Facts

The Vespa Scooter and La Dolce Vita.
Did you know that the Vespa motorscooter was designed by an engineer from Abruzzo? Corradino D\'Ascanio was born in Popoli in the Pescara province and worked initially as an aircraft engineer designing bombers and helicopters in the 1920\'s. It wasn\'t until 1946 when he was working with Enrico Piaggio that the phenomenon of the scooter was born. Thanks to Ascanio, the Vespa represented a major economical breakthrough for post war Italy and became an accessible means of transport for the average family in Italy. It achieved such international fame with the 1953 film \"Roman Holiday\" starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn that by 1956, one million Vespas were produced.
Today the Vespa remains as an iconic symbol of Italy depicted in films, novels and publicity campaigns worldwide.
In the Medieval Magic of Abruzzo Tour we do visit the Popoli area and there are often exhibitions in summer dedicated to the hero of Popoli, Corradino D\'Ascanio.