Vespa Piaggio Turns 80: Rome Hosts Grand Celebration

The Vespa Piaggio marks its 80th anniversary with major celebrations in Rome from June 25 to 28, 2026. The event, VESPAROMA 2026 – 80 Years of an Icon, will feature thousands of Vespa enthusiasts from 48 countries, photo exhibitions, parades of historic models, and a grand procession on June 27. The heart of the festivities is the Foro Italico, with the Stadio dei Marmi transformed into the Vespa Village. The Vespa was born in 1946 when Enrico Piaggio commissioned aeronautical engineer Corradino D'Ascanio to design a new scooter. D'Ascanio, who disliked motorcycles, created a vehicle with a load-bearing body inspired by aircraft fuselages, a flat footboard, front suspension from aircraft landing gear, and handlebar-mounted gear shift. The patent was filed on April 23, 1946. The Vespa became a cultural icon after appearing in the 1953 film Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, symbolizing the Dolce Vita. It later featured in La Dolce Vita and many other films. The Vespa is in the permanent collections of the MoMA in New York and the Triennale Design Museum in Milan. Piaggio has collaborated with Salvador Dalí, Giorgio Armani, Christian Dior, and Frank Gehry. The scooter was also a tool of female emancipation in the 1950s, with advertisements showing women driving independently.