Photography by Isabella Aiulfi
Recently, a new type of slow and relaxed tourism has been gaining ground, especially for those who do not want to travel just to tick off names on the world map, but who wish to have real contact with the land, the places, and the people who dwell there. It is a challenge that has been taken up by Mirco Di Lernia, who has turned his passion for travelling and for vintage Vespas into a new tourism idea still little known in the Como area. “My wife and I have crossed the whole of the boot of Italy on a Vespa, right down to Sicily, and we have travelled the length and breadth of Lake Como and its surrounding areas”, says Mirco.
The Slow Emotions Tour is a complete experience in itself along the lake’s roads, and lasts for varying lengths of time, depending on the riders’ familiarity with the scooter. The first route starts in Como and continues along the western shore as far as Tremezzo, while the more adventurous can ride as far as Val d'Intelvi or take the scooter on the ferry from Menaggio to Bellagio and then back along the narrow, but in some ways more picturesque, road along the eastern side of the Como branch of the lake. The evening tours are definitely not to be missed, or the lakeside aperitif while treated to a romantic sunset.
Along the route there are short stops to enjoy not only the main places of interest already appreciated by tourists from all over the world, but also unusual and little-known spots. Many of these will never have been seen by those who have not taken to a Vespa on their journey of discovery of the lake. “Travelling by Vespa means going slowly, so you see details that would otherwise pass unobserved, with new views, scents, and the details of the buildings. Sometimes you go so slowly that you get to notice the facial expressions of those walking beside you”, says the tour’s owner.
As this is an authentic and niche experience, the tours are designed for small groups ranging from the individual up to groups of just six. Clients are provided with vintage 1960s Vespas to breathe in the Italian holiday atmosphere so loved and celebrated all over the world. With a view to tourist sustainability and respect for these places, Slow Emotions Tour offers a chance for an authentic and simple but unforgettable experience of a place where nature, historic villas and small picturesque villages interweave to create a unique landscape and cultural environment.