By far, the best way to see Rome is on the back of a vintage Vespa. After a recent Mediterranean cruise with my mother, we spent one night in Rome. Given that we had less than one day of free time and that we had both visited the eternal city in the past, this time we wanted to experience Rome in a new and unique way and see things we hadn’t seen before. A private Vespa tour was the perfect solution!
Behind me, the Circus Maximus (where they held chariot races) is seen in the midground and in the background, the ruins of Palatine Hill (the palaces of the emperors). Fun fact about the Circus Maximus: along with the Coliseum, entry was free for Roman citizens.
We did revisit sites we had previously seen on long-ago visits to Rome, but from a new perspective. For example, on visiting the Coliseum, we saw it from a new vantage point with no crowds, far from all the tourists.
Coliseum (where they held gladiator fights). On this hill where we are standing, there were no other tourists. Fun facts about the Coliseum: 1) It had a retractable roof, made of animal hides, which slaves would open and close depending on weather, 2) the marble that was originally on the Coliseum along with that of many other ancient Roman buildings have been recycled for use on “newer” monuments such as St. Peter’s Basilica (incidentally, the marble was NOT removed from the Arch of Constantine – which you see part of in this photo – because Constantine was Catholic, whereas these other buildings were pagan), and 3) Along with the Circus Maximus, they would flood these venues so that they could put on mock sea battles for the crowds. The emperors spared no expense when it came to entertaining Rome’s citizens.
Places and things we hadn’t seen on previous visits were the pyramid, Trastevere and contemporary street art. The tour is fully customizable. So, knowing that we had both been to Rome before, the guides made a point of showing us new things. Did you know that there is an Egyptian pyramid in the middle of Rome? We visited the pyramid of Cestius, a prominent Roman whose sons built this tomb for him between 18 and 12 BC (he told his sons that if they could build it in under 10 years, he would leave them all his money – they succeeded with time to spare!). As with many other Roman structures, the marble was removed to be reused in newer buildings elsewhere in Rome. Note that there was actually more than one pyramid in Rome once, but the others were torn down as the city developed. This one was spared because the city wall was built around it and if they had torn it down, there would’ve been a gap in the wall.
Pyramid of Cestius
The Trastevere neighborhood, West of the Tiber River, was so much fun to visit. It is made up of tiny little roads too small for cars. So while it would seem like a pedestrian neighborhood, we were able to zip through it by scooter. Great fun and such a terrific vibe there.
Knowing that my mom is an avid amateur photographer, our guide Ricardo – who is a huge lover of both classical and contemporary art – suggested that we might enjoy a glimpse into Rome’s street art. He can actually conduct a 4-hour Vespa tour devoted entirely to street art, but we just had a small taste. This was a fascinating look into a side of Rome I hadn’t previously realized existed.
“Fronte del Porto” by the artist Blu in the Ostiense neighborhood. These monsters symbolize how the 400 occupants of this building felt during their housing battle with the city.
This 50 meter long mural on Via Dei Magazzini Generali by JBRock is called “Wall of Fame”. It depicts the 26 famous personalities, in alphabetical order, most influential in the artist’s life,from Aligheri Dante to Zorro.
Directly across the street from “Wall of Fame” is Sten & Lex’s “Black and White Power”, portraits of everyday people who were influential in their lives.
Kid Acne’s “Paint Over the Cracks”. Located in Rome’s former industrial area, this is a call by the artist to transition from industry to art.
Rest assured, you don’t have to drive your own Vespa through Rome. You sit on the back while a licensed guide shows you around the city. This is a private tour and there is one Vespa and driver for each traveler. If you are traveling in a small group, there is usually one guide who does all the explaining and the rest are drivers who don’t provide any specific history or commentary. While there is no minimum or maximum age, you do have to be tall enough for your feet to reach the Vespa’s platform (in truth, I barely made it!), and big and strong enough for your arms to wrap around or hold on tight to the waist of the guide sitting in front of you.
Selfie with Ricardo
They provide helmets for every rider as well as helmet inserts for cleanliness. The drivers do not exceed 18 mph, unless of course you want them to! We did notice that they drove very slowly at the beginning, making sure we were comfortable and felt safe. By the end of the tour, when they felt we were more confident and having fun, the drivers zipped around at a faster pace.
The tour is four hours long with a break in the middle for some refreshment. They took us to a darling neighborhood cafe where no tourists go. We had house made pizza and ice tea with peach juice. It was some of the best pizza I’ve ever had!
Our guide with our Vespas in the background.
Admittedly, my septuagenarian mother was a little nervous before we began our adventure, but by the end of the tour, she was grinning ear to ear!
Mom having fun. Not a shabby way to spend 4 hours!
What are you waiting for? Your chariot awaits! Contact us to book your fun and exciting Vespa tour of Rome: info@journeysunparalleled.com.