Scott Swan found the Fiat 500 tour in Italy offers a unique way to experience the country’s iconic sights and culture.
ITALY, — Getting around Italy can be a challenge. There are crowds and cars. So, the most fun way to explore a country this big is in the smallest car.
“Guys, what to say about the Fiat 500. It’s an icon. It’s like the symbol of Italy,” said Christine Bravi, a tour guide.
Mauro Bramante loves the Fiat 500. His garage is full of them.
“It was more than just a car. It was a symbol of previous Italian generations,” Bramante said. “Fiat is an Italian company from Turin. They start making cars the beginning of last century but they became very successful with the Fiat 500. It was the very first affordable car.”
Bramante wants visitors to experience the joy Italians have known for over half a century with a tour.
“We teach them how to drive the car. We teach them how to start the car, how to use the gear,” Bramante said. “Then, once we have done the test, they are off on the road and they drive around the hills around Florence.”
The Fiat 500 tour takes you through some of the most picturesque areas of Tuscany. You see vineyards and olive groves along the way. Our tour stopped in the area known as the home of Chianti wine. The road to breathtaking views is often narrow.
“This is a two-way road. It’s so tiny, so narrow. This is wide compared to what we’ll find later on. That’s why we use the horn a lot,” Bravi said.
Florence isn’t the only city offering rides in a Fiat 500. Come to Rome.
“This is not a tour for tourists. It’s for travelers,” said Alvise Di Giulio, a local owner.
His company’s tour gives travelers a front row seat to the eternal city.
“We do love to actually wow our customers,” Di Giulio said.
This is a wow experience! They offer a 90-minute tour or a three-hour tour.
“The tour comprises of different venues, different spots, different neighborhoods — we can venture around the city. We get to do different stops. There’s plenty of things we can see around the city ranging from fountains, plazas, panoramic views, Rome has it all,” said tour guide Alexis Di Giulio.
“One of my favorite locations is Trastevere. Small streets. Not only because there’s lots of bars. Restaurants. Nightlife happening over there. We love Aventine Hill. It’s divided into two different sections. Small Aventine. Looks like a little village. Very cute,” said Di Giulio.
“You have to pay a lot of attention to pedestrians and also the motorcycles that cut you off from the street and also talk with the tourists. So, there’s a lot going on,” said Sophie Quida, a tour guide.
Your tiny car maneuvers through tiny streets.
“During the tour, you can wave and shout and people. Ciao Bello, Ciao Bella. And, they will smile at you and they will take pictures of you,” Di Giulio said.
“We get a lot of attention for the car, so it’s very fun,” Quida said.
You will explore places and views of Rome tourists may not discover. The biggest payoff is driving past the Colosseum.
“The Colosseum is the center of attraction. It’s the most-known building in Rome,” Di Guilio said.
You will see Italy with a view many tourists may not discover. And, all along the way feeling the history and the connection Italians have to this car.
“You got to imagine, back in the ’60s and ’70s, the whole family would leave on holiday with these. Parents in the front part, two to three kids in the back. Maybe mama strapped to the luggage rack. It must have been a nightmare,” Di Giulio said.
Touring Italy in a Fiat 500 feels like a dream. So, if you come to Italy spend time in the museums and churches. But then get out and explore the beauty on four small wheels.
“At the end of the tour, people drive like Romans,” Di Giulio said.
A drive that takes you back in history. A road trip unlike any other.
