Modern Vespa

Does anyone have any experience of renting and riding a Vespa in Calabria. We are traveling to Pizzo on the foot of Italy in May and would love to explore the area on 2 wheels. I don't really mind what type of machine I ride but feel when in Italy (albeit a distance from Rome) etc etc.
Any advice or contact details of reputable hire companies would be very welcome.
Thank you all in advance.

I toured through there on my way out of Tropea and had a solid lunch at this place:

Osteria Degli Artisti
+39 328 251 9187
https://maps.app.goo.gl/vvoYkunWEdyzAguNA

Can't help you on the rental - I grabbed mine in Napoli. Prices were pretty cheap in the south though.

Scooter rental near train stations is very common in Italy. Try a Google maps look near the major train terminal.

Be sure to scoot over to Tropea while you're over there!

Thanks to everyone who has taken time to reply. The food pic has made me suitably hungry.

Please forgive my ignorance but what should we looking out for in Tropea. It's on my planned route.

I recognise your profile pic! My Vespa is currently parked up at the marina.

I can't help with hire companies, but just to note that you need a 150cc to go on most bigger roads in Italy, whereas it's 125cc here.

Also Italy LOVE using the horn. It feels aggressive at first, and then you realise it's just what they do every few minutes. Record so far is being beeped 3 times while leaving a carpark

Tropea itself.



Though I did find a Vespa city tour in nearby Vibo Valentia as well.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/AttractionProductReview-g194939-d15411505-City_tour_in_Vibo_Valentia_on_a_Vespa-Tropea_Province_of_Vibo_Valentia_Calabria.html

Have you been to Calabria before? It's a little different from the rest of Italy, except maybe Sicily or Puglia.

This is our first trip to Italy and we can't wait. Always been put off the country, by the expensive reputation so Calabria is probably a good introduction. Getting around on 2 wheels is very important to us as Mrs Slug gets travel sick by any other means of transport.
Watch this space for a report come June.

I hope you'll love it. My parents are both from southern Italy, so, I just want you to level set expectations: The south is beautiful, but it is rough, raw, rugged, dry, with many who still live off of their land. It's a very different Italy than the north.

Switching from the lira to the euro hurt. The recession hurt. Many of the most ambitious will leave to go find work in the northern half of the country or beyond it's borders (mother left and became a professor, father left and became a lawyer, etc.). You can end up with towns that have a "brain drain", and a shrinking population, as the youth leave.

There's a raw beauty to it. You can find a lot of terrific content on YouTube and all over the internet of things to do and places to see. It's awesome that you guys are going together. Beware of roads in August if you'll be there around then. The whole country goes on vacation and everyone wants to go to the beaches of the south.

I hope to be there some time May-June, wave if you see me!

Slug/adri,

You lucky dogs, riding around in Calabria. May and June are
great because you get a little jump on tourist season. Also,
the area is more out of the way.

Memories, I was stopped at train crossing in the out back in
Calabria. The barrier was down - but the trains do not run on time.
I needed a break, so, I put the kick-stand down on my Ducati
and got off to stretch. The couple behind me in a convertible
Fiat 124 turned their radio way up with Johnny Cash singing
"I fell into a burning ring of fire". Just a great memory.

Bob Copeland