Ever wanted to visit one of the most magical places in Italy? Ever wanted to do it on a motorcycle? Imagine a motorcycle tour that takes you to the heart of Italy’s beautiful south. Follow Francesco on this 8 day motorcycle ride south of Rome. Relive with him what these territories can offer. Experience out of the way locations which main stream tourism thankfully fails to reach. Live our South with someone who loves it and loves to show you around. Not only significant historical sites, but also where Francesco grew up, where he spent his childhood holidays. Not only taste Francesco’s favourite foods, wines, and beers, but also the ones he hasn’t discovered yet. On every tour there’s always something to enjoy for the first time. Imagine relaxing after a day’s ride with a cold beer, or a Spritz, sharing the days ride. Experience what riding in Italy is all about.
Imagine yourself on this tour for 8 full days just riding with friends.
Included:
motorcycle rental of your choice
9 nights accommodation with breakfast
welcome and farewell dinners in Rome
motorcycle guide always present
support van for luggage and assistance
handbook of the tour
map of southern Italy
Excluded:
meals and snacks (except included)
alcoholic beverages with offered meals
city taxes
tolls if necessary
entrance to museums or other attractions
gratuities
anything not expressly included
Day 1: Our first touring day will be simple and not too long. We set out of Rome and reach the hills just south of Rome. Our first stop will be just across the Pope’s summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, by lake Albano. Our ride then takes us along the quiet roads of the Lepini, Ausoni and Aurunci mountains. We reach our first overnight stop in Sperlonga early enough to visit this small fishing village and enjoy a very Italian aperitif by the beach before dinner.
Day 2: We follow the SS7 (Via Appia) and head directly to visit Pompei in the morning for a couple of hours. After the visit of this fascinating site we will have a wonderful Neapolitan pizza for lunch to regain our strengths. In the afternoon we cross the Lattari mountains by Agerola (famous for its “fior di latte” cheese) and dive into the Amalfi Coast reaching Amalfi from the mountain. We will stay in Amalfi, right by the cathedral two nights. This will give us a chance to live this small precious town and experience it twice in the evenings when most of the tourists have left.
Day 3: Get ready to experience one of the most magical places for Francesco: the Amalfi Coast! As a kid in the 70s Positano was a weekend destination for him and his family, with his dad working in Portici (not far from Pompei and Hercolaneum). He learned to swim in the sea here. From Amalfi our first port of call will be Termini for a wonderful espresso overlooking the very exclusive island of Capri. If the weather is good and the travelling party is ready to ride, we can reach the heights of Monte Faito with a superlative view over the Gulf of Napoli. A quick sandwich lunch and we delve back in the heart of the Amalfi Coast. We ride our motorcycles to Positano and have gelato on the beach. The shopping enthusiast will have time to explore the numerous exclusive boutiques, Positano is famous for. The rest can indulge on the beach. We complete our ride back to Amalfi enjoying the curvy coastal road along waterfront side. This allows us magnificent views both of the sea and of the mountains. The Amalfi Coast is blessed by high mountains that fall directly into the deep blue sea. These protect it from the cold northern winds in the winter and make sure their wonderful lemon trees do not freeze to death.
Day 4: We must say “arrivederci” to the Amalfi Coast and complete the 20km that separate Amalfi from Vietri sul Mare and Salerno. This will take an hour such is the twistiness and beauty of this stretch of coastal road. Once we exit the Amalfi Coast, we step up the pace and ride around Salerno on the Austostrada. Our goal is to reach Melfi for lunch and Matera for our next double night stop. We enter the region of Basilicata. Basilicata is a region of great beauty and culture, as you will find out. The food and wines are different from Campania, the region of Napoli and of the Amalfi Coast. Matera, where we are staying for two consecutive nights, offers two hearts. The baroque heart and that of its ancient cave dwellings, the Sassi di Matera . We shall have time to experience both.
Day 5: Basilicata offers an incredible variety of landmarks and landscapes. On the loop ride out of Matera, we will be able to witness the surprising rock formations of the “Piccole Dolomiti Lucane”, the small dolomites of the south, and the badlands near the ghost town of Craco. Craco was abandoned in the 60s because the whole settlement had been built on a sliding clay ridge. As the settlement grew and the weight of the buildings increased and the whole hill started its downward slide making it unsafe to be lived in. It makes for a very scenic view among the endless badlands.
Day 6: We leave the region of Basilicata and head for the coastal region of Puglia. Our first visit is the town of Alberobello. Alberobello is home to weird cone shaped houses known as Trulli. After a short visit to the cone shaped centre, we then point north again and ride across the Murge area by Altamura and reach the famous octagonal castle of Fredrik II, Castel del Monte. This castle is unique in its shape and size, and no one really knows exactly what it was built for. Too small for defensive reasons and with its geometrical structure and dominant position over the surrounding land, it suggests a place for a hunting lodge, or for esoteric practices. A fascinating visit just before reaching Trani for the night with its amazing white cathedral by the sea.
Day 7: Our ride continues north. We must on the other hand, return to Rome. We ride north along the Adriatic coast and explore the spur of Italy’s boot, the Gargano peninsula. It’s a truly wonderful ride up to Monte Sant’Angelo and back down to the main Gargano coastal road. The views over the Gulf of Manfredonia from the top are spectacular. Many curves, incredible coastlines and an ancient forest, called the Foresta Umbra (umbra = dark). Lunch in Vieste and final destination Termoli in Molise, the small region of Italy no one (even Italians) ever remembers, complete an excellent ride.
Day 8: Sadly, it will be the last day of the Amalfi Coast and South Motorcycle tour and time to head back to Rome. We ride directly inland along the river Biferno and literally over Lake of Guardialfiera (as you can see in the picture). A stop in Frosolone for a coffee completes our time in Molise. Once we reach the town of Isernia we tackle an incredible road, the SS17 which leads us into Abruzzo. When the pass, known as the Valico del Macerone (a real feast!), flattens on the other side, we enter the mountainous region of Abruzzo. We ride a small part of the Central Peaks tour here. We pass the lake of Barrea and once we cross the Passo di Forca d’Acero, we enter Lazio and the rolling hills of Ciociaria will accompany us all the back way to Rome.
We’ll be in good time to hand back the bikes and get ready to enjoy our farewell dinner after a truly unforgettable experience. Arrivederci!
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