Amalfi Coast Cycling: a divine mix of Nature & Culture - BAMA
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The Amalfi Coast : a Divine Mix of Nature & Culture
Cycling along the world’s most beautiful coast, from Salerno to Sorrento, with visits of Ravello and Positano
Salerno, Vietri sul Mare, Minori, Atrani, Amalfi, Ravello, Positano, Massa Lubrense & Sorrento
The Sorrentine peninsula, situated between the equally beautiful Bay of Naples and Gulf of Salerno, is an area of staggering natural beauty and scattered with cultural treasures. Best known for its medieval coastal towns and inland villages such as Amalfi, Positano and Ravello and the resort town Sorrento, it is also home to several hidden marvels. Small hidden natural reserves, ancient paper mills and wild mountain scenery are only a small distance away from the busy touristy centres, waiting to be explored by the aware traveller. The best of the coastal scenery is on the southern side of the peninsula, the Amalfi Coast. With its towering cliffs and picturesque coves this definitely is one of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe, with a long tradition as one of the premier tourist destinations in Italy. Cycling along the ‘Costiera Amalfitana’ is an unforgettable experience !
This tour gives you the opportunity to discover both the busy touristic and the quiet hidden, but no less spectacular, side of the Amalfi Coast. You will start from the little charming village of Vietri at the south end of the coast and cycle in western direction towards the very tip of the peninsula, Punta Campanella.
Along the spectacular coastal road from Vietri to Amalfi, you’ll encounter the great headland of Capo d’Orso, a strict nature reserve, pretty Maiori, delightful Minori and the tiny whitewashed Atrani. You will marvel at the location of Ravello, high up a rocky cliff, while visiting its world famous villas and gardens. On your way to Sorrento you will visit the deeply eroded and amazing ‘fjord’ of Furore, explore mundane Positano and cycle through the little hamlets of Praiano and Conca dei Marini. From Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi little quiet winding roads will take you first to Termini, and then along Massa Lubrense to Sorrento, before turning back to Salerno.
During your trip you will stay in beautiful hotels located in some of the world’s most suggestive little towns. After your day’s cycling along the amazingly scenic coastal road you may visit the Duomo and its Paradise Cloister at Amalfi, and take a walk in the Valley of the Paper Mills, discovering the city’s amazing cultural heritage. Or you can stop for a cup of tea in the little tea house in the gardens of majestic Villa Cimbrone at Ravello and stroll through the back alleys of Positano. On your way around the tip of the Sorrentine peninsula you will enjoy great views, both of the Amalfi Coast and as well of the Coast of Sorrento and the Bay of Naples, dominated by Mount Vesuvius. Here, before cycling down to the seaside resort of Sorrento, a stop in Nerano to visit the beautiful Baia di Ieranto is highly recommended! And from the small village of Termini you enjoy the perhaps best possible view of the isle of Capri. Take your time for a hearty lunch in a small ‘trattoria’ and taste the area’s renowned ‘limoncello’ lemon liquor.
On this amazing cycling adventure you will discover several hidden aspects of the Amalfitan Coast and see with your own eyes that it has become with reason Italy’s most famous coastline. It will become clear that it takes only a little effort to get ‘off the beaten track’, finding yourselves surrounded by nature at only a few hundred metres away from the crowds. In short, you’ll explore this delightful angle of Italy in a totally different way.
Please note: this is a moderate tour which is suitable for all those who are in a good general physical condition. On some of the stretches you may encounter some longer climbs. Rides are not very long, leaving plenty of time for sightseeing. Average cycling times: approx. 3 – 5 hours each day.
N.B. This tour will not be offered any longer in 2024 !
Over the last 20 years many clients have enjoyed our ‘classic’ Amalfi Cycling Tour, a cycling tour which at the time we set it up, was the first & only cycling tour which gave cyclists the possibility to do an ‘Inn-to-Inn’ tour, changing hotels every night, while their luggage was being transported.
Unfortunately, the conditions on the Amalfi Coast have changed dramatically, with a tremendous increase in traffic. Something we have been discussing with the local authorities for years, but no solution has yet been found. For that reason we have received a number of complaints, but as unfortunately, we cannot do anything about this situation, we have decided to radically change the tour.
It has become unsustainable (and a logistic nightmare!) to have somebody transporting the luggage from place every day, and also hotels of course prefer having clients for 2/3 nights rather than only 1 night (not only for economic, but also for sustainability reasons). And a last consideration: ever more people ask for an E-bike, as opposed to a regular ‘muscular’ bike, which indeed is a great way to tackle the steep roads of the Amalfi Coast.
For those reasons combined we are ever more promoting our E-Bike tours (www.genius-loci.it/tour/ebike-cycling-tours ), also along the Amalfi Coast:
Our ‘classic’ is the Original ‘Amalfi Coast’ E-bike Tour – EBAMA4 (www.genius-loci.it/tour/italy_coasts_islands/amalfi-coast-ebike-cycling-tour ) – a centre-based tour which allows clients to ‘do’ the whole Amalfi coast tour – and if they wish, with the power of their batteries – also go a bit inland (which with a ‘normal’ bike is almost impossible, unless you are very, very fit).
A slightly longer tour covers also the tip of the Sorrento Peninsula (included also in the ‘old’ BAMA-tour): www.genius-loci.it/tour/italy_coasts_islands/amalfi-coast-sorrento-ebike-cycling-tour
Both tours can be extended with extra days. The tours are designed for the E-Bike, but can of course be done with a normal bike (although that will be a bit challenging!).
Please note that bicycle rental – a good quality E-Bike is included (!) in the price of that tour. Also hybrid, as well as road bikes are available on request.
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Day 0 Naples (or Salerno)
N.B. If you arrive one day earlier you have the possibility to pay a visit to the world famous Pompeii.
Day 1
After your arrival at Salerno (train station) you travel to one of the villages at the most eastern part of the Amalfi Coast, either Vietri sul Mare, renowned for its colourful table ware ceramics or the nearby fishermen’s village of Cetara. After you get settled in at the hotel where, you can already get hold of your bicycles. In the evening you may go for a stroll through the historical centre of the small village. In the evening you eat in a fine nearby restaurant. In case you arrive early you may want to take your bicycles for a short ride to either Vietri or Cetara.
Hotel *** – Cetara / Vietri
Distance: 8-10 km. – Cycling time: 1 h. (optional ride)
Day 2
On the first day of your trip you will head for splendid medieval Amalfi, following the beautiful winding coastal road, defined by some ‘the most scenic ride in the world’. In case you did not visit it the day before, your first stop is in the idyllic village of Cetara, named after the Roman ‘cetus’, tuna fish, which still produces some of the world’s finest. Take your time for a cup of coffee or a cappuccino at the little bar near the tiny port of the village, overlooking the colourful fishermen’s boats lying on the white sandy beach. Then it goes on to Capo d’Orso, the highest point of the road, and a wonderful outlook on the whole of the Amalfi Coast and Capri. After admiring the view it goes on, now downhill on a beautiful winding road through lemon groves, forests and dramatic cliffs, until you arrive at Maiori, the biggest town on the coast. A short stretch around the headland brings you to Minori, with its nice little centre and beautiful seaside boulevard. Then you continue with a short climb towards Castiglione, once part of the defence system of the Amalfi Republic. Here you have the choice of cycling up to marvellous Ravello by bicycle, which is quite a climb, or continuing to Amalfi where you can leave your bicycles at the hotel and then take a bus to Ravello. After passing Castiglione you will cycle through marvellous little Atrani with its whitewashed houses and arrive in Amalfi itself, your base for the night. In the evening you are then picked up by private boat and brought to a nice restaurant located in a beautiful little bay nearby. After dinner you travel back to your hotel, gliding by boat over the glorious Mediterranean.
Hotel *** – Amalfi
Distance : 25/35 km. – Cycling time: 2,5-3,5 h.
Day 3
Today you will explore the second half of the dramatic ‘Strada Amalfitana’ from Amalfi to the town of Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi, located on the very ridge of the peninsula and offering wide views both on the Amalfitan and Sorrentine coasts. You start with the short ride from Amalfi, through Praiano, to Positano, easily the most scenic – and mundane – of the towns on the coast. Shortly after Amalfi you will pass by the scenic ‘Grotta Azzurra’ sea cave which is open to the public and the spectacular ‘fjord’ of Furore, a deep canyon opening up to the sea in which a small fishermen’s villages clings to the rocky cliffs. When arriving at Positano, make sure you cycle down into the town towards its beach from where you can explore its scenic and colourful alley ways by foot – quite obligatory as most of the small back streets you want to have a look at consist of stair ways! After Positano the coast becomes wilder and more rugged, and it is a good climb to arrive at the Colli di San Pietro, beautifully situated on the ridge that separates the Amalfi Coast from the rest of the Sorrentine Peninsula. A short flat stretch then brings you to your hotel at Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi. After settling in at the hotel you can relax and enjoy a hearty meal in the hotel’s restaurant.
Agriturismo/Hotel *** – Sant’ Agata sui Due Golfi
Distance: 32 km. – Cycling time: 3 h.
Day 4
On the first stretch of the road after leaving your hotel this morning you can admire not only the wonderful panorama over the coast towards Capri, but also enjoy the view of the plain stretching out towards Naples dominated by Mount Vesuvius. You now cycle on the plateau high above the coast towards the very end of the peninsula, Punta Campanella. From the very last village (indeed: called ‘Termini’) you have a great view on Capri. For those who feel like it there is the possibility to descend towards the delightful beach of Marina del Cantone and up again. A stop in Nerano to visit the beautiful Baia di Ieranto is highly recommended ! You then return along the northern coast, with wonderful views of the Bay of Naples and again Mount Vesuvius, through the charming village of Massa Lubrense. For those who want it is possible to make a detour to the seaside resort of Sorrento, perched on high vertical limestone cliffs above the sea, and visit its city walls, and the old town centre with its wonderful gardens and villas. Alternatively you turn inland again shortly before reaching Sorrento and climb slowly up to Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi again. From Sant’Agata it is then only a short flat ride to the Colle di San Pietro, and then all the way down again to Positano. Whizzing down this part of the road just before sunset, looking out over splendid Positano is a wonderful experience, definitely one of the nicest stretches to do on a bike worldwide! Once arrived at your Positano hotel you can relax and settle in before heading into town for dinner. Dinner is on your own tonight, you have the choice of several different pizzeria and restaurants catering for the most diverse budgets.
Hotel *** – Positano
Distance: 37 / 48 km. – Cycling time: 3,5-4,5 h.
Day 5
On the last cycling day you head back in the opposite direction from Positano to Salerno. You have the opportunity to sample once more the nature, culture and atmosphere of the coast’s most famous settings, and take in the wonders of its many little towns and villages. Take your time for a last look at the Duomo of Amalfi, stop for a coffee in Atrani’s marvellous town square, have a pastry at one of Minori’s bakeries or stop for a cold drink on a terrace overlooking Maiori’s ample sea side boulevard. Drink up the amazing scenery while cycling towards Cetara and stop for a closer look at Vietri’s colourful table ware ceramics. Then you have the choice to either end the cycling in Cetara – and spend a last afternoon on the beach – or to cycle down in to the city of Salerno. Here you may climb up to the medieval castle overlooking it or just explore the maze of little alley ways of the historical centre, dotted with many little artisanal shops, visit its surprising botanical gardens, or simply have an ice cream on the on the town’s “lungomare” boulevard. Alternatively there is the city’s main shopping street with all the fashionable shops. In the evening you are free to go out and find a suitable restaurant to end your wonderful trip through one of Italy’s most delightful coastal areas.
Hotel*** – Salerno (in alternative Cetara)
Distance: 40 km. – Cycling time: 3,5 h.
Day 6
The tour ends in Salerno after breakfast today.
ACCOMMODATION & MEALS
All nights are spent in beautiful, characteristic hotels (generally 3-star). All rooms have en-suite facilities.
Dinners are included on all nights except for the last two when you are free to organize your own dinner in one of the many restaurants at Positano and at Salerno.
No picnic lunches are included in the tour price, but materials for picnics can be purchased in the villages where you stay.
INCLUSIONS
• 1 night in Hotel *** in Vietri – HB
• 1 night in Hotel *** in Amalfi – BB
• 1 dinner in Amalfi
• 1 night in Agriturismo in Sant’Agata – HB
• 1 night in Hotel *** in Positano – BB
• 1 night in Hotel *** in Salerno – BB
• Extensive route notes, with description of the route & tourist information
• Maps at 1 : 50.000 scale (or better) ; GPS waypoints and tracks (optional)
• 24/24 h local assistance
• Luggage transport
• Private transfers as specified
NOT INCLUDED
• Departure taxes & Visas
• Travel Insurance
• Drinks and meals not mentioned in the itinerary
• Optional additional tours or activities
• Tips
• Items of personal nature
• Bicycle rental (hybrid or E-Bikes available on request)
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY
Easy to Moderate (2-3): Mostly moderate rides but with some longer climbs. All roads are well paved and mostly quiet with limited traffic except for some periods during summer and holidays. Extensions are possible on some days.
Fitness: Some experience with bicycle touring and a good general physical condition will certainly make your travel experience more enjoyable. You should be able to cycle for several hours a day also in hot dry weather conditions.
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE
Arrival: The tour starts in VIETRI, only a few kilometres from SALERNO which can easily be reached by train from Naples. Naples has an international airport. From Rome (and many other cities) Salerno can easily be reached. From Salerno there are regular buses to Vietri, which stop in front of the hotel.
Departure: The tour ends in SALERNO (or VIETRI).
N.B. This tour will not be offered any longer in 2024 !
Over the last 20 years many clients have enjoyed our ‘classic’ Amalfi Cycling Tour, a cycling tour which at the time we set it up, was the first & only cycling tour which gave cyclists the possibility to do an ‘Inn-to-Inn’ tour, changing hotels every night, while their luggage was being transported.
Unfortunately, the conditions on the Amalfi Coast have changed dramatically, with a tremendous increase in traffic. Something we have been discussing with the local authorities for years, but no solution has yet been found. For that reason we have received a number of complaints, but as unfortunately, we cannot do anything about this situation, we have decided to radically change the tour.
It has become unsustainable (and a logistic nightmare!) to have somebody transporting the luggage from place every day, and also hotels of course prefer having clients for 2/3 nights rather than only 1 night (not only for economic, but also for sustainability reasons). And a last consideration: ever more people ask for an E-bike, as opposed to a regular ‘muscular’ bike, which indeed is a great way to tackle the steep roads of the Amalfi Coast.
For those reasons combined we are ever more promoting our E-Bike tours (www.genius-loci.it/tour/ebike-cycling-tours ), also along the Amalfi Coast:
Our ‘classic’ is the Original ‘Amalfi Coast’ E-bike Tour – EBAMA4 (www.genius-loci.it/tour/italy_coasts_islands/amalfi-coast-ebike-cycling-tour ) – a centre-based tour which allows clients to ‘do’ the whole Amalfi coast tour – and if they wish, with the power of their batteries – also go a bit inland (which with a ‘normal’ bike is almost impossible, unless you are very, very fit).
A slightly longer tour covers also the tip of the Sorrento Peninsula (included also in the ‘old’ BAMA-tour): www.genius-loci.it/tour/italy_coasts_islands/amalfi-coast-sorrento-ebike-cycling-tour
Both tours can be extended with extra days. The tours are designed for the E-Bike, but can of course be done with a normal bike (although that will be a bit challenging!).
Please note that bicycle rental – a good quality E-Bike is included (!) in the price of that tour. Also hybrid, as well as road bikes are available on request.
 | You can book this tour with a minimum of 1 person. |
 | There are a very limited number of available places on these dates. Immediate booking is recommended. |
 | Availability and prices on request. |
- Prices are per person and based on the season within which the first night of the tour falls.
- Prices are based on 2 people sharing double or twin accommodation. Single rooms (double rooms – single) are available on most trips however the supplements listed apply.
- If you are travelling alone then on some trips (which include taxi transfers) a ‘Solo Traveller Supplement’ will be applied instead of the normal single supplement.
- Prices are expressed in Euro’s. There will never be a currency surcharge.
- Actual exchange rates: GB £ - US $ - CAN $ - CHF - DKK - SEK - NOK - Other currencies.
Amalfi Coast Biking
EXTRA NIGHTS
It is possible to include extra nights in any of the accommodations ‘en route’. Extra sightseeing options can be provided! As well is it possible to extend your tour with a few days in Salerno or at Naples, or along the Amalfitan Coast itself. Details and prices on request.
‘PREMIERE INN’ LUXURY VERSION
A luxury version of this tour is also available, with stays in the most authentic luxury hotels of the area. We can offer you a large selection of ‘Premiere Inns’, very good hotels, many among the world’s best hotels, as acclaimed from Condé Nast Traveler, Travel+Leisure and many others.
Genius Loci Travel, as the leading adventure travel company on the Amalfi Coast, can book your room in any hotel you could dream of! Details and prices on request.
ROAD BIKE CHALLENGE
We also organise an Amalfi Coast Road bike challenge, which includes the passes you cannot gain with a normal bike. Have a look at the Amalfi Coast Bike Challenge !
E-BIKE Tours
If your focus is primarily on enjoying the landscapes, stopping regularly in the places you pass and for pictures along the road, our Amalfi Coast & Sorrento E-Bike tour might be the right choice for you! Get everywhere, do the climbs, without sweating (too much…)!
In case you have only little time available we recommend the – slightly more challenging – original Amalfi Coast E-Bike tour. This tour shows you most of the area in only 4 days.
