GUARANTEED
DEPARTURE
This scheduled guided
tour is guaranteed
to run even if we receive
no further reservations!
Book with confidence
that your vacation
will not be cancelled
due to low enrollment.
Contact larry@cycleitalia.com for
more details. |
Every
cyclist's dream is to
pedal along a rocky coastline
next to an azure sea.
Think of Campania’s famed
Amalfi Coast. The reality
is that these roads are
generally clogged by
the tourist hordes in
their rental cars and
tour buses. After much
research however, we
were delighted to discover
a different corner of
Campania with all the
rugged beauty but none
of the crowds and tourist
traps found on the Sorrentine
Peninsula. The Cilento
is protected as a National
Park with the lowest
population density in
Campania. Its traditional
cuisine, hillcrest vistas,
and quaint seaside villages
are sure to make your
dreams come true.
May
14 - Overnight
flight to Rome’s
Da Vinci airport.
May 15 - A
Benvenuto in Italia! After
a short shuttle to our
Rome HQ, assemble and fine
tune your bike (or be fitted
for one of ours) before
our orientation meeting
and welcome dinner
featuring traditional Roman cuisine.
May
16 - Enjoy
lunch immersed in an
olive grove after
our van transfer, before pedaling among the olive-lined hills on our
way to Paestum, an ancient Greek colony that boasts three of the world’s
best preserved temples. Descend towards the sea and check in to our
night’s lodging in a restored flour mill just outside the ancient city
walls. Enjoy a group dinner of regional specialities such as Paestum
artichokes and fresh buffalo mozzarella after gazing at the temples
in the twilight.
May
17 - After
a buffet breakfast, wind
up into the hills, rewarding your effort with expansive sea-views and
charming hilltop villages. A twisting descent to the coast leads to
our first stretch of scenic coastline riding. A final inland climb
followed by a quick descent through olive groves leads to an expertly
restored farmhouse with a refreshing pool, calming sea views, and hearty
country cooking featuring the farm’s own olive oil.
May
18 -
It's
easy to see why the ancient
Greek philosophers Zeno and Parmenides settled in this
area of remarkable natural beauty. Today’s loop rides (short, medium,
or long) begin on forested mountain roads then descend back toward
the shore to return along the coast. Climb back to the olive farm to
watch the sun set over the sea and enjoy another exemplary meal from
Elvira’s kitchen.
May
19 - Your
dream continues as we
again enjoy scenic mountain
and coastline cycling on our way to Maratea. Wind through lonely backcountry
roads lined with aged olive trees rigged with colorful nets to catch
their fruit. Pause for a seaside lunch in Marina di Camerota before
cruising the most scenic stretch of coast to our hotel in a rocky cove
right on the beach! Take a dip in the sea or the pool before the chef
tempts us with seafood specialties as only the southern Italians can!
May
20 -
Another
gorgeous and challenging
loop ride awaits -- or
simply take a spin along the coast and then enjoy the private beach
at our hotel. Whatever you do, work up a good appetite for another
sumptuous dinner of local specialties!
May
21 -
Our tour comes
to an end with a final
ride along
the coast then up into
the
hills
for a
final
Campanian lunch at the
famed Slow Food osteria Zi Filomena. We’ll transfer back to Rome afterwards.
May
22 -
Morning airport shuttles.
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