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Driver's License
You don’t need a motorcycle license to rent a 125cc Vespa in Italy. However you must be a competent scooter rider. We can not rent to people with no previous scooter or motorcycle experience. If in doubt try renting a scooter at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are you located?
We are located in the village of Gaiole in Chianti. The nearest train stations are Montevarchi and Siena (30 and 40 minutes away by car, respectively). Florence is 1 hour by car, Arezzo is just under 1 hour, Radda in Chianti is about 15 minutes, and Castellina in Chianti and Panzano in Chianti are 30 minutes. Castelnuovo Berardenga is just under 30 minutes. Montepulciano, Pienza and Montalcino are about 1 hour away, as is San Gimignano.

What are your office hours, and when can we pick up the Vespa?
In high season (April to October), we are open 7 days a week for telephone and email correspondence.

We work with the tourist offices of Gaiole in Chianti and Radda in Chianti. The Vespas are located in those villages. Both tourist offices are open 10 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 6 pm, and you can simply walk in and rent a Vespa from them (depending on availability). If you book in advance we arrange pick-up and drop-off during the tourist office hours. For pick-up and drop off outside these hours please contact us at info@charnestours.com.

Do I need an International Drivers license?
There is no requirement to hold an international drivers license to rent one of our Vespas. You do need to hold a valid driver’s license from your home country.

Do I need a motorcycle license?
No, you don’t need a motorcycle license, just a valid car driver’s license from your home country. You must be at least 18 years of age and have had a driver’s license for at least two years.

Can two people ride on a scooter?
Yes, two people can ride a Vespa 125cc scooter. Anyone can be a passenger, including children (Italian Law doesn’t specify a minimum age for child passengers).

What kind of insurance is included in the rental?
The rental price includes third party liability and third party property damage insurance as required by Italian law. However, you are not covered for any damage that you may do to the Vespa. In Italy it is impossible to get this type of insurance because most scooters are operated in larger cities where they are subject to frequent damage while parked.

However, we recognize that you may not be comfortable riding a Vespa which has a replacement value of €3,000. Therefore we offer our own in-house supplemental insurance policy to cover damage to, or theft of the Vespa while it is in your care. Cost: €10 per day per Vespa, with an excess (= deductible) of €300 to be applied as per the repair cost of any damage.

Will you deliver the Vespas to our hotel or rental property, or to a train station?
It really depends on where you are located, so tentatively yes. The extra cost will vary according to the distance. Alternatively, we will pick you up from your hotel, rental property or train station and take you to the village of Gaiole in Chianti where you will pick up the Vespa. A supplemental fee will apply, so please contact us us for an exact quote.

I have never ridden a scooter. Can I still try one of your Vespas?
Previous scooter or motorcycle experience is required. If you have never ridden a scooter you should learn before renting one in Italy. We are not a driving school and we can’t provide scooter riding lessons.

Our Vespas are easy to ride, but a good sense of balance and coordination is required. They have a 125cc engine and an all-steel frame. They are lighter and easier to ride than a motorcycle but at 110 kg (235 lbs), they are also heavier than 50cc scooters and mopeds.

We can provide smaller and lighter scooters: the Sym Mio 100cc (not made by Vespa). They weigh in at 87 kg (approximately 20 kg less than our Vespas) which makes them very manageable for people of small stature or low body weight.

You will be riding a motor vehicle on public roads. You are responsible for your safety but also for the safety of other motorists, bikers and pedestrians. You must be able to control the scooter and ride it competently.

Travel Insurance
We recommend that you have supplemental travel/medical insurance.

Do you charge for excess kilometers?
No, you can ride as much as you want

How do I know what helmet size I need?
Take a tape measure and wrap it around your head, with the tape touching the top of your eyebrows. The tape measure should be straight around your head, and not too tight. Look at the measurement and use the chart below to find your helmet size.