Vespa Days – 80th Anniversary of the Vespa

The Vespa returns home

Few objects define Italy quite like the Vespa. Patented on April 23, 1946, by engineer Corradino d'Ascanio for Piaggio, the scooter quickly became a global symbol of freedom, elegance, and Italian ingenuity. Vespa Days celebrates this legend exactly where it all began: Pontedera, in the province of Pisa, the historic home of the Piaggio factory. The festival transforms the city center into an immersive journey through art, industrial history, and a passion for motorbikes.

An entire city involved

The heart of the event beats along Corso Matteotti, in Piazza Cavour and Piazza Curtatone, but all of Pontedera joins in: from the Piaggio Museum, a treasure trove of the company's history, to PALP – Palazzo Pretorio, and the newly renovated entrance of the Villaggio Piaggio. Art installations, exhibitions, and urban displays guide visitors through a narrative that weaves together design, labor, and the collective identity of an entire community.

Exhibitions and installations

One of the most striking projects is V80, an urban installation curated by Carlo Alberto Arzelà: five transparent plexiglass Vespa silhouettes with mirrored bases, scattered along Corso Matteotti to tell the vehicle's story through transparency and light refraction. At the Piaggio Museum, street art pays tribute to the icon with works by Tuscan artists, while in the historic center, PALP hosts a major exhibition dedicated to the world of Vespa.

The rally and the party

The popular heart of the event is the Vespa rally, which draws enthusiasts and clubs from all over Italy for tours and excursions through the villages of the Valdera and the Terre di Pisa, from Peccioli to Lari, and from Cascina to Vicopisano. Evenings in the center come alive with live concerts, DJ sets, cabaret, and performances, creating a festive atmosphere that unites different generations around the same symbol.

A Tuscan icon of global value

Celebrating the Vespa in Pontedera means much more than organizing a scooter rally: it is about telling a fundamental chapter of the industrial and cultural history of Tuscany and all of Italy. For the Municipality of Pontedera and the Province of Pisa, the event is also an opportunity to promote the region, attracting Italian and international visitors passionate about motor tourism and collecting.