My wife and I will be in Rome this July and I'm seriously considering a guided scooter tour. I've read positive reviews on TripAdvisor, but thought I'd open the topic to hear from those of you that have experienced this. The one we are contemplating is 4 hour tour - begins either 10 AM or 3 PM. We are thinking the 3:00 would work well so that we can walk the Forum in the morning. There is also an option to add a Foodie component for an extra 20 euros. Any advice I should be aware of in advance? For example, Are the tour prices typically negotiable in this culture? Did you spend a balanced amount of time seeing sights / stuck in traffic? Was the ride in traffic an adventure in itself? Did you see a side of Rome that you otherwise would have never experienced? etc etc? Feel free to chime in with any input you deem relevant. Thanks!
Posted by
Houston, TX
487 posts
Do you have any motorcycle or scooter experience already? It is generally not recommended for Rome to be your first experience on a scooter due to the chaotic nature of driving in the city. Also consider the safety implications because if something went wrong, it could go really wrong. Make sure you have medical evacuation insurance, etc.
Posted by
OP
Charlotte
60 posts
@JenC...thanks Mom ;)
Should have clarified that the tour guide drives and guests are passengers. Was seeking more of past experience comments such as loved this/hated that. I understand the risks associated riding passenger on a Vespa in Rome
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16016 posts
Are the tour prices typically negotiable in this culture?
Replying to this part of your question only, I would say no, not for tours of any sort booked in advance through professional companies.
Posted by
NYC
490 posts
I think that the cost of it is outrageous for what you get. You would do better on the bicycle tour or hiring a driver.
80% of what tourists want to see in Rome is within 5-10 minutes walking distance of the other....in Centro Storico...which is packed with pedestrians...
Posted by
752 posts
If you did Scooterino, all these questions are answered in your favor and the ride is cheap, and you choose the destination, on your time. You can scooter tour as liitle or as much as you want, one day or every day. Go to www.scooterino.it for information
and download the Scooterino APP at the APP store. When you open the APP, you can sign in using Facebook or a phone mumber; if you use Facebook, you can sign in with your email address instead of a phone number, and your Facebook password.
Scooterino is a rideshare, if a scooter is going in your direction, it comes by and picks you up. You would need two scooters going in the same direction when you want to tour together. You can try it out once and see if you like it.
If you open the APP you can see moving pictures of the Scooterino in traffic. You can download the Scooterino APP right now while you are still home. It's free to download.
Posted by
NYC
490 posts
Consider the safety issues of letting a perfect stranger ride you around one of the world's top 5 crazy traffic cities....
Posted by
Tucson
4174 posts
The company you're talking about is Scooteroma. I'm signed up to do the Street Art Tour on the back of a Vespa next week. The cost for 4 hours is 200€. Yes, it is very expensive and I wasn't sure I could handle 4 hours. They agreed to do 3 hours for me, but it's still 50€ per hour. They will pick me up at and return me to my apartment. The street art is not in the compact historical district.
Due to my size and age, I hope to be on the back of a Vespa like the red one with the helmet box on the back. I'll be reminding them of that soon, as well as giving them my head measurement for the helmet. And yes, I already had serious medical travel insurance for the trip before I considered doing this. I checked with the insurance company and verified that I'll be covered if needed.
Posted by
Oregon
121 posts
My SO and I took a Scooteroma tour a couple years ago, and it was one of the highlights of a lengthy trip to Italy. It was lots of fun, as expected, but also really interesting. Our guide was so knowledgeable about the city, its history and its people. We covered lots of ground, and got a good sense of the geography of the city, which was helpful during the rest of our stay there. We drove ourselves - we are experienced scooter drivers - but the riding was definitely an adventure. We spent very little time stuck in traffic - just a few minutes near the parliament building. It was expensive, but worth it in our minds. You'll be getting on and off the scooter regularly during the trip, so it wouldn't be the best option if you have any mobility issues.