Modern Vespa

Some pics from Pontadera, Firenze and Pisa!

And from the Piaggio museum:

And more:

Lovely, lovely, lovely! I must get me to that museum soon.

I used to have an ET4 just the colour of that last one - I think it went by the charming title of 'tobacco brown'.

Really enjoyed all the great photos. Going to Tuscany for four weeks in October. Is there anything that I should not miss?

Go to Siena. It's an awesome small medieval city with tons of character.

So nice! Never been to Italy. Makes me even more determined to go.

Maybe there's a Bella Italia Scooter Tour in your future

Al

A nice trip that covers most of the pretty sites is:

* The cinq terra
* Pisa (the leaning tower)
* Could go to Rome (if you like that sort of place)
* Pontedera (the vespa museum)
* Siena (the whole city)
* San Gimignano (stay in the monastery)
* Florence (the whole city)
* Venice (the whole city)
* Then perhaps up to the Italian lakes (ie Lake Como)

You could perhaps hire a scoot if you wish or just travel by train/bus.

If you are going to ride, the Dolomiti are magnificent

Al

Don't forget Prato which is a medieval walled city. And San Minorini which is where the photo of me was taken. There is a tower atop a hill with fantastic views. Prato and San Minorini are within half an hour of Firenze.

Great stuff Doug, thanks.

Doug

Did you take the photo of the leaning tower - it's an excellent photo!

Was the scooter with the very very long wheelbase meant to be ridden (and if so how?) and if not why did they build it?

Mike

lovely pix doug - glad you're back!

i agree the tower photo is superb

It's a mockup like the 10 foot tall PX


and the Vespa Helicopter:



Some were built for movies, some for fun, I guess.

Al

Shame really - I quite liked the idea of having a long saddle and taking 5 or 6 mates out for a trip - I guess it would ruin the mpg. The helicopter vespa looks almost feasible - certainly more feasible than the flying contraption I actually fly about in.

Yes I took it. Believe it or not that was the view out of my EUR75 a night hotel room. And on a mobile phone. Long live the LG Arena! Took all the pics with it.

Great Pics Doug !

Thanks for sharing.

Love your new signature line!!!

Nice pics doug. Glad you had a good time!

Great photos Doug! Especially love the Leaning Tower one.


pvr39 - Florence is great for art, food, and tons of scooters buzzing around.

If you head up north, Asti is a cute medieval town to visit and it's nearby Castigiole D' Asti where Cascina Castlet (Vespa Wine) is located.

Lake Como is beautiful too. Really can't go wrong with Italy.

Karen G.

i am getting excited about the pending "bella Italia scooter rally"
6 months to go
coggo

thanks for sharing ... i love Italy..

My absolute suggestion is that anyone who goes to Tuscany should not forget Lucca, which is really unique and a nice change from the typical medieval hill towns. And if you don't mind going up some curvy roads in the mountains, take the trip to Castiglione in Garfagnana, about one hour away in the Appennines between Tuscany and Emilia. It's a small walled city, very well preserved, in the middle of misty mountains. (And the food in Garfagnana is stupendous, I once had a three-course meal - appetizers, pasta and main entree - in a small restaurant by the road which was based entirely on locally picked mushrooms. Unbelievably good.)

Ipercool, Doug! Great pictures, and great memories.

+1 on Lucca, and if one travels there by car, also visit Impruneta. They are famous for their pottery, and when you see those, you'll want to load up.

Bravo!! Excellent pix of your tour. Molto bene.

Love your pictures!

Thanks for sharing your photos

They are great

Thanks for sharing your photos. The autogyro looks like the one used in the old Bond films!

Great photos. I am really surprised they came from your phone.

Ah, Italy I need to go somewhere. I just have to hold out until the end of February for our cruise to the Caribbean. I really need to get back to Europe; although, I was just there in June. Maybe next year.

All I can say, is that I am green with envy. I was in Europe in 2003, before my 2 wheel days, I was right there, could have made a plan to make it to the museum, now I know it is going to be many years before I can get back there (twins at home and weak SA rand not on my side). I would love to see the museum and maybe do some riding around Italy on a Vespa. Thanks for the pics.

One of the great joys of touring Italy by scooter is to stick to the secondary roads and enjoy the villages and towns along the way. Coffee shops are everywhere, so stopping for a cappuccino or fredo is a constant temptation. The key is to avoid being in a hurry. Experience, Italy, don't just see it.

By the way, Tuscany is not the only area to tour. As I mentioned above, the Dolomiti are spectacular, as is the Cinque Terra, and the northern lakes region. Home from Bella Italia! - with link to Pics

Be bold and do it. And give yourself two weeks to leisurely see a significant area of the country.

Al

No coffee for me thanks, but give me that yummy ice cream any day, and lots of it - better stop dreaming now.

Yes, that too! And wonderful lunches of fresh beard, cheeses, crudo, prosciutto, parma, etc. Can't wait for June to get here.

Al

Great pictures, Thanks.

I lived in Tuscany for a year from 1979-80
and I never really saw anything that had to do with Vespa's.
Never even saw Pisa, Must have passed it at least 50 times on the train
on my commute to Florence every weekend (Went to Florence a lot from Pietra Santa)

I saw the Clemente Susini wax museum in Florence and many other museums in relation to my art studies,
Although, I did get honors in anatomy at art school when I came back to Canada.

It would be nice to go back again and see other things besides art.

Someday perhaps.

Dave