipoli.
Places to Stay: Charming Puglia or Airbnb
3. Amalfi Coast, Campania
Escorted Tours: The Vespa Trip
Self-Guided: HP Motorrad in Rome
This stretch of road along the beautiful Amalfi Coast is an exhilarating combination of hairpin bends, dizzying views down to tiny sailing boats far below. Admire the bougainvillea bedecked streets, but if it’s high tourist season. Carry on to Furore, a village of a few houses and vineyards on terraces rising vertically up from a fjord, and on to Conca dei Marini, a village surrounded by lemon groves with a sort of natural terrace that overlooks the sea. Amalfi, once one of the Four Maritime Republics of Italy, is very attractive but also very busy. Pause in Ravello, instead, to enjoy the Villa Rufolo gardens and finish in Vietri sul Mare, the heart of the Amalfi coast production of bright, artistic ceramics and home to the Museum of Ceramics.
Places to stay: There are plenty of great Amalfi Coast Airbnb options.
4. Stelvio Pass, South Tyrol
Self-Guided: Begin your adventure by flying into Milan and arranging a Vespa rental with: Planet Ride
Exploring the Stelvio Pass on a Vespa, offers a unique and exhilarating experience. It is the highest road pass of the Italian Alps climbing to 2758 meters above sea level. It borders between Italy and Switzerland. The pass is located north of Bormio, an ancient Roman Spa Resort and is one of the most beautiful drives in Europe. As described by Jeremy Clarkson, it’s “15 miles of asphalt spaghetti draped on an Alp”.
The road was built between 1820 and 1825 by the Austrian Empire in order to connect the Lombardy region in Northern Italy to the rest of Austria. Since 1825, the road has changed very little.
The pass allows you to exploit both the capabilities of your Vespa scooter, the acceleration to the braking force, with many very narrow and hairpin turns – you will require a certain level of concentration! But you can take frequent breaks at designated viewpoints to soak in the beauty and capture memorable photographs. Mountain goats are another distraction to look out for. At the top, be prepared to be mesmerized.
Book an Experience and stay in Europe’s HIGHEST Airbnb | Chalet Levissima Bormio 3000
Conclusion
In closing, if you’re in the market for treating yourself to a Vespa, we hope you would agree these trips would make the ideal introduction before you buy.
