HR TOURS: VW BULLI TOUR

Rome-Ostia, May 2010

A thematic tour between Rome and its waterfront was the gift that a major bank offered last spring to a group of around 66 Austrian managers. The legendary Volkswagen minibus of the Seventies, also known as "bulli" in Italy, with their typical characteristics of massing and design, were the carriers of this unusual tour to some known (and unknown) sites of the Italian Capital city, up to Ostia beach. On board there was a joyful atmosphere, facilitated by the availability, in each vehicle, of a cooler with beer and other beverages. The drivers were in vintage clothing, as usual in HR Tours events.

The procession of eleven bulli (each one carrying six to eight people, thus optimizing the cost to the customer) followed, as mentioned, its route from Rome to the sea. “A dream from Trajan to Mussolini”, was the title of the tour: it was a dream indeed, thanks both to the atmosphere recreated by HR Tours and to the art historian Filippo Cosmelli (owner of IF, new member of the consortium), who had developed the cultural part of the project booking visits to various places, including one (Monte dei Cocci) closed to the public. In each vehicle a tour leader explained to the guests the artistic wealth of the Eternal City also with a reference to the places where the group was not expected to stop. The route was articulated through the Coliseum, Monte dei Cocci, Eur and Ostia Antica, and then concluded in Ostia Mare, with a nice hot pizza served as the grand finale.