Without a doubt, one of the best things I’ve ever done on a Vespa is to ride to Croatia for Vespa World Days 2015. Sleeping in 11 different countries, most in a tent and having the ride of a lifetime.
The three-part feature from that Vespa World Days trip will be moved over from our archive site and republished in the next week or so.
Croatia wasn’t just a great location for a World Vespa event though. The good news is that every September the Vespa Club Hrvatska welcomes scooter riders from all over Croatia and beyond for a weekend of fun and celebration of the Vespa marque. Here’s a report on this year’s event, along with some very nice photography.
Iggy
From Podgora, to the sky under the cloud
The second weekend in September is marked with a thick marker in the calendar of every genuine Vespa rider from Croatia. And so since way back in 2007, when about 20 owners of this cult two-wheeler gathered for the first time at Zadar. They arrived from different parts of Croatia and met for the first time, which was the beginning of a wonderful, unbreakable friendship. But also the beginning of the systematic development of the Vespa Club Hrvatska, an umbrella organization that gathers lovers of the Italian ‘wasp’ from all parts of Croatia.
This central event on the Croatian Vespa scene this year took place in Podgora and Makarska. The parade ride led high up on Skywalk Biokovo, from where there is a spectacular view of the coast and islands. Actually, the whole weekend was spectacular.
Vespa Club Podgora
Today, almost every major Croatian city has its own local club, and the Vespa Club of Podgora is the youngest. Since the host city of Crovespa rotates every year, this season the team from the picturesque place at the foot of Biokovo Mountain took over the organization.
From Friday, Italian wasps started buzzing along the Makarska Riviera, they arrived in Podgora from all over Croatia, but also from all the surrounding countries, and beyond. Namely, every year Crovespa is visited by an increasing number of foreigners, who are particularly enchanted by the beauty of our coast, but also by the hospitality and excellent atmosphere throughout the weekend.
The weekend starts here
Friday, as usual, was the first day of the meeting, and after the registration of the participants and the distribution of gadgets, a delicious dinner was served in the atrium of the Podgorka Hotel. Then followed a continuation of socializing during the evening hours and a concert by the Slovenian band ‘Prismojeni profesorji Bluesa’, which immediately got the excited audience dancing. DJ Zlaja continued to entertain the most persistent ones until the wee hours of the night.
Vespi Caterpillar
A sunny Saturday morning dawned. After coffee and donuts in the centre of Podgora, a column of almost 400 Vespas was formed and we set off on a road show through the Biokovo Nature Park. On the narrow and winding mountain road, the vast Vespi caterpillar was moving, followed by the characteristic bluish cloud of burnt two-stroke oil.
Skywalk
Starting from the waterfront in Podgora, the column gradually reached the Biokovo Skywalk plateau. It sits at exactly 1,228 meters above sea level. Soon, the clouds parted and an enchanting view of this part of the Adriatic opened up. While the adrenaline was additionally raised by cautiously walking through the observation deck with its glass floor. The skywalk took many people’s breath away but also provided an opportunity for an unforgettable selfie and group photo.
Warming up
The temperature of the air that morning was not in double Celsius-digits, so there was less and less chattering of teeth and knees as we descended towards the warmth of Makarska. Returning to sea level, the participants were greeted by brunch and refreshments in Makarska, and some took advantage of the free afternoon to swim in the still-warm sea.
The evening program continued in Podgora. After a delicious dinner, an entertainment program started on the ‘mule’ in front of the Podgorka hotel. The band ‘Zoster’ performed on stage and perfectly concluded another Crovespa with their pop-reggae rhythms. See you next year in Dubrovnik!
Text: Ante Radić, photos, Dario Odak
Crovespa 2025
Next year’s event will be held in Dubrovnik over the weekend of 12th-14th September. You can find more information on their Crovespa website.
Share your overseas events with SLUK
Scooter enthusiasts are always keen to read about events held in far off lands and stories like this one certainly give me the urge to plan a new adventure. If you’ve got a story and would like to share it you can get in touch at editorial@scooterlab.uk.
