There are few better ways to feel like you're starring in a romantic Italian movie than buzzing down a narrow coastal road on a Vespa, jetting past cypress trees and pastel houses with church bells somewhere in the distance. The little scooter is a cherished companion for getting around Italy's tight alleyways, while doubling as a stylish set of wheels to cruise from the city into the countryside and back.
Something the movies tend to leave out of the Vespa fantasy, though, is traffic laws. Yes, before you start channeling Audrey Hepburn in "Roman Holiday," there are a few legal caveats to consider. It's all too likely for American tourists to run afoul of Italian traffic laws without even realizing they're breaking them.
