My Audrey Hepburn Moment with Bici & Baci

On a warm April afternoon I took a tour with Bici & Baci (it means bicycles and kisses). One of  the oldest vespa rental companies in Rome, Bici & Baci offer bike rentals, Fiat 500 tours and Ape rentals to see the best of the eternal city! You can have your own Audrey Hepburn moment in Rome!

But why should you take a Vespa tour in Rome??

1. It’s fun! 
2. It saves you from all the walking!!
3. It will channel your inner Audrey Hepburn spirit!
4. It will show you Rome’s offbeat side.
5. It will help you make friends.

Vespa tour with Bici and Baci

My Vespa Tour

Bici & Baci has different tours spread throughout the day and mine started at 2 p.m. with local guide and motorist-Alexander Palmacci. Along me was an American couple on their bright shiny vespa and together we zoomed to the Colosseum.
We got snippets of history from Alexander, who seemed to be very passionate about his city. In those few hours, I learnt a lot and even appreciated his driving in that crazy Roman traffic!

Vespa tour with Bici and Baci

From Colosseum we made our way to the Baths of Caracalla which were founded around 212 A.D. The baths are now used in the summer by the Rome Opera company for summer events and festivals. I can’t imagine a better way to use and preserve the ancient ruins.

Baths of Caracalla with Bici & Baci

Aventine Hill with Bici & Baci

Sweet Rome with Bici & Baci

From the baths, our vespas motored to swanky Roman villas to go to the Aventine Hill from where the views of Rome are simply exceptional! Our next stop was the Circus Maximus-the largest stadium from ancient Rome that is used for many things such as a concert for Rolling Stones. A little later we had coffee at a local Bar in Testaccio and also saw an intriguing Pyramid jotting out of nowhere.

The Pyamid of Cestius is one of the most best preserved monuments of Rome and makes the city even more extraordinary than it already is. What a great vespa tour it was turning out to be!

#ButFirstCoffee with Bici & Baci

Testaccio neighborhood with Bici & Baci

Pyramid of Cestius with Bici & Baci

View from Gianicolo Hill with Bici & Baci

We then went to the centre of Rome to see familiar sights of Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and Fontana di Trevi. Afterwards we moved to the other side of Rome i.e. crossing the Ponte Sant’Angelo and reached Trastevere.

Winding towards the crazy Roman streets, we crossed Fontana dell’Acqua Paola which I had seen in movies. Our last stop was the Gianicolo Hill. I may have missed many more spots in between the tour was phenomenal! This is Rome that no tourist would see all in a day! And it isn’t hurried, there is time for pictures and a chat too.

Since people usually make a 2-3 day trip of Rome, places like the Gianicolo Hill and Testaccio are definitely missed. But if you have a local with a vespa, what better can that be?? I was pleased when Alexander told me I knew a lot much about Italy. It was such a beautiful moment to be there again remembering my earlier travels and this time with my red vespa gleaming in the sunshine and the wind blowing on my face. I surely felt happier than ever.

San Pietro in Montorio with Bici & Baci

My Audrey Hepburn Moment *drumrolls*

Disclaimer: Bici & Baci were kind enough to host me for the vespa ride. However, all the opinions here are purely my own. 

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