https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Ever since Audrey Hepburn took control of her Vespa in the 1953 classic "Roman Holiday", the Italian scooter has been a symbol of joy and style and on its 75th birthday, many Italians remain fondly attached to theirs. https://www.thelocal.it/20210423/symbol-of-youth-italys-iconic-vespa-scooter-marks-75th-birthday Fri, 23 Apr 2021 19:42:01 +0200 symbol-of-youth-italys-iconic-vespa-scooter-marks-75th-birthday Seydou Seck's Vespa is 41 years old, but he sits upright and proud on the ancient grey scooter when he heads down Bamako's Independence Avenue. https://www.thelocal.it/20191012/in-mali-love-for-italys-vintage-scooter-is-timeless Sat, 12 Oct 2019 13:20:56 +0200 in-mali-love-for-italys-vintage-scooter-is-timeless Genoa, home of the iconic Vespa scooter, is bringing in a ban on older models aimed at tackling pollution. https://www.thelocal.it/20190904/anti-vespa-law-in-italian-birthplace-of-the-iconic-scooter Wed, 04 Sep 2019 14:31:07 +0200 anti-vespa-law-in-italian-birthplace-of-the-iconic-scooter More than 70 years after Italy’s iconic scooter was born, the Vespa is getting its most radical update yet. https://www.thelocal.it/20171115/made-in-italy-first-electric-vespa Wed, 15 Nov 2017 17:19:37 +0100 made-in-italy-first-electric-vespa The shape of Italy's iconic Vespa scooter is subject to copyright protection, according to Turin judges who on Thursday ruled that a Chinese company could not market their imitations of the product in Italy. https://www.thelocal.it/20170407/vespa-gets-legal-protection-from-foreign-fakes-its-like-an-artwork Fri, 07 Apr 2017 14:09:27 +0200 vespa-gets-legal-protection-from-foreign-fakes-its-like-an-artwork Italy on Friday voiced alarm over Donald Trump's plans to target imports responsible for the US trade deficit, amid fears products like Vespa scooters could be hit by punitive duties. https://www.thelocal.it/20170331/vespa-wars-italy-fears-sting-of-trump-trade-barriers Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:37:56 +0200 vespa-wars-italy-fears-sting-of-trump-trade-barriers The Vespa, an iconic 70-year-old design classic and Italy's most famous scooter, will be available in an electric version by the end of next year, according to its manufacturer, Piaggio. https://www.thelocal.it/20161111/italys-iconic-vespa-goes-electric Fri, 11 Nov 2016 10:58:47 +0100 italys-iconic-vespa-goes-electric When you think of Italy, you probably picture a Vespa, and the scooter turns 70 today. To celebrate, we look back at its history. https://www.thelocal.it/20160422/happy-birthday-vespa-ten-facts-you-didnt-know-about-the-iconic-scooter Fri, 22 Apr 2016 15:28:02 +0200 happy-birthday-vespa-ten-facts-you-didnt-know-about-the-iconic-scooter Scooter owners are up in arms in Genoa, birthplace of the iconic Vespa, after the Italian city's mayor banned models produced before 1999 in a bid to tackle pollution. https://www.thelocal.it/20160115/scooter-owners-revolt-over-ban-in-vespa-birthplace Fri, 15 Jan 2016 12:21:49 +0100 scooter-owners-revolt-over-ban-in-vespa-birthplace Italian police were gobsmacked on Thursday morning when they stopped an 80-year-old man riding a scooter, only to discover he had been driving without a licence for the last 45 years. https://www.thelocal.it/20151113/vespa-grandpa-drives-without-licence-for-45-years Fri, 13 Nov 2015 12:24:05 +0100 vespa-grandpa-drives-without-licence-for-45-years Rome drivers have a reputation for treating their streets like a racing track. But one man on a Vespa appeared to do away with the rules of the road entirely, by jumping a roadblock and then digging his teeth into a traffic warden. https://www.thelocal.it/20131025/angry-vespa-driver-bites-off-cops-finger Fri, 25 Oct 2013 12:55:00 +0200 angry-vespa-driver-bites-off-cops-finger Annie Ojile Nerone moved to Italy from Minnesota in 2005 and now runs a scooter tour business with her husband in Rome. She tells The Local why the city's hidden gems are best found on two wheels and why it's the best way to avoid traffic. https://www.thelocal.it/20130701/you-need-to-have-patience-and-perseverance Mon, 01 Jul 2013 16:48:00 +0200 you-need-to-have-patience-and-perseverance