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I’ve always wanted to say “When in Rome….” and mean it literally, so you can imagine how much I overused it when I actually was in Rome. I was a guest of HouseTrip, along with several other travel bloggers and learned to shop like a local , eat like a Roman at Il Ristorante Pierluigi and even learned how to fight like a local – well an ancient one anyway at Gladiator School. Naturally we also had to travel like a local – which in Rome means riding a Vespa! When in Rome…OK, I’ll cut it out, I promise.
10 Vespas in Rome attracts some attention - fortunately we were with locals!
I don’t know if Rome was quite ready for a group of intrepid travel bloggers to take to its streets, so we went with locals on a Vespa tour causing quite a stir as our group of 10 Vespas whizzed through the streets of Rome.
The Coliseum was one stop on our Vespa tour.
Our Vespa tour could be described as a cultural adventure. We would drive to a cultural site, such as the Rome Coliseum or the Roman Baths, dismount from our Vespa and learn about the history. Then we would get back on again and we were off to the next place.
The Roman Baths were illuminated at night. I need to return to visit them properly.
My favorite part of living like a local is actually meeting locals and I had a great chat with Stefano, my Vespa driver. In fact it was my favorite part of traveling like a local. Come on, admit it ladies, doesn’t every girl dream of hanging on for dear life to a hot Italian guy as he navigates you through the streets of Rome? I may be married, but I’m not dead!
Me on the back of a Vespa with Stefano.
Needless to say that I’m forever grateful to Angie from Angie Away for this photo.
It was through our chat that I learned how special our Vespa drivers were. These were not ordinary tour guides, but professionals with a love, some may say obsession for Vespas. “This type of Vespa is not so comfortable, so they are not very popular,” Stefano explained. It turns out our drivers were part of a Vespa club who just happened on occasion to offer Vespa tours through the streets of Rome. “Obsession” may seem like a strong word, until you realize that each Vespa driver has more than one Vespa. Stefano has 11, all of which are sitting in his mother’s garage. When I asked another guide how many Vespas he owned, he looked at the ground, then shot Stefano an envious glance as he replied “Only three.” I still thought three Vespas was quite a few.
Stefano as seen through his Vespa mirror.
Just what kind of people are obsessed with Vespas? Surprisingly professional ones. Stefano is an architect. Other guides were doctors or engineers. But they are also friends. It’s a small group and they will often go for rides together.
Up next for Stefano? A drive (on his Vespa of course) from Rome to London for a Vespa Conference, which he expects will take 5 days, so if you happen to see an old style Vespa with an Italian license plate, somewhere outside of Italy en-route to London, stop and say “Ciao”. Stefano is one of the most interesting locals I’ve ever met and I had the privilege of traveling like a local with him!
I was a guest of HouseTrip, which provides an ideal alternative to hotels through its wide range of holiday rentals for all budgets. I certainly felt like a local staying in this fabulous apartment in Rome with views of the Coliseum!
You may also be interested in A Vespa Tour of Rome by the PlanetD which describes more of the sights we saw on our tour. Carried Away on a Vespa by Kirsten Alana has great photos of our Vespa tour. Vespa Tours and Italy. describes Heather’s not one, but two Vespa rides in Italy.
Oh la la! I wouldn’t mind traveling around Rome on the back of a hot local’s Vespa.
Seriously, though, I think it’s really cool that this group of Vespa-loving friends offers tours like this.
Christy @ Technosyncratic recently posted..Floating Village in Halong Bay, Vietnam
Vespa tours of Rome is a fantastic idea
5 days going from Rome to London sounds like a long way for a little Vespa.
I’m surprised there aren’t more places that do something similar. We went on a scooter tour of Penang but that was just us getting shown around by gentleman who lived there and liked to show visitors around.
What an extraordinary experience. I’ve got a lift on a Vespa some times, and for a non-Italian just riding without the helmet is a thrill – let alone going through the streets of Rome.
Italian Notes recently posted..Best beach breaks in Puglia
Definitely keen to do this when we get there in a weeks time! Looks like so much fun.
Cole @ Four Jandals recently posted..Basic Arabic Words for Travel to Egypt
I had a Vespa when I was about 16 – a million years ago. Such fun it was. Going through Rome on one would be fab. And with a hot Stefano, even fabber…
Sophie recently posted..Atlantic Canada: Lively Lunenburg
A Vespa tour sounds fun, but do they have hot Italian chicks to hold on to also?
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..Introducing Deej’s Florida Swing
To answer your question — Yes! Gladiator school, then riding a Vespa in Rome — what a great time you had! Nice to read about it and see your pics.
Cathy Sweeney recently posted..An Afternoon with George in Alexandria, Virginia
!! Vespa Gang! That looks like a fun tour to go on (the Italian guy is such an added plus =D)
Annie – FootTracker recently posted..My Mystery Meal @Matsumoto
Must be a whole different experience seeing Rome with a local. And riding around on a Vespa’s not bad either.
InsideJourneys recently posted..#TPThursday: Crackling Pig Roast
I had a similar awesome experience in Colico up in Northern Italy.
Unfortunately I didn’t get to ride with a cute Italian girl though! Maybe next time
Best. Tour. Ever.
Andrea recently posted..Barcelona Day Trip: Besalu
Do they promise a hunky Italian with every tour? If so, then sign me up
Seriously though, this looks like one of the best ways to see Rome! I’d definitely be up for it.
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista recently posted..Picking a Favorite
Mmmm… not sure I would have dared. I have a bad memory of motorcycles and crazy drivers in Thailand!
Riding a Vespa is a thrill and that too in Rome… Its just travelling like a local.. Excellent article.
Sounds like a lot of fun! I wouldn’t mind flying through the streets of Rome on a Vespa. Although, I’d be scared for my life to drive.
I did take a motorcycle ride from a guy through the streets of Milan last year. That was pretty cool.
Cheryl recently posted..A Day At The Baltic Sea In Sopot, Poland.
Glad to see so much enthusiasm for Vespa tours. I loved the experience and it gives you a completely different feeling of a place than just walking around it does. Also agree that this group of Vespa drivers was very unique. They were all so friendly and really are what made the tour so incredible.
@Cheryl – I think you would love it and if you got scared it’s a perfect excuse to hang out tighter to the hot Italian driver
If being a local is hanging onto an Italian guy then sign me up!
Ayngelina recently posted..The island that surprised me
I’ve always wanted a Vespa – they look like so much fun. And nging on to a hot Italian guy at any age is a very good thing.
Leigh recently posted..12 Reasons to Visit Canada This Summer