By Federico Minghi
With Vintage Tours in Pienza, the roads of the Val d’Orcia are filled with legends on two and four wheels: a romantic getaway at a leisurely pace in the heart of a Tuscan dream.
Vintage Tours rents Fiat 500s, Vespas, Lambrettas, and e-bikes so you can experience the most authentic Tuscany as the star of the show, turning the key to timeless charm to get lost among the most beautiful hills in the world. This project transforms the journey into a work of art in motion, offering the unique thrill of driving genuine, perfectly restored icons of Italian design.
The Val d’Orcia is a symphony of scenic roads and hills shaped by time that seems written for the dreams of the most discerning travellers, a suspended stage where every curve holds the promise of an eternal emotion. Pienza is not just a gem of Renaissance art, but it becomes the privileged gateway for a journey back through the decades. This is where the heart of this excellent project beats, born from a visceral love for beauty, capable of restoring slow tourism to its noblest dimension and an elegantly retro freedom.
Getting behind the wheel of a legendary Fiat 500, following the unmistakable beat of a Vespa, or rediscovering the timeless style of a Lambretta from the 60s, 70s, or 80s means reclaiming the luxury of slowness, letting the landscape enter into symbiosis with the observer and give a new, intimate, and profound flavor to the day. The magic of this brand is accomplished through the skilful attention to detail: from a specialized in-house workshop that restores these jewels of mechanical archaeology with meticulous artisanal patience, to memorable gourmet experiences such as the exclusive picnic basket filled with local delicacies. Each itinerary is thus transformed into an authentic signature story, a perfect bond in which the profile of the cypress trees merges with the indelible memory of a Tuscany that has discovered the secret to remaining true, a proud guardian of its soul.
Your space in Pienza is a true tribute to vintage and the nostalgia for beauty. How did this great passion of yours come about, and what is the deep emotion you want to make the guest feel in their chest when they get behind the wheel of one of your Vespas or a vintage Fiat 500? “Vintage Tours was founded in 2012 precisely to offer a completely different point of view, giving enthusiasts the pure pleasure of a manual transmission and a historic vehicle. Over time, we have opened up to requests by also including e-bikes and Vespa scooters, but the principle remains the same: exploring this wonderful land with the time needed to truly enjoy it.”
Today there is a lot of talk about “slow tourism”, but you translate it into the slow pace of the 1960s and 1970s. Why does traveling through the Val d’Orcia in a vintage vehicle completely change the perception of the trip, making it such an intimate experience? “It’s a completely personal feeling, but taking the exact same road in a classic vehicle compared to a modern one radically transforms the way you see the route. Driving a piece of history strikes totally different chords within, slows down the pace, and allows the traveller to enter into a deep harmony with the surrounding landscape.”
In 2019, you opened a real workshop in Pienza dedicated to the art of complete restoration. How much love and how many artisanal secrets are needed to restore the soul and keep a fleet of about 70 historic vehicles in perfect condition? “We started in my parents’ garage in Montepulciano, then we moved here to Pienza, where we opened an in-house workshop and body shop to take care of our vehicles directly. Among these, we also have very rare pieces that are less known to the general public, such as a Russian sidecar from the 1950s or a splendid Marlin, which require meticulous care.”
Your vehicles seem to have come out of a time machine. Is there a particular vehicle in your fleet to which you are bound by a love story or a special affection? “There’s no single favourite vehicle, but the fascinating thing is that almost every vintage vehicle in here came about by pure chance. I have often bought them during a trip or through a chance encounter with someone I met by accident; each one brings with it its own memory and a unique anecdote that led it to us.”
You offer beautiful itineraries, from the Crete Senesi to Cortona. If you had to design the perfect route, the most romantic one to travel with your sweetheart, snuggled up on a Vespa at sunset, which one would you recommend? “For me, the Val d’Orcia in its entirety offers something unparalleled: the small, enchanted villages like Monticchiello and Pienza, the thermal baths of Bagno Vignoni, and the giants of food and wine like Montalcino and Montepulciano. It’s the romantic itinerary par excellence, with the most iconic curves and cypress trees in the world.”
Your Vintage Tours picnic is a real treat. How did this wonderful idea come about, and how do customers react when they find out they can stop among the cypress trees for a gourmet break? “It started as a joke in 2016, when I bought ten baskets; then I found a local farm for vacuum-packed cold cuts and cheeses, and we created a complete kit with a blanket, cooler bag, wine, and a Bluetooth speaker. Last year we sold more than four hundred of them: customers, for example, love to relax with music under the Quercia delle Checche.”
Is there a particular episode or memory from these years that has remained etched in your heart and that testifies to the bond with those who choose you? “The most gratifying thing is to see them come back every two or three years: people who got to know us in the early days in my parents’ garage and who have witnessed our growth. Many arrive as a couple, exchange rings during the tour for their marriage proposal, and then return after a few years with their children, making this experience truly timeless.”
Info: Vintage Tours, Località Fornaci, Pienza (Si) / Cell.: 393 9655122 / info@vintagetorus.it / www.vintagetours.it / Ig: @vintegetourstoscana