Tuscany Beyond La Dolce Vita: The BBC’s Travel Show Celebrates Vespa at 80 and the Working Soul of Tuscany
When people think of Tuscany, the images that usually come to mind are rolling hills, medieval villages, vineyards, cypress-lined roads and long, leisurely lunches beneath the Italian sun. Yet behind the postcard-perfect scenery lies a region whose identity has been shaped not only by beauty, but also by industry, craftsmanship, innovation and centuries of hard work.
This is precisely the story explored by the BBC’s flagship travel programme The Travel Show in its latest episode, Tuscany: Beyond La Dolce Vita, which takes viewers on a journey through some of the region’s most iconic landscapes while uncovering the people, traditions and industries that continue to define Tuscany today.
The episode arrives at a particularly symbolic moment, as Italy celebrates the 80th anniversary of one of its most recognisable global icons: the Vespa.
Presented by award-winning broadcaster Qasa Alom, the programme follows a route that stretches from Pisa to Pontedera, Carrara and the plains of the Maremma, offering a portrait of Tuscany that goes beyond the familiar clichés and explores the region’s living heritage.
Celebrating 80 Years of the Vespa
The journey begins in Pisa, where Qasa visits the Piazza dei Miracoli, home to the famous Leaning Tower and the city’s remarkable cathedral. From there, he heads to nearby Pontedera, the birthplace of the Vespa and home to the factory that produced the first model in 1946.
Eighty years after its creation, the Vespa remains one of the most successful examples of Italian design and industrial ingenuity. Born in the aftermath of the Second World War, when aircraft manufacturer Enrico Piaggio sought an affordable, practical and enjoyable means of transport for a recovering nation, the scooter quickly became a symbol of freedom, optimism and style.
In the programme, viewers join members of the Pontedera Vespa Club and enthusiasts from across Italy on a 40-kilometre ride through the Tuscan countryside, celebrating a machine that continues to capture imaginations around the world eight decades after its debut.
From Marble Mountains to Maremma Cowboys
The programme then shifts north to Carrara, where another chapter of Tuscany’s working heritage comes into focus.
Nestled beneath the Apuan Alps, Carrara has supplied the world with its famous white marble since Roman times. Here, Qasa meets the quarrymen who continue to extract the stone from the mountains, witnessing first-hand the demanding work behind a material that has been used in some of humanity’s most celebrated artistic and architectural masterpieces.
The final stage of the journey leads south to the Maremma, one of Tuscany’s most distinctive and authentic regions. On a vast 4,000-hectare farm, Qasa meets the legendary butteri — the Tuscan cowboys whose traditions can be traced back through Etruscan and Roman history. He even joins them in the saddle to help herd the iconic Maremma cattle, experiencing a way of life that has survived for centuries.
Beyond the Postcard
Reflecting on his experience, Qasa describes Tuscany as a place whose appeal goes far deeper than its visual beauty.
“Tuscany is truly special because of the variety and quality it offers,” he explains. While visitors may initially be drawn by the scenery, luxury and lifestyle, it is ultimately the region’s heritage, people and traditions that leave the deepest impression. The marble quarries of Carrara, for example, represent something both globally prestigious and deeply rooted in local working-class culture.
That perspective resonates strongly with those who know Tuscany beyond its tourist hotspots. Whether through the industrial innovation that produced the Vespa, the craftsmanship of Carrara’s marble industry or the enduring traditions of the Maremma, the region continues to demonstrate that its greatest asset is not simply its beauty, but the communities and skills that have shaped it over generations.
Watch the Episode
The episode Tuscany: Beyond La Dolce Vita is available through the BBC and offers a refreshing look at one of Italy’s most celebrated regions, focusing not only on what visitors see, but on the people and traditions that make Tuscany what it is today.
Watch here: BBC Travel Show: Tuscany – Beyond La Dolce Vita