Friday was Fiat 500 day. After a quick run to Sant’Ambrogio market, we caught a taxi to Galluzzo for our Fiat 500 Tour.
After a quick lesson in double clutching (no syncros – like my Alfa, except my Alfa had them originally and they’d just forgotten to be synchronizers over time) we set off. Since the cars can cover more ground than the Vespas, and we started further south, we got to see a different and more rural side of Tuscany.
Our 1963 Fiat 500, Giacamo, resplendent in Orange, was a real beast. Rated at 22 horsepower (though that seemed optimistic) with brakes that were notionally attached to the brake pedal, the driving experience was very Italian. Building and maintaining momentum becomes very important. Thankfully things have moved on a bit when it comes to my Abarth back home.
After a couple hours driving, we ended up back in Galluzzo for a wine tasting at a beautiful Villa. Roberto, our guide, is incredibly passionate and excited, in a way only Italians can really be. We learned a lot, got to chat with more interesting people from around the world, and left with big smiles.
What a great thing to do — we may have to get back to Italy even before the big 50th celebration.