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There is something so incredible about riding a Vespa through Europe. Maybe it is the breeze on your back as you ride along a Mediterranean coastline, or maybe it is the ability to manoeuvre through the tiny, narrow roads that you’d never be able to fit your car through. Riding a Vespa is practical, yet unique, as it is not often the first choice that tourists tend to make when going on their European road trips.
What else makes the Vespa so special is that you are in complete control. Say you take a train from one city to another, you might stop in a town that looks gorgeous from your window seat that you want to check out. But you can’t just hop off the train so easily and reroute your whole trip! If you’re riding a Vespa between two locations, get ready to stop at all the places you never expected to visit, because the power is in your hands!
1. See sights off the beaten path
When riding a Vespa, you’ll have so much freedom in discovering the region you’re passing through, and you’ll really get to dive into those off-the-beaten-path sites. Maybe while you’re riding down a road, you’ll see a sign for a village you’ve never heard of… So you decide to take the exit and wander through colourful, picture-perfect roads. Or, possibly, you’ll find yourself venturing off to a rugged, empty beach that you saw a sign for. The possibilities are endless, since you’re your own tour guide, and you have the opportunity to customise your journey to really get to know the area.
If you choose to go on an adventure with a travel company like TravelBase, which offers The Vespa Trip, then they often include off-the-beaten track itineraries. The itineraries are flexible, you can choose which one you want to do on which day, but the best part of the itineraries is that they help to inspire your journey. With these Vespa Trip itineraries, you’re able to learn about places in the region you may have never heard of before, and never even considered visiting, such as in their Provence itinerary, the small town of L’Isle sur la Sorgue that has been called the Venice of Comtadine because of its canals resembling those in the famous city.
2. Go at your own pace
There is no doubt that tour groups can be great, enriching travel experiences, especially in regards to learning information from experts about certain places you may visit. That being said, I know that in a lot of the travel tours I’ve taken, I have left wishing that I had more time in one of the stops, or less time in some others.
When riding a Vespa throughout Europe, you can spend as much time as you’d like in all of your different stops. Maybe you’ll fall in love with a gorgeous French city in Provence, such as Arles, and want to take a long, luxurious lunch break, taking in the beautiful surroundings, or perhaps you’ll want to explore further the history of the ancient city of Pompeii, buried under ashes after the volcanic eruption. Whatever intrigues you the most while travelling, one thing is for sure. With a Vespa, you’ll be able to see what you want, when you want to, and for however long you want. That freedom really makes for an unforgettable trip!
3. It’s a charming and photogenic journey
One thing about road-trips is that you usually get to see more than if you were taking a train or a bus, sometimes you don’t get the window seat, or they don’t take the scenic route to get to the next location. On a Vespa, you’ll feel the wind in your hair as you marvel at the stunning scenery while you ride around. Don’t rush your journey. Stop at any photo-ops on the side of the road, wander into charming, picturesque villages, and really discover the beautiful place you’re riding through.
Not to mention, your Instagram game will skyrocket after this trip for sure. First, imagine all the cute pictures you can get on the Vespa, with beautiful winding streets surrounding you. Besides that, the locations you’ll be visiting are bound to be absolutely adorable and beautiful, so make sure your phone is charged or pack your camera, because these places are ones you’ll want to remember and show off to your friends when you get back home.
4. Awesome to do solo or with someone
Prioritise yourself and take some me-time this trip and ride a Vespa throughout Europe. We know solo travelling can be quite intimidating for a lot of people, but for those with anxiety about checking out new places alone, a Vespa trip can cure that nervousness. Riding around on a Vespa, you’ll totally look like a local, and you’ll get to take yourself to some of the most beautiful sites in the world. On your own, you’ll have complete freedom to explore how you want to, and feel like you’re from the area.
But don’t let that scare you off of doing a Vespa trip with a loved one! A Vespa trip can be quite a romantic experience as you and your partner explore, riding around and taking in the views as you do so. We’ve all seen the rom-coms of hopping on the back of a Vespa in Italy and riding around the cobblestone streets, so don’t be shy to recreate those movie moments with your partner. And there’s nowhere better to do that than the Amalfi Coast, right? Take a Vespa throughout one of the most romantic spots in the world, perfect for honeymooners or just couples in love, and explore the magical seaside towns with itinerary inspirations from Travelbase’s The Vespa Trip.
5. Can travel in a group
Grab your whole family or friend group and take them on the Vespa trip! If you’re looking for a unique group trip, taking a Vespa is the way to go. Imagine waking up in a quaint medieval town and texting your friends to meet downstairs to go explore the region on your Vespa, and then the group heads out on the picturesque roads together! How cool would that be?
Another great thing about travelling in a group with a Vespa is if the group is split about what they would like to do that day. Let’s be honest, that is always the most challenging part of group trips. Some people are bound to clash on what they’d like to do occasionally. Everyone has different tastes, and that’s ok! With a Vespa, the group can easily split up and everyone can visit the spots they’d like to. This makes it a great option for group trips because everyone gets to fully enjoy the trip and not have to worry about compromising some of their plans for their other friends or family members. At the end of the day, you’ll be able to meet back up with each other and still enjoy quality time as a group.
6. Some tours like Travelbase have hotels all taken care of
There are Vespa tours out there like The Vespa Trip with Travelbase that sorts out your accommodation for you. With 3 current locations in Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, and Provence, and one upcoming location in Brugge, this company makes sure that you’re situated in a centrally located area of the region so that you have the opportunity to travel to nearby locations easily. In Provence, they have you stay in Avignon, a gorgeous old city in Provence that is nearby some of Provence’s most beautiful villages and stunning landscapes. On the Amalfi Coast, the hotel is situated in a small village called Sant’agata, which is halfway between the cliffside towns on all the postcards like Positano and Amalfi, and destinations like Sorrento and Pompeii. As for Tuscany, you’ll stay in Pisa, and catch some sights like The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Pisa’s location makes it a quick and easy drive to other places like Florence and Siena.
As you can see, a lot of thought goes into choosing the hotel for your Vespa trip. This is because Travelbase knows their locations and regions and knows exactly where to stay to optimise your time seeing sights rather than riding (although the riding part offers stunning views as well). When booking this tour, you’ll get to relax and not worry about where you’re going to stay and its amenities, as that is all taken care of for you already.
7. It can be more convenient than renting a car
When travelling, practicality is key. For those who are hoping to do a roadtrip, they might think of renting a car first. Overall though, a Vespa offers a lot more flexibility when riding. A lot of small streets in some European cities and villages are almost unbearable when driving. Take it from my dad. On a family roadtrip in the South of Portugal, there was a road closure in a small town in the Algarve, and it took him almost 20 minutes to get out of the tiny, narrow streets when driving his rental car! Now, if he was riding a Vespa, that would’ve been an easy fix. This is a common thing with a lot of European villages and cities, so the Vespa prepares you more for the cobblestone roads.
Another convenient thing about taking out a Vespa instead, is it can be a lot easier to find parking. Since the streets are already so small, sometimes there is only a tight parking spot available that may be impossible to fit your car into. Vespas are more flexible in that manner, and also a lot of cities and towns will have specific two-wheeler parking spots, especially for the Vespa.
8. You’ll feel like a local
When in Rome, right? Vespas and scooters have become essential in popular tourist destinations like Italy, due to the heavy traffic and small tight roads. If you head on The Vespa Trip in either the Amalfi Coast or Tuscany, you’ll blend right in with the locals, and it’ll lead to an incredible, authentic Italian experience. Riding your Vespa down Chiangianta Road, one of the most famous streets in the country that takes you from Florence to Siena, and absorbing the stunning scenes of the Tuscan countryside.
When riding through the streets of the city, no one would even think to suspect you’re a tourist riding a Vespa! As you take your adventure, you’ll also be experiencing how locals travel around in their day-to-day lives. You may get frustrated at the same traffic jam, or be parking in the same spots to go to the same restaurants. All these small things end up making your trip more genuine, as you’re travelling the same way as the locals are living, and becoming more immersed in the lifestyle.
9. Some tour groups like Travelbase will offer training before
A lot of you are probably reading this right now and thinking that you’ve never ridden a Vespa before or anything similar to it, so why would you choose the first time to be on vacation? Well, shake off those nerves, because if you book your Vespa Trip with Travelbase, they’ll offer you on your first day to take a training course called the Start-to-Vespa class for an additional €50. This class introduces you to the Vespa, teaches you everything that you need to know to safely drive a Vespa, and also gives you insights on the traffic of the areas the trip is taking place in, and how to navigate this traffic without any problems. This course is great for people who have ridden a Vespa before, but it’s been quite a bit of time since they were on the road. This will give them a bit of a refresher to ensure safety is put first!
10. A fun alternative to overcrowded buses, planes, and trains
Exploring Europe on a Vespa is a great way to beat the crowds, especially during the high tourist season, which can be a nightmare when using these other methods of transportation. If you’ve ever had to get to the airport 4 hours earlier because of too much tourism and not enough staff at the airports, then you’ll know what we mean! Riding on a Vespa gives you control of the time schedule, so you don’t have to worry about cancellations due to unforeseen circumstances such as workers striking, which only lead to more crowds on the next available departure (and maybe even not having a seat, which happened to me once on a 3 and a half hour journey from Edinburgh to Manchester due to strikes at the train station!) You’ll have the freedom to travel without having to worry about missing anything, delays, or anything else out of your control, and you’ll have fun while doing so! You’ll get to see spectacular views on your ride, and stop at some awesome places along the way if you choose to take a rest during your journey.
Riding a Vespa is also a lot more entertaining than having to go through security at an airport, and it is a lot better for the environment too! Travel Sustainably and skip out on the plane ride between cities that you can reach by Vespa. You’ll enjoy yourself even more riding a Vespa knowing that you’re travelling in a way that is better for the planet than some alternative options.
11. Affordable way of transportation
Renting a Vespa is cheaper than a lot of other methods of transportation that you may be considering on your next trip. The prices tend to be much lower than renting a car, and not to mention, the gas tank is much smaller, hence you’re spending a lot less if you need to fill up your tank compared to a car. Even parking can have some benefits. A lot of times, with a Vespa it is easier to find street parking. If you’re unable to find street parking with a car, you may end up having to pay for a spot in a parking garage, which could get quite pricey and frustrating, depending on the location.
If you book a trip with The Vespa Trip, depending on which region you choose to visit, you can book your trip starting at €490. This includes the Vespa rental, a hotel for 4 nights, a GPS, daily breakfast at the hotel, helmets and locks, and care from the Vespa guides. This is a great price for all that is included in the tour, and makes for a more affordable trip than if you were to rent your own car and hire taxis and drivers. It offers convenience for the price as well, as some of the locations on the tours are not easily accessible by train and bus. You’ll be saving money while enjoying your unforgettable experience!
