TOUR AT A GLANCE -Tuscany Vespa Culinary
Duration: 5 Days/4 Nights (* with possible 2-night extension)
Departures 2012: April 27, May 5, 8, & 29, June 1, 5, 13, 19 & 29, July 10, 13, 17 & 25, Aug 7, 10, 14 & 22, Sept 14, 18 & 28, Oct 5, 9, 12 & 16, as well as private departures.
Departing from: Florence at 14:30 p.m. on Day 1
Tour finishes: Montevarchi train station, 3 p.m., Day 5
Trip Price: €1,650 per person based on double occupancy and minimum 4 people (€1,850 2 – 3 pax). Single supplement: €250.
*6-night itinerary price: €2,300 per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement: €350.
Click on the Currency Converter to see the price in your local currency. BN070312
Hit the open road on your own scooter on this culinary tour of Tuscany’s Chianti wine region. Each day features an in depth (and delicious!) look at Tuscan food and wine traditions, with winery visits, tastings, and cooking lessons. Traveling by scooter is fun and easy. Our new scooters have an electric start and automatic transmission. Your local guide will lead you along quiet back roads amongst olive groves and vineyards to storybook castles and hilltop villages. This is a great holiday which combines the freedom and exhilaration of touring by scooter with the delicious food, wine, and romantic landscapes of Tuscany.
Touring by scooter is a wonderful way of exploring all that Tuscany has to offer. You become a part of the environment rather than being sealed off from it. You can stop when and wherever you want, and parking is never a problem. Come and feel the thrill of cruising down the open road, under the Tuscan sun!
NOTE: You must arrive at the start of the tour already a safe, competent rider. We are not a motorbike school.
(Luggage is transferred by van. 4 nights Gaiole in Chianti or Borgo Fontebussi. Trip ends at Montevarchi train station.)
Day 1 – The tour picks up from the Hotel Orto de’ Medici, our recommended hotel in Florence. You can fly directly into Florence or into Pisa, just an hour away by bus or train. For more information see our “Getting There” page and “Flight Info.” We pick you up at 2:30 p.m. and have a one-hour transfer to Gaiole in Chianti. After a safety talk, we’ll let you try out your Vespa™ scooter on a quiet stretch of flat, straight road. Once you feel comfortable we begin our ride, past the hilltop hamlets of Rietine, Castagnoli, and San Martino in Vento. Wonderful views over the heart of Chianti take in a string of medieval castles which were the front line in the battles between Florence and Siena. Appropriately, we stop at the Castello di Brolio to visit the grounds of this impressive and historic castle. Brolio has been the home of the noble Ricasoli family since 1141 and is now home to the famous Baron Ricasoli winery. We end our ride at Borgo Fontebussi where (weather permitting) we will dine al fresco on their lovely panoramic terrace . Pick-up from Florence, hotel and dinner included.
Day 2 This morning we cross the Arno river and ride toward the imposing Pratomagno mountains. We stop for a cappuccino along the way, and then continue on to “Il Borro,” a small village which was bought in its entirety by the Florentine fashion house of Ferragamo and completely restored. We will have a tour and tasting at the Ferragamo winery before hopping back on our Vespas to ride a few miles to agriturismo Paterna. Claudia welcomes us to her family farm and shows us the winery, (and interesting comparison with what you will have just seen at Il Borro) and gardens, then we sit down to a Tuscan lunch using their local produce. The afternoon ride takes us through a string of quaint villages and to a fantastic gelateria that has been rated the fifth best in Italy (out of 80,000!). Return to Fontebussi through rolling countryside with gorgeous views or convince your guide to take you to the Prada outlet store. You will have time to relax back at the hotel and enjoy a swim before meeting up for an informal wine tasting before dinner in the nearby hamlet of Montegonzi. Hotel, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 3 - Today we ride to Siena, one of Italy’s most beautiful and historic cities. We have a guided visit to help us understand the furor and passion that surrounds the famous bareback Palio horse race, which is run around the city’s 12th century Piazza del Campo twice a year. Then you have free time to have lunch and explore the town’s exquisite historic center and admire its Gothic architecture. Of course, you might get side-tracked by the shops and cafés along the Banchi di Sopra, Siena’s main pedestrian shopping street. Our return ride passes through the exquisite countryside near Monteaperti and Castelnuovo Berardenga. Upon our return to the hotel time to freshen up before a short transfer by van to a nearby restaurant where we learn how to make fresh pasta and gnocchi with local chef Francesco. After preparing dinner, sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labor. And you can enjoy the wine because you are returned to the hotel by van. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 4 : This morning we ride to the picturesque hilltop town of Radda in Chianti. In 1203 Radda came under the control of the growing Florentine Republic but was sacked by the Sienese in 1478. It was rebuilt, and 50 years later successfully fought off the last Sienese siege. Today Radda has the best cappuccino and pastries in Chianti as well as some lovely antique shops and boutiques. We leave Radda and ride amongst the olive groves and vineyards of Castello di Ama and pass through the tiny stone village of Lecchi in Chianti. Our destination is Rampini Ceramics, arguably the best producer of hand-painted ceramics in Italy where you will learn how majolica ceramics are made, a process that remains essentially unchanged since the Renaissance age. Of course they have a fabulous shop and they ship worldwide. Afterwards we have a short ride to a very special lunch with our friend Massimiliano Biagi. “Massi” is the farm manager at the famous Barone Ricasoli vineyards. He is responsible for the 2,500 acre estate of the Castello di Brolio, of which 500 acres is planted in vines which regularly make wines of exceptional quality, scoring consistent 90 plus points from Wine Spectator. Massi’s other passion is cooking. He loves to share his passion and he will invite us into his garden for a special “picnic” that he has prepared. After lunch we can visit the cellars and enjoy a tasting, although you will have to spit! Afterwards return to the comforts at Fontebussi. Hotel, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 5 : One last beautiful ride on our scooters via the walled village of San Gusmé to Gaiole in Chianti where we must say goodbye to our Vespas. We have lunch at Bianchi’s, a local, family-run trattoria in the piazza, and then transfer to the Montevarchi train station for 3 p.m. trains to Florence and Rome. Breakfast included and transfer to Montevarchi train station.
** 2-Day Extension** – We offer a 2-day extension into southern Tuscany. This means two more nights, with the trip finishing back in Montevarchi on Wednesday or Sunday afternoon. For more information, read on!
*Day 5 – Extended Itinerary : Those who opt for the longer itinerary will ride south after lunch, leaving the green wooded hills of Chianti for the wide-open spaces of the Crete Senesi. We ride into a completely different terrain from the first part of the trip. Those who have seen the films “Stealing Beauty” or “The English Patient” will recognize this starkly beautiful landscape of barren rolling hills topped by stone farmhouses and solitary cypress trees. Our route takes us through Asciano, a centuries’ old walled town whose inhabitants have ingeniously incorporated the old defensive walls into their homes. Asciano boasts a fine gelateria too, so we won’t miss the opportunity to stop and explore town while enjoying a delicious gelato. Another 45 minutes of riding brings us to San Giovanni d’Asso and the Locanda del Castello, a beautiful small hotel located within the walls of the village’s 16th century castle. Enjoy the beautiful views all around you from this striking hilltop village, perched high above the surrounding landscape. Tonight’s dinner is on the terrace of the hotel’s restaurant. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.
Day 6 – Extended Itinerary : Today we have a gorgeous ride to the perfect Renaissance town of Pienza. We take small roads that wind their way up, over, around, and between tiny villages surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. We will stop just outside of Petroio to visit a factory that produces giant terracotta urns. It is a fascinating process, really! Then we head to Pienza for our mid-morning cappuccino break. Pienza was designed and built by a local boy who made it big: Pope Pius II. Pius issued a Papal Bull decreeing that his home town was to become a center of art and humanistic scholarship. The town was constructed between 1459 and 1462 in full Renaissance splendor. After visiting the town we ride down into the Orcia Valley for wonderful views back onto Pienza’s Renaissance skyline. We ride up to the walled village of San Quirico d’Orcia for a late lunch, then we have a leisurely ride back to our lovely hotel. Take in the views while enjoying a glass of wine before dinner. Hotel, breakfast, and dinner included.
*Day 7 – Extended Itinerary : Today offers one last chance to enjoy Tuscany’s beautiful scenery. This morning we head back towards Chianti, passing the castle of Trequanda on our way. We have a late lunch beneath the shady limbs of huge plane trees at Osteria del Ponte in Gaiole. Your bags will be transferred by van, then we have a van transfer to the Montevarchi train station for the 3 p.m. trains to Florence and Rome. The Florence train is direct, whereas you have to change in Arezzo to get to Rome. Travel time to Florence is 40 minutes, and to Rome is two hours and thirty minutes. Breakfast and transfer to the train station included.
Scooterbella® in the news: our tours have been featured in the travel section of The Guardian (UK), Jan 20th, 2007. Another article was published by The Observer on April 23rd, 2006. Our Tuscany by Vespa trip was also featured in a 3-page full-color article in the London Telegraph, and in London’s The Times.
Note: Everyone who drives one of our scooters needs to have an international car drivers license (unless you have a European Union drivers license ). This is very easy to get! Please click here for more information.
The Hotels: If you wish to stay in Florence the night before the trip starts we recommend the charming Orto de’ Medici, a superior 3-star hotel located on the former gardens of the powerful Medici family. Our hotel in the Chianti countryside is the Borgo Fontebussi, an 18th century manor house that has been beautifully restored and turned into a four-star boutique hotel. A new 25-meter swimming pool has been added to the grounds to create a wonderfully relaxing environment and the perfect base for us to explore Tuscany by scooter.
The Scooters – You will be riding a bright red 125 cc Vespa™ scooter. They are lightweight, comfortable, and easy to ride, with an electric start and automatic transmission. The brakes are on the handlebars, like on a bicycle. We provide you with helmets. The 125 cc Vespa™ scooter is powerful enough for two people to happily cruise through the Tuscan countryside. Top speed is 80 kph but we will be touring at a slower, more comfortable and safe speed. Indeed, we usually do not exceed 50 kph (30 mph). Of course, couples can ride together on one scooter (and save €100 for one person!). We also have two smaller 100cc Sym “Mio” scooters. Depending on availability, you will receive either the 125cc Vespa™ scooter or the 100cc Mio.
IMPORTANT!! : QUALIFICATIONS
You must be over 18 years of age, have a valid driver’s license and an INTERNATIONAL driver’s license to drive a scooter. Of course anyone can be a passenger. Previous experience on a scooter or motorbike is advantageous and highly advised. If you have not ridden one before then you should do so before you do this trip. Rent a scooter locally, and learn how to ride it before coming on the trip. U.K. residents can try Vroom by the Sea, a scooter rental in Brighton.
WE ARE NOT HERE TO TEACH YOU HOW TO DRIVE A SCOOTER. YOU MUST ARRIVE AT THE START OF THE TRIP ALREADY A COMPETENT RIDER. Over the years we have been amazed to find people who arrive to drive on public roads but have never ridden a scooter before and are clearly uncoordinated, un-athletic, and will clearly never be able to drive a scooter safely. Please do not be one of these people. Our scooters are easy to ride, but a good sense of balance and coordination is required. The Vespa™ scooters have a 125cc engine and an all-steel frame. They are lighter and easier to drive than a larger motorbike but they are also heavier than a moped and other smaller 50cc scooters (they weigh 110 kg, or about 235 lbs).
You will be driving a motor vehicle on public roads. You are responsible for your safety but also for the safety of other motorists, bikers and pedestrians. You must be able to control the scooter and drive it competently. If we feel your driving skills put you and others at risk we reserve the right to take the Vespa away from you. If you crash one of the scooters — defined as losing control of the scooter and driving off the road — we will not let you ride anymore.In the event that you cannot ride as a passenger on one of the scooters, then we will help to arrange an alternative mode of transport, either taxi, or rental car, but at your expense.
Finally, age may be a factor. We have found that most people who are over 50 and who have never ridden a scooter or motorbike have problems driving them. If you have not used the “motorbike” part of your brain before the age of 50, then it may be too late to learn. We don’t know why this is, but such are the mysteries of Life, Zen, and the Art of Scooter maintenance. So if in doubt, please take the time to try a scooter at home. Find a big vacant parking lot, put on a helmet, read our accompanying document about motorcycle safety, and give it a whirl. If you are happy with your abilities and you feel safe, then you are ready to ride one of our scooters.
The bottom line is that we just want everyone to have a safe and happy holiday!
See all of our tours by DESTINATION & ACTIVITY
See all of our tours by date: TOUR CALENDAR 2012
Useful Links -
The City of Florence: everything you need to know about the city
The Accademia: home of Michelangelo’s David and other world-famous works
The Uffizi Gallery: one of the greatest collections in the world. We recommend you make reservations ahead of time.
Vespa™ scooters on Wikipedia: very complete, interesting site with lots of trivia!General Information
Trip Cost Includes: Pick up from Hotel Orto Dei Medici on Day 1 and transfer to Chianti, 4 nights at the four-star Borgo Fontebussi or similar, 5 breakfasts & 4 dinners; two lunches (Paterna and Massi or similar), one cooking class, winery visit and tasting, bilingual guide; *provision of a 125cc Vespa™ scooter with rear carrier bin and helmet; related third party liability insurance as required by Italian law (but not insurance covering damage to the scooter caused by you, which is available at an extra €15 per day); fuel; final van transfer to Montevarchi train station; entrance to the park and gardens of Brolio castle, guided visit of Siena with licensed city guide.
Extension also includes: 2 nights lodging in San Giovanni d’Asso; 2 dinners; and 2 days guided riding and visits as per itinerary.
Getting there this will redirect you to our “Getting to the Trip” page)
Booking: e-mail us to receive a booking contract (or use the “Reservation” page).
Insurance: We highly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance. We recommend “Travel Guard” to our American clients, just click on the logo below, while Canadian residents can click here. Australian, New Zealand, and British travelers, please consult your insurance brokers.
We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime!
* Vespa™ is a trademark of Piaggio, SpA.
