Why a Vespa Tour Is the Best Way to Explore Rome

Forget sweaty buses and boring walking tours—the best way to see Rome is on the back of a Vespa.
  • Image may contain Human Person Transportation Vehicle and Scooter
    © Carin Olsson

    Views from a Vespa

    For my motorized adventure, I used the touring company Scooteroma, co-owned by Annie Ojile Nerone (originally from Minnesota) and her Italian husband. They offer tours on Vespas, a three-wheeled Piaggio Ape Calessino, or bikes, and they’ll customize the excursion to suit your interests.

  • © Carin Olsson

    With Scooteroma, you can choose to drive your own Vespa (given that you have previous experience with driving a motorcycle or scooter) or see the city as a passenger. They offer private tours to ensure a personalized journey around Rome.

    For more on their tours, visit scooteroma.com or follow their Italian adventures on Instagram.

  • © Carin Olsson

    You can also pretend to be Audrey Hepburn for a day, zooming around the capital city with handsome locals alongside you. The “Roamin' Holiday Tour” (ah, puns) pays tribute to the classic Hepburn movie. You get to enjoy this particular tour as a passenger, seated behind one of Scooteroma's local drivers (just pretend it's Gregory Peck) on a vintage Vespa—the same vehicle made famous in Roman Holiday.

  • © Carin Olsson

    Want to eat your way through Rome? The Foodie Tour will stop at local eateries—whether you're craving pizza bianca, gelato, or alfresco coffee in the neighborhood of Monti (pictured), you are guaranteed to end your day feeling sated. The day's itinerary depends on the client's palate, and Scooteroma's food and wine expert is present the entire time.

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  • No matter the tour, you’ll explore sights like the beautiful Giardino degli Aranci (the Orange Garden, pictured), located on the top of the lovely and serene Aventine Hill. You'll get to buzz by Rome's iconic historical sites—The Appian Way, Colosseum, Circus Maximus—and also venture off the typical tourist paths. The guides will take you outside the town's center to visit churches, scenic lookout spots, their favorite cafés, and busy streets where you can ride with the locals.

  • Not only will you see the city in a more thrilling fashion, but you can pack three days’ worth of sightseeing into one morning or afternoon, or a whole day if you prefer. And that’s without having to break out a box of Band-Aids for your blisters.

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  • I’ve toured Rome just about every way possible: on foot, riding (and sweating) on a big bus, in large groups, and by myself. But it wasn’t until recently that I discovered the very best way to experience this beautiful city—perched on the back of a Vespa. Let's take a ride...