Palinuro Tours and Trips

We had a great week in Italy's Cilento and Amalfi Coast. The group got along well and our guide Paolo was amazing! The coast was busy and roads narrow at some areas but with the confidence and guidance of Paolo we made it thru it all. The views well worth it all!

This cycling trip was an amazing way to see the region. The days before Amalifi we're a great mix of seaside views, authentic food and rustic towns. There aren't too many tourists around which is really nice. It feels like the real Italy. We then spent the last 3 days in Amalafi which although beautiful (and my reason for doing the trip), wasn't as great as the inital days. You get used to the smaller towns and less people, so coming to Amalfi can feel like a bit of a shock. The cycling itself was good, some tough climbs, but worth the reward of the views you see. We did cycle in 30 degree with no cloud cover each day which made it challenging, but it was well managed by our tour leader giving us ample breaks and time for water. Overall it was a fantastic trip and one I very much enjoyed.

Cycling holidays in Italy are always good - it’s the combination of the exercise, the food and the towns and this one gives you the amazing Amalfi coast as well. The trip is a great way to see it . The main towns of Amalfi and Positano are pretty popular these days and so cycling to / through them gives you the highlights and the views without over-exposure to the crowds. Minori, where we stay the last three nights, is a good base and much quieter. The first few cycling days are off the beaten track, with less traffic, nice villages / harbours plus the excellent Ancient Greek site of Paestum. A nice balance with good accommodations throughout.

Arrived in Naples to heavy rain....however Sunday started cloudy but warm and the weather just kept improving. Hotels were very good, perhaps Hotel Rita could be improved in the evening meal and breakfast (Buffalo Burgers - avoid). Lunchtimes gave us a good variety of Italian food. Cycling on the actual Amalfi coast is "interesting" but we all survived. Great views throughout the whole holiday with some hills to test your legs and lungs. Just the right amount of history and monuments. The 'free day' gave us a great (lots of steps) walk.

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.

What a Wonderful Cycling Holiday We have just returned from the "Cycle Cilento & the Amalfi Coast" trip and have had a wonderful time throughout. We made our own way from Manchester early before the Cycling part of our holiday and met “Paolo” our most excellent Tour Guide at Napoli Airport to join the party to get the transfer to our 1st Base. Paolo is a most excellent guide and we have enjoyed his expertise and knowledge throughout the trip. He put us all at ease straight away and always explained what was going to happen and we thoroughly enjoyed his daily briefings for the next stages of the trip. The Support Staff and Vehicle throughout the Cycling Days was fantastic for water top ups, Bananas and Nuts for extra energy was most welcome especially on the 3 Long cycling days. Paolo was fully supportive throughout the whole Holiday experience and catered for the varied cycling experience. The Accommodation at each location was excellent and there were a number of Group Meals (we pay for) arranged although you could opt out of a couple we did not as we enjoyed the company of the other holiday riders. The Local Foods were amazing to try and see for the 1st time. The Final Hotel and Location in Minori was most excellent. Although some of the days riding was tough in parts (remember it hilly here) it was a thoroughly enjoyable holiday and thankfully we had put some longer ride practice in at home before hand. I am not ashamed to say the Gel Seat I brought with me meant no pains for the whole holiday. There were some new additions to the itinerary which needs updating on the schedule info and the addition to the last day to Sorento was excellent – Well worth that final big 4k hill out of Sorento. If you like Cycling you will thoroughly enjoy this trip and experiences.