Vespa’s 80th Anniversary celebrations see historic 25,000-Scooter Parade across Rome

In an unprecedented spectacle, around 25,000 Vespa scooters have paraded through the heart of Rome in what has become the largest rally ever organised in honour of one of the world’s most recognisable icons of style, elegance and technology.

The historic gathering has brought together Vespisti from 67 countries, all converging on the Italian capital to participate in the Vespa 80th anniversary celebrations.

The festivities, which began two days ago and will continue until tomorrow, have already drawn thousands of visitors to the Vespa Village at the Foro Italico, where a vibrant programme of celebrations continues throughout the event.

The highlight of the celebrations unfolded this morning during the spectacular cavalcade that formed the centrepiece of the VESPA ROMA 2026 – 80 YEARS OF AN ICON event. The Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, officially gave the starting signal for the parade, which was led by the presidents of the Vespa Clubs representing all sixty-seven participating countries.

Beginning at the Terme di Caracalla, the remarkable procession travelled past some of Rome’s most celebrated landmarks. The route led riders to the Colosseum before continuing towards Piazza Venezia, circling the Altare della Patria and then proceeding along the Fori Imperiali.

Thousands of spectators lined the streets throughout the route, applauding, cheering and capturing images of Vespa scooters spanning every era as they rode through the Eternal City.

One of the most captivating aspects of the parade was the extraordinary display of Vespa’s eight-decade evolution. Every one of the more than 160 Vespa models produced over the past 80 years was represented, including several exceptionally rare examples of the Vespa 98, the very first production model introduced in 1946.

The procession also showcased an impressive collection of vintage scooters, from the distinctive “low-light” models of the 1950s to the much-loved VBB variants of the 1960s.

Among the most enthusiastically received models were the ET3, GTR and the various Rally versions, while the timeless Vespa PX also drew widespread admiration from the crowds. The impressive line-up extended to the contemporary Primavera and Gts models, many of which had completed journeys of thousands of miles as dedicated owners travelled across continents to participate in the landmark celebrations.

The festivities continue at the Vespa Village at the Foro Italico until tomorrow, offering a programme open to the public that includes live entertainment, parties and music from Radio Deejay. Visitors can also explore a fascinating photographic exhibition, admire an exceptional collection of historic and extremely rare Vespa scooters from the Piaggio Museum, discover the latest Vespa range, and visit the dedicated Vespa Shop offering exclusive merchandise.