Most  often enough, couples looking to celebrate their love escape to the warm climate and laid-back atmosphere of a tropical resort. But in my case, commemorating my wedding anniversary with my husband demanded a bit more adventure, mixed in with culture and fast-paced action set in the historically rich region of Tuscany. With that said, booking the ultimate vacation was easy – just by signing up for a touring vacation with Italy by Vespa, founded by Stanley and Patsy Gallery.

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Arriving in the sun-drenched city of Florence, we first settle in at Hotel Radda, where we rest our heads amidst the essence of 11th century architecture and impressive stone walkways. As we settle in for the first part of our trip, we admire the majestic view of the surrounding countryside, then quickly make our way to the Vespa orientation. While we do encounter scooter-challenged members in our group, after a little concentration and courtesy, all 16 of us Vespa enthusiasts are soon zooming around the picturesque town on our very first afternoon. The next day, we relocate just minutes away to Hotel Vignale, still in the heart of Tuscany. The refined hotel boasts carefully restored craftsmanship and ancient architectural features.

Every morning, our group gathers in anticipation, for an exciting new day of endless discoveries. As we speed along winding roads to our next destination, there’s plenty to admire: vineyards bearing some of the world’s finest grapes, stately lines of towering cypress trees, silvery-green olive groves, and fields of swaying, crimson poppies. Not just a wine-producing region, Chianti bursts with Romanesque churches, hamlets and castles, which still bare witness to the area’s history and culture. Each village we travel through is embellished with clusters of fragrant and colourful flowers. The floral scent floods our noses, and our eyes widen to capture and remember the picture-perfect terrain.

As our adrenaline is in full swing with every turn on our Vespa, the sound of scooters cuts through the wind. We all can’t help but laugh out loud as we zoom by on our fiery red Vespas, which catch the attention of curious locals.

Each day brings a new finding. We visit Il Borro estate, the medieval hamlet that since 1993, has been restored by the fashion-saavy Ferragamo family. Travellers can rent a villa, discover hidden local artisans’ shops and dine as we did at L’Osteria Del Borro, on a terrace overlooking the medieval village. Apart from Italy’s masterworks, the one thing I miss the most is the extraordinary flavour of the locally grown food: lush tomatoes, salty prosciutto, savoury goat cheese, and more. Every day, we indulge in meals that are five or six courses long. Most meals begin with simply displayed antipasti, including bruschetta, pecorino cheese dripped with honey, and an array of cured meats. At the Michelin-starred restaurant La Bottega del 30, we participate in the art of food preparation, helping to create fresh homemade noodles, tossed in diced tomato and a scintillating sauce of porcini mushroom. More than that, you can’t go to Tuscany without trying the classic cinghiale (wild boar), which is a favourite amongst Tuscans in every restaurant. After every satisfying feast, we find ourselves lingering around the table, sipping Vin Santo, a source of great pride for Tuscans. Chilled limoncello and grappa also make it to the table, to cleanse our palate and restore our senses.

During the rest of our week-long trip, we embark on guided wine tours through some of the most distinguished wineries. This is where we taste, indulge, discuss – not drink – wine made from San Giovese grapes, each glass accompanied by cheese or bread. Next on our list, we fulfill all of our guilty pleasures by slipping through the doors of the only Prada outlet store in Montevarchi, lunch at the 13th century-built Castello di Verrazzano, and a walk through the awe-aspiring Duomo in Siena.

Italy by Vespa successfully takes you past stunning panoramas, lively town squares, authentic gelato shoppes, quiet chapels and every Italian extravagance you can conjure. An adventure of a lifetime, the sweet sound of a scooter or the taste of Chianti Classico on my lips, always transports me back to that fabulous Tuscan voyage. Cin Cin!

www.italybyvespa.com

Motorcycling has hit the mainstream and is enjoyed by individuals from every corner of society, whether they’re riding solo for a therapeutic outing, with a group of friends, as a family or as couples. The number of women riders has grown immensely, while children are able to enjoy motorcycling on off-road excursions that enable the whole family to ride together.

A significant contributor to the rise of the motorcycle industry is the skyrocketing fuel prices, which are now the norm. Filling the tank of a scooter or motorcycle is almost insignificant in contrast with gassing up an SUV, minivan, or even a car.

A wide range of motorcycle styles are available, with something to suit everyone’s needs, from runabout scooters and highway cruisers to off-road bikes and road-race replica rockets that are often seen at stoplights. There are plenty of beginner bikes to choose from. All it takes is a little investigation to find the one that’s right for you. Start by looking through motorcycles magazines. Then speak with as many motorcyclists as possible. They can provide you with invaluable insight about the technical side while communicating specific nuances of the sport that you can’t always learn from a magazine. Your local motorcycle dealer is also a great source of information, as is the Internet.

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Once you are ready to choose a motorcycle, there are many factors to consider. The obvious budget factor
– whether to buy new or used, the style of motorcycle you prefer and the type of riding you envision doing. Apart from the financial considerations, I think the most important consideration is the type of riding you would like to do. For instance, do you see yourself as a laid-back individual who would like to maintain that personality on your motorcycle? Then perhaps a cruiser style motorcycle would suit you best. A fine example of this type of bike is the Yamaha Raider S–a bike with style and attitude. Have you ever dreamed of dicing it out with the top road racers in the world on the legendary race circuits of Europe? Then you may want to live out your fantasy on a sport bike (but only in a closed-circuit racetrack facility, please!). Another factor to consider is that most owners of sportbikes will ride for one or two hours at best. If you have a weak back, wrists or legs, you may not be comfortable on a sportbike due to the aggressive seating position.

Let’s not forget the physical element in the equation. If you’re 100 pounds and soaking wet, the 500-pound cruiser you are dreaming about may not be the best choice for you. As with choosing a car, size and ride height can be determining factors. However, motorcycles can be more easily modified or adapted to an individual’s physique than a car. For instance, ride height (the distance between the seat and the ground) can sometimes be lowered so that you can firmly plant your feet on the ground when at a standstill.

Regardless of the type of motorcycle you choose, always focus on safety while enjoying the sport.

Finding that great stretch of road, whether you head out on your own or with a group of friends, is a great adventure. The never-ending search for an unknown, awe-inspiring, scenic patch of earth can be intoxicating. Stopping at a wayward diner for a hearty breakfast or a quick jaunt to the local café for an espresso might fulfill your ride. Sometimes it’s best not to have a destination in mind and just to enjoy the ride.

Going green is not just a fashion statement; it can be a way of life. Applying “green” thinking to the transportation industry can make a major difference to our planet.

Scooters and motorcycles have several advantages over cars and SUVs, in terms of efficiency and convenience. Joe Linardi of Kahuna Powersports points out that one of the major benefits of two-wheeled transportation is economy. With skyrocketing fuel prices now the norm, filling up a scooter or motorcycle is barely significant in contrast with gassing up an SUV, minivan, or even a car. Filling the gas tank of most scooters involves only a fraction of the expense of keeping a typical vehicle’s tank full. The best small four-wheeled gas burners offer somewhere in the neighborhood of 30, or maybe 40 miles per gallon. Motorcycles can offer 60 or 70 miles per gallon. That’s a substantial saving, which might translate to a yearly winter getaway. For those on a tight budget, the cost of keeping a two-wheeled vehicle in running order is negligible compared to automobiles. Since scooters can be equipped with extra storage compartments and maintain city street speeds, many local errands can be run on one tank of gas or a full electrical charge. Even the most expensive motorcycles on the market today are less costly than your typical economy cars.

Rob Magarelli at Vespa Vaughan is quick to point out ease of use, especially with scooters, which primarily use stepless automatic transmissions (no clutch, no gear shift), as an appealing advantage. Commuting, shopping (short of multiple 12-packs of soda and watermelons), visiting, and completing simple errands lend themselves easily to a two-wheeled vehicle solution.

In many large cities, finding a suitable parking place for a car may involve endless loops around crowded streets or additional fees in a parking garage. The destination may still be blocks away, leaving the driver little choice but to walk.

Depending upon local regulations, it may be legal to park two-wheeled vehicles in city-sponsored bicycle racks or secured with chains to sturdy objects on the sidewalk. Thus, owners can frequently find suitable parking almost anywhere, and are less likely to walk long distances to and from parking locations. A light motorcycle takes approximately one fifth of the parking space of a car.

Insurance requirements for two-wheeled vehicles are usually less restrictive than equivalent liability coverage for cars and larger vehicles, resulting in potential insurance premium savings.

Think about how you can reduce traffic congestion. The size and maneuverability of a motorcycle or vespa would significantly reduce traffic congestion if used by even a small percentage of commuters. Sales of commuter motorcycles are on the increase, demonstrating the frustration people feel about traffic congestion and the lack of availability, or unreliability of public transport. The motorcycle fulfills the role of a convenient and environmentally friendly private transport alternative that can make a contribution towards helping to solve transport problems.

As a former SUV lover and now a motorcycle convert, I understand the benefits of leaving the larger-than
life SUV at home for the summer and getting out there on the open road. I’ll never forget riding my motorcycle on a particular stretch of road and witnessing the majestic site of a resplendent orange sunset directly in front of me, with nothing shielding me from nature. And now, when I ride, I search for the next perfect moment that will be forever etched into the recesses of my mind.