Rome Vespa Tour: Hotel Pickup, Photos & Janiculum Views

5.00

(271 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I never pictured myself zipping through Rome on a Vespa—honestly, I was nervous about the traffic. But our guide met us right outside the hotel, helmets in hand, and somehow that made it feel less intimidating. The city felt different from the back of that scooter: all those sounds—horns, laughter, someone shouting “Attento!”—they sort of blend into a soundtrack. We stopped at Rome Termini first, just to get our bearings (and maybe for me to catch my breath).

Our guide, Marco, seemed to know every shortcut. He pointed out the old chariot stadium as we cruised by—hard to imagine crowds roaring there centuries ago while now it’s just pigeons and sunbathers. At one point he pulled over so we could snap photos with the Colosseum in the background. The photographer traveling with us had this knack for catching us mid-laugh or when my hair was doing something ridiculous in the wind. I didn’t expect to care about those pictures but now they’re some of my favorites.

The air changed up on Janiculum Hill—cooler, almost sweet with pine and something floral I couldn’t name. We paused at Fontana dell’Acqua Paola (“Il Fontanone,” Marco called it) where water thundered into marble basins and locals leaned on their elbows chatting softly. The view from Terrazza del Gianicolo hit me harder than I thought; Rome just sprawls out under you, domes and rooftops all tangled together. There was this moment of quiet up there—I still think about that view sometimes when I hear scooters back home.