Modern Vespa

Scooter tour in Florence. We rode 125's around the city and up into the hills. Turned out to be fun and no one got hurt to my surprise. I was almost the only one who had experience. Several of the "tourist" girls got riding lessons of 2 block just before we headed out into city traffic. We did get out to the country pretty quick and we took roads that probably were slow enough not to result in death. However, even with a few gravel and dirt word thrown in no one crashed.

It was actually a very fun ride although this time of year is hot. Still this is Scooter Heaven for sure, bikes are everywhere and with these small winding city and country roads it is the best way to get around. The 125's while not any too powerful were enough. They took us for an included lunch which was so much better than I expected. Actually, one of the best traditional Italian meals I have had. Platters of cheeses, meats, veggies, breads and wine (I declined that) but it was at the very end of the ride once back in the city of Florence so that was cool for the riders.

I will pass on the tour company if anyone gets the chance. The leader was a younger, kind of cool guy who gave us tips on Florence and beyond. Actually we followed an old red Fiat 500 so we probably never were going faster than 20 mph

That sounds great! I went to Florence years ago, before the scooter bug bit - it rained all day and the queue to get in the Uffizi was about four hours long.
This sounds like a much more civilised way to see the great city! Did everyone get to ride PX125s then or was there a choice of scoot?

Very nice. Post more pics! We were in Florence a few years ago, and would have loved that.

We had a wonderful adventure renting in Barbados this year (see Barbados via Burelli - Beat the Blues)

Maybe a Topic should be started regarding 'Scooting away from home - Rentals', or something like that, for posts like this.

This would be a trip I would love to take someday.

My girlfriend and I did the Edelweiss tour of Tuscany last year. We each had 300 GTS' but it would have been fun to have a 2 stroke shifty to ride.

We were in Firenze (and Roma and Venezia)* in May.

Florence was the absolute highlight of our trip. We did 2 tours with Walkabout Florence. Their Cinque Terre Trek and their Best of Tuscany. If we had more time we'd have done their Vespa one and Fiat one probably, too!

Loved seeing scooters used for daily life in Rome & Florence.

We even took a 45 min train ride on our own to Pondeterra to visit the Vespa museum!

Can't say enough good things about Italy, the food, wine, people, countryside!

The best way to see some of Italy on a Vespa is to find a 'base camp" hotel that will store your suitcases for a few days while you tour with your basics in a duffel bag bungeed to a rented Vespa. No one is going to notice that you wore the same shirt twice. Take clothes that dry quickly and hand wash them as you go. Just because the airlines allow a 50 lb suitcase full of stuff doesn't mean you need to carry that much around Tuscany. We did 28 days with a duffel each, plus a top case and a small duffel on my front rack for quick access to rain gear.



There is so much to see in Tuscany, and such great roads to ride. Pick a base town plus two towns further afield and spend two nights in each, touring the routes to and from as well as the sights around those towns. For example, set your base in Pontedera (can easily see Pisa and Lucca from there) and go south via Volterra to Massa Marittima for two nights with a day trip to Elbe. Then to Cortona or Siena for a couple of nights and back to Pontedera. That's six nights of really seeing Tuscany.

Want to see the Cinque Terra? Take the train there and overnight. A scooter is of marginal value there. Same with Firenze and Venezia.

My 2 cents worth.

What an awesome vacation ! You nailed it !

Was there in 2010 took this photo in Fiesole overlooking Firenze

DrScoot,
I only have to complain that there are no more pictures!
Post 'em if ya got 'em!