Ferdinando Innocenti: the inventor of the Lambretta.

There is no doubt that Tuscany is a land of inventors. Just think of Leonardo da Vinci! Ferdinando Innocenti is also one of them. Do you know what he invented? For a start, he was born in Pescia, a town in Valdinievole which is now in the province of Pistoia, but at the time of his birth in 1891, it was instead under the jurisdiction of Lucca. He was the son of a housewife and a blacksmith from whom he learned as a child the rudiments of the trade. So much so that after having attended the technical schools he did his apprenticeship at his father's workshop. Later, the family moved to Grosseto where the father opened a hardware store and where young Ferdinando would also work.

Shortly after that, he took over the management of his father's business, opened several factories and became one of the most important entrepreneurs of the 20th century. So, what did he become famous for? I will give you a clue: does the Innocenti surname tell you anything? He designed and subsequently produced the tubes that are still used today to build scaffolds for the construction industry and that bear his name: Innocent tubes!

However, the tubes are not the only invention of this creative mind. In fact, he invented one of the symbols of the post-war economic recovery. Let's see if you can guess this again: around a masterfully folded tube, Innocenti had inserted a handlebar and the front wheel, a place to comfortably position your feet, the engine and the rear wheel, a comfortable saddle for two people and the space to accommodate the spare wheel. Well yes, he had invented the legendary Lambretta!

 feel like going for a ride on two wheels, we will give you a tip: why not try Segway instead of a scooter or bicycle? Ferdinando Innocenti, always ready to welcome new ideas, would have really liked that! Book Segway Florence tour  and you will enjoy a truly unique experience!