From

£1479

8 Days including UK flights

More info:From £1229 excluding flights. Optional single supplement £225. Mimimum age 16.

“Cycling the phenomenally scenic coastal trails not only lets you enjoy stunning bay views. It takes you far from the crowds in Cilento, and reveals the traditional lifestyle of the farmers and fishermen of the Amalfi Coast.”

Highlights

Description of Cilento and Amalfi Coast cycling holiday, Italy

Amalfi is a well known holiday destination – but cycling even a few minutes away from the popular coastal strip reveals quite a different world of unspoiled landscapes and traditional villages, where life has changed little over the decades. This Cilento and Amalfi Coast cycling holiday takes you to inland canyons, the abandoned village of San Severino, the Greco-Roman city of Paestum and Acciaroli – one of Ernest Hemingway’s favourite villages.

We never stray too far from the coast, making the most of the panoramic views across the bay – and the opportunity for a lunchtime dip in the sea. There are a few steep climbs – but you’ll be rewarded at the top with views across the whole peninsula and whitewashed clifftop villages – before freewheeling back down through fragrant lemon groves and ancient Greek settlements. One night is spent in a characteristic “agriturismo” – a converted farmhouse, and along the way we’ll dine at traditional restaurants, making the most of the abundant seafood and superb traditional cuisine.

Please note: It is possible to hire electric bikes for this holiday.

Hello. If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. Rosy & team.

01273 823 700 rosy@responsibletravel.com

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Date

Price per adult

Basis

Status

06 Oct 2018

£ 1479

including UK flights

Full

Vouchers

Accepted

Holiday type

Small group holiday

Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modelled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, travelling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. If you’re heading off on a gap year your, perhaps – but for those with a two-week holiday, a small group tour will save valuable planning time.

The leaders are not guides – they’re not there to shepherd you around. Instead, they’ll let you know which local restaurant serves great value food – without running the risk of travellers’ tummy. They’ll allow you to avoid hour-long queues at train stations and attractions.

We like to think of small group travel as the Goldilocks option. It is independent travel without the fuss, worry and bunk beds – and organised travel without the coaches. And it’s cheaper than a tailor made tour. It’s sits somewhere in the middle – and we think it’s just about right.

What are the main benefits?

Big experiences
Have big, life-enriching experiences that would be impossible to organise without lots of time and insider knowledge.

Simplicity
Make the most of your holiday time by letting someone else do the hard work and boring logistics!

Peace of mind
Small group tours take care of the security aspects – and provide a safety net should anything unexpected happen.

Who is it ideal for?

Travellers who are short of time
If you don’t have three months to spend exploring, small groups trips let you cover more ground in less time. Your days are not spent queuing for tickets or finding hotels – so you can squeeze more into your holiday.

Solo travellers who’d like company
Likeminded travel companions plus peace of mind for those travelling alone. Single supplements are usually available – providing privacy if you want it.

Less confident travellers
Stray from the tourist trail without worrying about getting lost, and meet local people without dealing with the language barrier.

Mythbuster

“I won’t get any privacy!”
Couples and friends have private rooms, and you can choose to eat alone or not. Single supplements give solo travellers their own room.

“There won’t be any free time”
Free mornings or afternoons let you explore on your own, or just relax.

“The accommodation will be basic”
Trips are as high or low end as you like. Though off the beaten track destinations won’t have luxury hotels, this is all part of the adventure.

“I won’t like the other travellers!”
Tour operators try to create groups with a similar demographic – age, families, activity levels... Chances are, you’ll even make new friends.

“Will we be following an umbrella?”
No.

Meet a group Leader

Name: Valerie Parkinson

Story: The first British woman to climb Manaslu, Valerie climbed Everest for her 50th birthday. She’s spent fourteen Christmas Days trekking to Everest Base Camp, and is involved insetting up Responsible Tourism initiatives in the Himalayas.

Meet a local guide

Name: Roshan Fernando

Story: Roshan has led over 130 trips – he adores showing travellers around Sri Lanka. He won the company Leader Award in 2010, but his career highlight was working on their Tsunami Project – which earned him a responsible tourism award.

Responsible tourism

Responsible tourism: Cilento and Amalfi Coast cycling holiday, Italy

Environment

Activity:
Few holidays have as little detrimental impact on the environment and local residents as a cycling trip. Erosion on and adjacent to popular paths is a growing problem in certain places and therefore our trip leaders encourage clients to stick to advised routes in order to minimise this. We do believe in leaving no more than footprints (or tyre tracks!) although this tour actively encourages guests to talk to local people, visit local cafes and restaurants, use markets to purchase traditional gifts and crafts and get a real impression of the Amalfi Coast.

Water:
Water is a really important issue with cycling trips and whilst we must stay hydrated, it is also vital that we have a system for providing clean water without causing lots of waste with plastic bottles. We suggest that instead of repeatedly buying bottled water, guests should re-fill a singular bottle. Our guides can advise where to fill them and where to recycle litter.

UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.

Community

Community:
Our aim is to discover for you those places where you can feel and taste the ‘real spirit’ of southern Italy. This tours for real travellers, who seek out both the highlights of a destination and true experiences of local culture in ways that benefit local communities. For example, with food being such a huge aspect of Italian culture, our locally employed tour guides will endeavour to not only recommend the best and lesser known local eateries but to take you to the very source of the food’s production. There will be opportunities to taste and purchase organic oil, wine and mozzarella. Not just a great experience for clients but it celebrates Italian culture and puts money into the local economy.

Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.

3 Reviews of Cilento and Amalfi Coast cycling holiday, Italy

5 out of 5 stars

SHOW

In depth story review

“The photos, TV and films never do justice to just how beautiful the Amalfi coast is in reality. I think it must be one of the most beautiful places on the planet.”

Learn more about this itinerary in Responsible Travel's interview with Wendy Pillar, a traveller on this tripRead full interview

Reviewed on 08 Apr 2018 by Wendy Pillar

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

It was all memorable, but the highlight was probably visiting Pioppi, home of the Mediterranean diet, followed by one of the best lunches I have ever had, at a
little local restaurant with one of the finest views on the planet.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

Just go, it's a great tour.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?

I went out of season, early April, when restaurants were very quiet. I think it definitely helps to spread the tourist impact over a wider part of the year. Biking
on the Amalfi coast is definitely a good option, as the traffic there is very severe.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

One of the best tours I have been on. Excellent balance of cycling, culture and food, it's practically a gastronomic tour. The guide, Paolo, was one of the best I
have encountered. The scenery was spectacular. A very memorable holiday.