When traveling with teenagers in Italy, you have to think outside the box. Ever since I asked my eighteen-year-old granddaughters what they thought of taking a Vespa tour through the streets of Rome, they’ve been excited about it.
On a warm morning in June we see three Vespas with drivers waiting on the corner across from our apartment. Alexander introduces himself as the driver and tour guide. We meet the other drivers, two young women named Francesca and Chiara, and then Alexander explains how the next three hours will go.
“Are you scared?” he asks us.
“A little,” I say, and Kate and Emily both admit to feeling a bit nervous too. He assures us that we are safe and provides us with hairnets to wear under our helmets. Alexander explains that he customizes each tour, so he and I talk a bit about what landmarks we’d like to see and where we’ve already been. Francesca stores our purses in the compartment behind her seat, and Kate puts my phone in her pocket. Then, without giving us any time to worry about the ride, Alexander demonstrates how to get onto the scooters and where to hold on, and within five minutes, we are on our way.
I’ve never ridden a Vespa before. The moment my driver takes off I feel a jolt, and I’m surprised at the speed he’s traveling. I don’t know what I expected, but I’m committed now and hold on like my life depends on it. I hope the girls are okay. After a few minutes, I relax a little and enjoy the sensation of the wind on my face as we breeze through the streets of the city. I’m able to turn enough to see the girls on their Vespas and am satisfied they are safe too.
We whiz through Rome’s streets and swerve between cars, and by the time we arrive at our first stop fifteen minutes later, I’m no longer scared. In fact, quite the opposite. I’m thrilled! Once we get off our scooters and stand before the enormous monument dedicated to King Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of a united Italy, Alexander gives us a brief history lesson with his own humorous spin. I wish my teacher had taught history this way when I was in fifth grade. I would have enjoyed it so much more and maybe even remembered some of what I was supposed to be learning. He offers to take a photo of the three of us, and then we’re on our way again.
Next stop is the Spanish Steps. Alexander parks in Piazza dei Monti, near the top of the steps and provides us with some history about this famous staircase. He explains that it takes its name from the fact that during the seventeenth century, the Spanish embassy was located in Piazza di Spagna, at the base of the staircase. The official name is Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti, since these 135 steps lead from the square below to Trinita dei Monti, the French church above.
Directly across from where we are standing is a hotel, the Hassler Villa Medici. “Yesterday, Tom Cruise was standing right here to promote his new Mission Impossible movie, coming out next month,” Alexander tells us. “He stayed at this hotel.”
Oh my God! And we missed him by one day. Wow!
Alexander then tells us he’ll give us time to walk down the steps and take photos while he and the other Vespa drivers wait here for us. Away we go on foot.
When we reach the bottom of the staircase, we do indulge ourselves and snap a few photos.
I also point out Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s famous Baroque-style fountain at the base of the steps. “This is where climate change activists poured black dye into the water a few months ago,” I tell the girls. A short conversation follows about the frequent incidences of defacing monuments in Italy.
The blazing sun makes the climb back up the steps even more challenging. We find our drivers waiting in the shade for us, and it’s off to another location. We aren’t too far from the Trevi Fountain, and Alexander tells me he wants to take us there while it’s still early and before the crowds gather. Ten minutes later, we get off our Vespas once more and remove our helmets and hairnets.
“Go all the way down this street to the fountain, and we’ll wait here for you,” Alexander tells us.
While we’re walking, the three of us have a chance to talk. “How do you like the Vespa ride so far? Were you scared?” I ask.
“At first I was,” Kate says, “but it’s okay now. I like it.” Emily’s wide smile tells me all I need to know. We agree this excursion is a big hit.
“Okay, girls, follow me. When we get near the fountain, it will be crowded, and this is where pickpockets can be. Stay near me. We’re just going to get close enough for some photos and leave, because we’ll come back here another time when it will be less crowded.” As I expect, Trevi Fountain is already busy, and with me in the lead, we forge ahead until we get next to the water. I notice a heavy Italian police presence and take some comfort in this, although I remain vigilant. Already aware of the safety issues from our previous conversations, Emily isn’t carrying a phone or purse, and Kate wears a lanyard. I keep my hand on my crossbody purse.
We are successful in taking photos, and my thought is to save the traditional tossing of the coin for when we return. After we walk back to meet our drivers, we take a few minutes to drink some water, and I mention the police to Alexander. He informs me that the reason they are here is due to an incident this past weekend where a woman went swimming in the fountain. What is wrong with people?
Our next stop is the Colosseum, and Alexander takes this opportunity to teach us a little more about Roman history. “Do you know that the months of the calendar date back to Rome? July was named after Julius Caesar, and August after the first emperor, Augustus Caesar.”
I’m impressed, and Alexander also captures the attention of both Kate and Emily, who engage in conversation with him. He spends ten minutes teaching us other tidbits of Roman history in his entertaining and fascinating style. He sends us on our way to the Colosseum, where we take selfies and marvel at the work that went into the mammoth amphitheater thousands of years ago.
A vendor attempts to sell us water, but we thank him and say we already have our own water. Another vendor tries to capture our attention with the wide-brimmed hats he’s selling. Dismissing him without a word, we turn our attention to something more entertaining. Never missing an opportunity to find humor in situations, the girls suddenly start laughing almost uncontrollably. “What’s so funny?” I ask.
Emily can hardly contain herself as she tells me about someone taking photos behind me. “Oh my God, Grandma,” she sputters between laughs. “Check this girl out. She’s the one posing with an umbrella. She looks absolutely ridiculous posing like that in front of one of the most famous landmarks in the world.”
Once I turn to look, I have to agree with Emily. I’m sure the girl will slap a filter on the photos and upload them to Instagram within the hour.
By now we’re roasting in this heat and head back to our drivers. In response to a request I’d made earlier, Alexander announces it’s time for our Vespa photo shoot. Francesca, Chiara, and Alexander line up their three scooters with the Colosseum in the background and instruct us to sit on them. He snaps a photo and then, like a professional photographer, tells us to raise our hands and say pizza.
“Mamma mia,” he says in frustration. Apparently, we’re not exhibiting as much excitement as he wants. Like a director, he asks us to repeat the performance. Satisfied, he gives us a sign of approval and it’s on to the next stop.
He’s so funny, and this tour is already turning into the highlight of my time in Rome. I suspect that the girls feel the same.
Next is an uphill and bumpy, yet exhilarating, ride up to the Orange Garden, also known as Giardino degli Aranci, which sits atop Aventine Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome. I remember coming here six years ago, when Daniela offered to meet me in Rome and show me around the city. The views from here are nothing less than spectacular.
We wander into the serene atmosphere of the shaded Orange Garden and take a moment to soak in the ambience beneath the umbrella pines. What a beautiful place, high above the city. I can understand why this romantic garden is a favorite spot for wedding photos. I hear live violin music and catch a glimpse of a female musician playing a beautiful song up near the terrace.
“Isn’t this a nice change of pace from Rome’s busy streets?” I ask the girls. “Let’s take a break and sit down on one of those wooden benches.”
As we approach the terrace, a few other visitors are here, but it’s not overly crowded. The musician continues to serenade us with her strings, and I regret having no money with me, since my purse is locked in the compartment of Chiara’s Vespa. I like supporting the local musicians whenever I can.
“Oh my God,” Emily says as she looks out onto the sprawling panoramic vista.
“This is one of the best views of Rome,” I say. Kate recognizes landmarks we’ve seen, and I point out some too. Afterward, we take a few selfies and photos of each other before we walk back to Alexander and his crew. “There’s a church on the other side of the garden where you can look through a keyhole which lines up with Saint Peter’s in the Vatican. Daniela took me there, but I don’t think we have time to look for it right now.”
We find Alexander standing next to an attention-grabbing fountain that consists of a large marble face that looks like a mask. Beneath it is an old Roman tub. Next to it is a working water fountain, and Alexander invites Emily to get a drink from it. She hesitates at first, but on his prompting, she stoops down, pushes her hair away from her face, and prepares to get a drink from the water which flows freely. Just as the first drops of water are about to fall into her mouth, he stops her.
“No, no, no. Mamma mia, mamma mia.”
With a confused look, but still smiling, she gets up, throws up her hands, and steps away from the water fountain. “No? What?” she asks him.
In typical Alexander style, he says, “Look over here,” as he uses his finger to force the stream of water to flow upward and toward her.
“Oh,” we all say in unison, as the trick reveals itself.
“You could have told me that. I’m embarrassed,” Emily says. She’s a good sport and Alexander replies, “I wanted to kid with you.” I wonder how often he plays this joke on his guests. It must work every time.
“We’re going to drive through Trastevere next,” he tells me, and I share the information with the girls. I’m psyched to go there again, especially since we only saw a small part of the neighborhood last night. The exhilarating ride down the streets from one of the highest points in Rome has me clutching at the metal bars on the seat, but I love this adventure and am not at all scared. Alexander is an excellent driver, and he’s gained my total confidence.
Once we arrive in Trastevere, I catch a glimpse of vaguely familiar places, and when Alexander parks his scooter, a tourist asks him about the Vespa tour. After he answers her, I chime in with my own recommendation. Alexander thanks me and lets me know that he likes taking guests like me around Rome, because I appreciate what he does.
Then he asks if I like Bernini. What kind of question is that to ask anyone who comes to Rome? “Of course, I like Bernini,” I tell him, laughing.
“I do too,” he says, “and because you like Bernini, I’m going to show you one of his last masterpieces.”
I look at the girls and tell them he wants to show me a sculpture by Bernini, the famous artist who created the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona. We walk inside the Church of San Francesco a Ripa, where Saint Francis of Assisi stayed during his Roman visits with the Pope.
Alexander guides us to the front of the church. On the left side is the stunning Bernini sculpture, Beata Ludovica in Ecstasy. I’m moved by the woman’s face, sculpted in a way that depicts so much emotion. The four of us spend a few moments here, and then Alexander shows us the tiny room where Saint Francis stayed.
This unexpected visit to this church is a moving and inspiring experience I didn’t anticipate. “Thank you, Alexander.”
Next we’re on our way to Janiculum Hill, the other high point with magnificent scenic overlooks. Known as the eighth hill of Rome, the view from here is even better than from Aventine Hill. I can see almost all of Rome, and it’s nothing less than majestic.
Until now, I have never seen the massive, monumental fountain, Fontana dell’Acqua Paola, and it’s beautiful. Alexander explains that it was built during the seventeenth century to celebrate the reopening of an old Roman aqueduct, creating a source of clean drinking water for the residents here. I also learn that a scene in the James Bond movie Spectre was filmed here.
Our final stop is the Vatican, and I’m grateful, since I had to cancel our early morning small-group tour and was unable to rebook. At least now, we can visit the impressive and breathtaking Saint Peter’s Square and see the exterior of the basilica. From where Alexander drops us off, we walk about ten minutes to reach the square, and we enter from the side, between the colonnades.
Emily’s reaction is priceless. With mouth open, she stares above her and all around before she says anything. “Oh my God! I had no idea how big this was. I learned about the Vatican, but to see it up close like this is not what I expected.”
Designed by Bernini, St. Peter’s Square is one of the largest in the world. At 320 meters in length and 240 meters in width, it has a capacity of 300,000 people. The majestic twin colonnades that form an oval around the edges of St. Peter’s Square are also Bernini’s design. Just to stand in this square and observe the architecture inspires awe.
It’s close to one o’clock, and I continue to feel the heat of the day. “I’m glad we’re here so you can see this beautiful piazza, but I’m also thankful we aren’t waiting in line today in this heat to go inside the church. That will have to wait for another visit.”
We take our time strolling through the square and admiring what’s all around us, and Kate is equally impressed. “I know I’ll be back, Grandma.” Music to my ears.
I’m thrilled about this tour and can’t thank Alexander enough. Although it’s prepaid, I give him a well-deserved €60 tip, which he graciously accepts. After we retrieve our belongings, I have a final request. “Can I take a photo of the three of you?” They agree and after removing their helmets, the two female drivers reveal their beautiful, long tresses, hidden until now. These young women look like models.
Grateful and upbeat, we say goodbye to Francesca, Chiara, and Alexander. Because of the security and traffic pattern near our apartment, our drop-off point is in Piazza Sant’ Eustachio, a five-minute walk to our apartment. I’m fine with this. By now, we are accustomed to walking in Rome. According to my pedometer app, we’ve already walked eleven miles since we arrived two days ago.
After we got back to the States, all three of us agreed this was the highlight of our Italy trip. I’d highly recommend it. To book your own Vespa tour with Alexander, contact him here: Alexander Palmacci email mailto:vintagerider@hotmail.com or call +39 334 8158547.
This was a chapter excerpt from my latest Italy travel memoir, Italy at Eighteen.
In case you’d like to hear more about my two week trip to Italy with my college-age granddaughters, the book is available in paperback, kindle, and audiobook, narrated by me.
Click here to purchase
“A heartwarming book full of exciting adventures and creative ideas for anyone planning a trip to Italy, especially those traveling with teens. Real-life situations don’t always work out as planned and the author is quick to reveal lessons learned along the way. I found myself delighted with every turn of the page.”
~ Susan Nelson, author of The Adventures of Seabee Bill
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