Cycle Cilento & the Amalfi Coast

My first trip to Italy & my first group holiday; I'm very well travelled but had several reservations about an 'organised group tour' - all my concerns vanished quickly - this is a superb trip with a brilliant guide and I'd have NO reservations about recommending it. Just come prepared for some tough climbs! Hard cycling, views I'll never forget, delicious food particularly the first few days with lovely local suppliers sharing their produce, the insights into the life and culture of the region, stunning medieval villages, and most of all - great variety from the quiet pace of life, empty roads and warm welcome of the local people around gentle Cilento to the hectic & dramatic Amalfi coast - it just has it all!

This was a truly lovely trip with a range of experiences and highlights. Starting in the quieter and underrated region to the south and finishing in the much more touristy area of Amalfi, the scenery is – of course – beautiful throughout, the hotels are good and the food delicious. Paulo is a superb guide. He and his assistant Emilio (and other members of the local team when needed) worked tirelessly to make sure we had the best possible holiday – nothing was too much trouble. Everything was super-organised and well-communicated with a briefing each evening about what to expect the next day. And we learned lots about Italy - from its ancient past to the issues it faces today, with insight about plants, agriculture and tourism - and anything we wanted to know or discuss - along the way. It’s an undulating route and there are some long hills – but the gradient is steady and (mostly) reasonable and there’s no shortage of rewarding views. The final day from Minori to Sorrento and back comes in at around 1,500m elevation (according to Strava), although there’s the option to go in the van for the long steep climb out of Sorrento. However, this trip is not for the faint-hearted – the Amalfi Coast road is stunning, but very busy with traffic (even for someone that cycles in London); cars, buses, lorries, scooters, etc pass constantly and often pretty close. In some ways it’s all part of the vibe, but it’s potentially unnerving for less experienced riders.

11 of us arrived on Day 1 for what would be an amazing cycling tour, not easy for all, especially me...but lots of fun, and pinch me moments as we travelled through such a beautiful part of the world. Together with the scenery came the food....ITALIANs do food so well, and this Exodus trip did not fail to disappoint! We enjoyed a wonderful mix of traditional foods from a variety of restaurants with the most amazing views and people. Both Paulo and Raphael led our trip with professionalism and with humour and friendliness. Nothing was too much trouble. History lessons on the go interspersed with swimming in the ocean( which when the temps soared were much loved), Macciato coffees, and Saints days all added to the colour of Southern Italy. Yes the cycling was hard...but it was well worth it. Grazie to everybody concerned.

This was my first cycling holiday and what a way to start. Firstly let me start by talking about the guide & driver/mechanic These guys made the holiday always went above & beyond nothing was too much trouble holiday was amazing disagree with the rating of 3 was hard but you need to push yourself. Thanks again guys great job 👍🏻

There is lots of variety in this trip - some lighter days but also some quite challenging days of cycling, but you will be rewarded with some spectacular scenery. (Several people had e-bikes which made cycling together as a group much easier as variety of different levels of fitness).We were lucky to have a great group of people which made all the activities more enjoyable including breaks for swimming and beaching, visits to historical ruins, walking in beautiful Amalfi towns centres, visits to cathedrals and churches and hill top villages. Don't expect to lose weight on this holiday....lovely Italian food including pizza famous in Southern Italy. The trip was as successful as it was because of our wonderful guide Paolo.

This was the perfect holiday for the recreational cyclist who wants to see the Cilento National park and Amalfi coast in a very low impact way.

Fantastic trip, hard work (do some hill training before going - it will make it all the more enjoyable) but the scenery and food make it so worthwhile. The guide, Paolo is fantastic, great local knowledge, especially when it comes to where to eat! We were told on the first day to forget the words "flat" and "diet"........he was right!

Great riding, starting on the quiet roads in the south and working up to the Amalfi coast ride. Hilly, but not hard hills. A very attentive and informative guide who gave us lots of cultural and historic information which made the trip more interesting. Interesting side trips.

It was a good week. The grading for the cycling was spot on. The uphills were long but not to sharp, mostly 3-5 K with a 10K throw in for good measure. The bikes were good quality with low enough gears to enable you to manage. Some prior training would be helpful. The food was delicious and varied.

A lovely tour through beautiful countryside. Challenging climbs rewarded by stunning views and downhills. Pity that both the olive oil tasting and the visit to the museum of the Mediterranean diet (film crew took precedence apparently) did not happen and the bad sea conditions cancelled the boat trip. The visit to the buffalo mozzarella farm was a bit of a disappointment for us as farmers. I had hoped a worker would show us round rather than Paolo who knew less than I did. Also we were not allowed to see any cheese being made or see inside the dairy, all rather frustrating. Amalfi itself is just one big tourist trap but Ravello is really worth the climb and an enchanting place, the garden there is magical. All together a great holiday, but a bit more attention could be paid to the attractions en route.