Ape Tour Matera

Who I am

My name is Vito, after a long period away from Matera, I decided to come back to convey to tourists and visitors the love and passion I have for my city and guide them to discover Matera in Ape Calessino.

I graduated in “Economics and Marketing” at the University of Parma. Once I returned to Matera I immediately began to get back in touch with my land, rediscovering the beauty and life of these places. After a brief interlude between internships, training experiences and various types of work, I decided to actively participate in the great change that was affecting my hometown.

I did it in a way that I like to call romantic: telling the story of the Sassi while driving a legendary and flashy Piaggio Ape Calessino. My visits to Matera in Ape Calessino are also enriched by the memories and anecdotes of my grandparents, with whom I grew up.

I am an authorized tour guide and I can accompany and guide you to discover the city of Sassi and nearby Puglia. At the base of my activity there are: knowledge, passion, desire to have fun and explore

If you want to know the stories and events of the city of Sassi, if you want to discover the ancient districts with an engaging tour and through the love I feel for my land, book an ape tour in Matera.

The Ape Calessino, a bit of history

Anyone who doesn’t know a Piaggio Ape Calessino today has never read a newspaper or watched TV. Or he has never visited an art city among those Italian or foreign. Or he’s just lying!

The Piaggio Calessino was born way back in 1948 from a remodelling of the three-wheeler from the ancient Italian motor company. The idea was to transform the Three Wheeler into a mixed transport vehicle, taking inspiration from the equally historic and inimitable motorcycle: the Vespa.

So the name ‘Calessino’ derives from the model of a Piaggio Vespa which maintained the same frontal appearance, but whose rear end had been widened. By positioning seats like benches, they recalled the carriage pulled by pack animals, horses and donkeys, or mules.

The ‘Calesse Motorizzato‘ was later embellished with a fabric hood to protect it from the sun or bad weather. Its design was born from the desire to create a comfortable means of transporting more people over short distances, but with very low costs and accessible to all.

The boom of the new model of the Italian company was seen in the post-war period. At that time, tourists from many European and American countries used it especially for short trips in the Italian islands and seaside resorts. From North to South and especially along the coasts and seaside towns, the use of the Calessino Ape expands throughout the country. In addition to its use in tourism, it also becomes an icon of Italy in the cinema. Let us not forget his participation in the filming of La Dolce Vita, where he received worldwide recognition.

But the fame of the Piaggio Ape 50 doesn’t stop there. Defying all predictions, it is also purchased beyond the borders. It even arrives in Asian countries, where it will be known by the name of ‘Tuk Tuk’. In India and Thailand it even becomes an emblem of life in those distant countries, and it still is today.

The new Ape 200 version of the Moto-Callessino is presented as an idea reserved for an audience that prefers absolutely refined places and situations. Symbol of the costume of an elegant Italy, which avoids the exhausting pace of modern times and approaches knowledge, people and villages with grace and elegance. The soft top opens and rolls up over the rear trunk to allow travelers to enjoy the scenery and explore the trails in the open air. The small size allows for easy driving even in more complicated conditions. The engine, agile and elastic, is essential for extricating yourself from the most uncomfortable corners.

The Three Wheeled Vintage Ape Vito is bright red in colour, with a cream-coloured hood and can carry up to five people. It has steel-reinforced doors and body, and is suitable for families and couples. The vehicle was gradually renovated, making some functional changes while respecting the original structure and leaving the engine as it was. In reality, nothing important has been changed in the aesthetic and mechanical system. A vehicle that seemed forgotten, but which still manages to excite today, has simply been put back on the road. It used to happen to famous VIPs and personalities around Portofino, Cannes, Forte dei Marmi, Capri, and the most beautiful Italian beaches. So today the ape car continues to give sensations different from other motor vehicles.

If you want emotions and simplicity we are ready, let’s start the engines!

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