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Anyone ever rent a Vespa?


hoosierdaddy10
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We will be staying in Rome for three days prior to cruising. I love the movie Roman Holiday and watching it makes me want to rent a Vespa. I know the traffic in Rome is awful but we are rather adventurous. Anyone have any experience with renting a Vespa?

 

We would not recommend that unless you have very good medical insurance coverage and can speak some Italian (to talk to the medical staff at the emergency room). Seriously, traffic in Rome can be quite awful and riding a motorcycle or scooter without being familiar with the Italian driving habits....might be more adventure then what you seek.

 

Hank

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We would not recommend that unless you have very good medical insurance coverage and can speak some Italian (to talk to the medical staff at the emergency room). Seriously, traffic in Rome can be quite awful and riding a motorcycle or scooter without being familiar with the Italian driving habits....might be more adventure then what you seek.

 

Hank

 

Totally agree with this. The other drivers of cars and motorini will eat you alive. Rome drivers take no prisoners!

 

I had to have lessons in how to cross the road on my first visit to Rome. (Best method? Find a nun and cross with her!) These lessons came in very handy for crossing the road in Cambodia too.

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Agree with the previous posts - traffic in Rome is chaotic at best! There is no way that I would even consider renting a motorbike - I've seen many auto accidents in the city & have witnessed the drivers get out and yell at and wildly gesticulate with one another. I would save the vespa adventure for one of the smaller Italian towns.

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Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck would not recognize the traffic in Rome today.

 

If you want to have some authentic Roman experiences, do the following:

 

Have a cappuccino and cornetto for your breakfast, like a good Roman, at one of Rome's famous coffee bars, preferably standing at the bar like a local. (But don't order a cappuccino after late morning. It's a breakfast drink.)

 

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/italy/articles/the-best-10-coffee-shops-in-rome/

 

Enjoy an aperitivo -- Romans are big on the "happy hour" tradition. Lots of places from very traditional to very hip fill up before dinner with Romans enjoying a "spritz" -- made with sparkling water and your choice of white wine, Prosecco, Campari or Aperol. Light snacks may also be included:

 

https://www.fodors.com/world/europe/italy/rome/experiences/news/photos/romes-10-best-bars-for-a-classic-italian-aperitivo

 

Be sure to take a stroll before or after your dinner -- the popular "passeggiata", although I feel it's a little less popular than it once was due to the tourist congestion in the prime season:

 

http://www.reidsitaly.com/destinations/lazio/rome/sights/passeggiata.html

 

If you're looking for something active to take the place of your contemplated Vespa ride, consider renting bikes and riding along the Via Appia, the ancient Roman road. It is a popular activity for locals on Sundays who ride and walk or run along the run when it is closed to vehicular traffic. You can even bring a pic-nic:

 

http://www.appiaanticacaffe.it/new/index.php/en/bike-rental

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There are tour operators that offer Vespa tours of Rome, they do the driving and you sit on the back. Maybe that's a way to have the experience without the anxiety of doing the driving yourself?

 

For some reason we suspect that you will not be doing this soon,,,,,nor would we :). I should have mentioned that unlike many of my fellow Americans, I love to drive (a car) in Italy and have driven all over the country (from the Swiss and French borders to the south of Sicily). But there is one place I do not drive...and that is Rome!

 

If I had to ride on the back of a Vespa in Rome....it would take a handful of Xanax to get me to do the deed. And when I was a young man (in the 15th century) I actually owned a motorcycle!

 

Hank

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Thanks for everyone's reply and for crushing my dreams. None of the replies actually answered the question has anyone ever rented a Vespa. I would assume that none of you have. I have serched companies that rent motorbikes and there are several in Rome and many have excellent reviews so that makes me think that renting a motorbike is something done frequently. I also found several videos posted on YouTube of people who have rented Vespas. One of those videos was of Charlie Rose who is 76 years old driving around Rome on a Vespa, so If a 76 year old has done it and multiple other people do this everyday surly it is not a deadly as these replies make it seem. But again thanks for your concern for my health.

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Thanks for everyone's reply and for crushing my dreams. None of the replies actually answered the question has anyone ever rented a Vespa. I would assume that none of you have. I have serched companies that rent motorbikes and there are several in Rome and many have excellent reviews so that makes me think that renting a motorbike is something done frequently. I also found several videos posted on YouTube of people who have rented Vespas. One of those videos was of Charlie Rose who is 76 years old driving around Rome on a Vespa, so If a 76 year old has done it and multiple other people do this everyday surly it is not a deadly as these replies make it seem. But again thanks for your concern for my health.

 

You might also want to have a look at these two videos. I think they’re a pretty accurate representation of Rome traffic. I would find it stressful, but to each his own!

 

YouTube videos

 

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I didn't mean to crush your dreams. As a frequent pedestrian in Rome and observer of traffic, I just in all honesty would strenuously try to dissuade any loved one from doing it out of fear.

 

But if it's your dream, then have at it. I'm sure most of the time it turns out well. Just a) wear a helmet and b) would love to hear back about your experience doing it.

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I didn't mean to crush your dreams. As a frequent pedestrian in Rome and observer of traffic, I just in all honesty would strenuously try to dissuade any loved one from doing it out of fear.

 

But if it's your dream, then have at it. I'm sure most of the time it turns out well. Just a) wear a helmet and b) would love to hear back about your experience doing it.

 

Maybe not just a helmet, but a GoPro. That would be fascinating. Then we’d all feel like we were there too!

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You might also want to have a look at these two videos. I think they’re a pretty accurate representation of Rome traffic. I would find it stressful, but to each his own!

 

YouTube videos

 

 

Thanks for posting these videos. I consider myself adventurous but not crazy. There is no way I would drive like that. Those people in the videos are lucky to be alive. Multiple lane changes and driving on the wrong side of the road...Yikes.:eek:

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  • 1 month later...
Thant would be awesome if you could give some feedback on your experience.

 

 

 

Just did our scooter tour Saturday. It was frigging awesome. Covered a lot of ground. Guide took us on some backroads but some main ones also. It looks like they drive crazy but there is a method in their madness. My husband loved it and did a great job.

 

 

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