If we wanted to remember the time of the “Dolce Vita Ischitana”, which could be the symbol to identify it? The steamboat “Sereno” by Angelo Rizzoli which can the ‘world’ house? Or Burton and Taylor with their quarrels because of the movie “Cleopatra” shots? And why not Mina in the duet with Paul Anka at “Rancio Fellone”?. All these characters have a common denominator: the “motacarrozella” (a type of sidecar).

Certainly at least once everyone have used the typical car which “Ciccio” Francesco Di Meglio created in original way: one day he unharnessed the pony from his gig and attached to it one of the first models of Vespa Piaggio. Period pictures which portray motocarrozellas with Vip in it, are world famous and are part of the island traditions, thanks to a folkloristic touch present in the multicolour fabrics rich of fantasy; pon-pon, red horns; holy images and little bells mixed with plumes and ribbons in order to give a festive aspect. Everything reflects the carelessness of the fanciful island people of the period.

Well, the matocarrozzella arose and then, while the Piaggio managers passed the holidays in Ischia, they liked it and so decided to patent and bring it into trade. For this moment the motocarrozella had a fortune in the world. There were dozens of copies which won new international markets. An appropriate metaphor could identify the motocarrozella as the instrument that made Ischia famous in the world during the well known period of ‘Dolce Vita’ when the insular life was fabulous. In Capri there were not more than three nightclubs, during this golden age, in Ischia were open about ten clubs. Renato Carosone, Ugo Calise, Marino Barreto, Peppino di Capri filled ‘Rancio Fellone, ‘Monky Bar’, ‘Castello Aragonese’, ‘Moresco’, ‘Scotch Club’and ‘Pignatello’ every night.

At this time, Ischia besides being the capital of the Italian music, represented a place of deliverance from the spirit of the age, of broadmindedness and in this area of innovations we found the motocarrozella, a real “must” because of its kitch aspect in tune with the Vip of the period.

When Ischia was discovered from the ‘dry land’ side, the ride on the motocarrozella around the island with stops at wine cellars in Barano and Serrara was inevitable. Here the guest was fascinated by the people’ spontaneity that after a wary approach, they became a perfect Cicero for tourist. Nowadays simplicity and spontaneity are one of the most important symbols of the Island behaviour such as the motocarrozella was the symbol of the Island of Ischia and the public transport was more used and appreciated by tourists in Italy and abroad thanks to also the movie “Vacanze ad Ischia”, produced by Angelo Rizzoli, with Vip of the period, that were often photographed on the motocarrozella used in order to move at the streets of the Island. Even Pier Paolo Pasolini (he was a regular customer at the Island) tells about the motocarrozella in this written: (from “Successo” 1st year, no 4, August 1959). “ I am aware of the existence of their public transports: the motocarrozella. They are gigs by Chinese coolies, harnessed to a Vespa. They were in bulging form of little barrels equipped with carmats, arms and pads. The ‘Terra del Sole’ restaurant smells always musty. I come up to a blonde man like a snail, in a wild way, and I come to an agreement about the following day. I want to go to S.Angelo on motocarrozella. That’s settled!”

Once in order to celebrate the motocarrozella, Piaggio thought it had better to come back it into vogue, suggesting ‘Ape Calessino’ (Ape Gig) revealing a levity: the presentation set in Capri. Don’t hold it against us the people of Capri (its taxi drivers preferred identifying themselves with American style open cars), but as the history shows, the motocarrozella identifies itself with Ischia and it made history. The motocarrozella was one of the symbol of the island for several years. Now days the motocarrozellas which are used as taxi are few, but recently increasingly people of Ischia repropose it to offer an exiting walk with the coolie, as Pasolini said.

One of this admire is Salavtore Impagliazzo (know as Uciariello), who has re-proposes the his father’ motocarrozella after a good work of maintenance. He shows it proudly with great satisfaction in port of Forio. A maniacal work to re-found not for sale substitutes, some alterations to the engine in order to make it according to the highway code, the research of antiques to create an atmosphere which has the target to offer a part of the island story, a story rich of anecdotes and curiosities. Among the several attractions of the island, we recommend a ride on a motocarrozella in order to experience an emotion: the beauty present is fruit of an amazing past.