Italy Segway Tours: Beginner Segway Tips + Beautiful Places to Visit in Milan

I’ve always thought Segways were odd-looking and the epitome of being “that tourist”. Seeing a school of visitors zipping along the sidewalk was both awkward and hilarious. Then fate struck right before we got to the Brussels airport to head to Milan, Italy, and I sprained my ankle — BADLY.

Taking a Milan walking tour wasn’t going to happen anymore. So we decided trying Italy Segway Tours would best help us sightsee and find places to visit in Milan.

I connected with Italy Segway Tour company to make the most of our short trip to Milan, and while I was initially nervous to try the Segway,  Alex was anxious for the thrill and couldn’t wait to get there.

But how do you even ride a Segway!? We had to take a crash course.

When we arrived at our Segway meet-up spot, just a short walk from our Airbnb rental, we met our guide Mirella, and three other guests. The secluded area we met at was perfect for an overview of how to ride a Segway and a few practice runs. Mirella was a great instructor and really sensitive to our inexperience.

The instructions were simple:

• Lean slightly forward to advance.
• Lean into your heels to reverse.
• Pull back slightly to slow down.
• Rest the Segway against a stable structure to get on and off the platform.

Within moments Alex and I were chasing and racing each other, looping figure eights in the back alleyway, feeling like pros. We were ready to go.

We opted for Mirella as our in-person tour guide, instead of an audio guide, and were so glad we did! She has such great insight into life as a Milanese in addition to the history of Milan and its culture. She provided us with headsets for easy listening as she spoke (in perfect English) about the historical sites and fashion district.

We were quite lucky because it was August and most people were on holiday – giving us lots of pavement to burn! Mirella was great about offering to take photos and providing the insider’s scoop on the best gelato, restaurants, and activities.

On the 3-hour tour we saw many sights and sites, including:

• Brera
• Peace Arch
• Sempione Park
• Sforzesco Castle
• Scala Theatre
• Mercanti square
• Duomo square
• Fontana square
• Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery

The Duomo was one of the sites saved for last and the experience of turning the corner and seeing its silhouette glow before the afternoon sun was chilling and tear-jerking! By far my favorite, after the castle. Here are some photos:

Mirella told us about the World Expo and that we could score 5 euro tickets in the evening if we went after 7 pm. That beat the 35 euro day price so of course we went and loved it!

Our guide also showed us a nearby restaurant (along the ride back) where all the students ate and reassured us that if students eat there, that means it’s good and cheap!

We learned McDonald’s lost the fight to renew the lease to their fast food chain restaurant in one of the world’s first shopping malls, Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery, losing it to Prada Men. In true corporate kiddie fashion, Mickey D’s threw down a $24M lawsuit in a fit but later renounced.

Should You Go on A Segway Tour Instead of a Walking Tour?

Do it! You’ll have so much fun and before you know it, you’ll be getting scolded for going too fast!

I am a huge fan of walking tours and recommend you do both if you can. But don’t discount Segways: you can see more in less time and if you have difficulty walking (like my sprained ankle) it will provide relief without sacrificing your vacation days. It is also great for people visiting Italy who are just taking a Milan day trip.

More information:

To learn more about the tour or book your adventure, visit Italy Segway Tours online. They even tour in Florence and Rome, too! 

xx, O.

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