Rome Goes Vespa

Around 25,000 Vespa scooters from 67 countries filled the streets of Rome in what organizers described as the largest rally ever held for the Italian two-wheeler brand.

The parade was part of VESPA ROMA 2026, the 80th anniversary celebration of Vespa, which began two days earlier and continues at the Vespa Village in the Stadio dei Marmi at Foro Italico.

Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri flagged off the ride, which was led by presidents of Vespa Clubs from the 67 countries represented in the event.

The cavalcade started from the Terme di Caracalla before passing the Colosseum, Piazza Venezia, the Altare della Patria and the Fori Imperiali. Thousands of spectators lined the route to watch, cheer and record the convoy as Vespa models from different eras rode through the city.

The parade featured more than 160 Vespa models produced across eight decades. Among the rarest units were examples of the Vespa 98, the first series produced in 1946. Vintage scooters from the 1950s and 1960s also joined the ride, including “low-light” models and classic VBBs.

Other crowd favorites included the ET3, GTR, Rally models and the long-running Vespa PX. Newer models such as the Primavera and GTS were also strongly represented, including units ridden by owners who traveled long distances to join the Rome celebration.

The event continues at Vespa Village with public activities, parties, music from Radio Deejay, a photo exhibition, historic Vespa units from the Piaggio Museum, a display of the current Vespa lineup and a special Vespa Store.

The Rome gathering marks one of the biggest public celebrations for Vespa since the brand’s first scooter rolled out in 1946, turning the Italian capital into a moving tribute to one of the world’s most recognizable scooter names.