Reviews

Suggestions

Be prepared to eat loads!

Most Inspirational Moment

The Walk of the Gods was my favourite part of the week, such stunning views, great walk along the cliff top and rewarding end in Positano. Great to be able to experience the traffic free side of Italy with walking in clean air and having gorgeous scenery to admire all along the walk. Feel good factor plus fun to chat along route and not overly busy with other walkers either. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

Eduardo was like having your grandfather guiding the tour, he was fun, friendly and it was awesome that he lived in Bomerano as he knew everyone and everything about the place and was able to answer all the queries and questions. Plus he provide some really good local knowledge and history about the place as well as all the places we visited. He was highly organised, had a great sense of humour and was very patient with all the group and sorted out all our needs and requirements and he made nothing feel like a chore. He also had great energy and was always available to us and looked out for us the whole trip. I would recommend him as a tour leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We had cooler weather in September so worth taking a warm fleece for the evening as it does cool down. Also when you order food at lunch times remember it is Italy so lunch can be a long affair and try to order as a group to share foods rather than as individuals as this is more the Italian way.

Suggestions

Many fun moments throughout the week, like the daily ice cream from Amalfi as well as the nightly mojito cocktail to start off the evening was awesome. Great to be able to go into the Hotel kitchens and see how they prepared our food as well as watch them make pizza. Also running through Pompeii as we were going to be late for the bus trying to see as much as we could. So a good all round holiday with fun, sun and scenery that is breath takingly gorgeous.

Most Inspirational Moment

It was surely the 'Walk of the gods', wherein we left from Bomerano and finished in Positano.  The scenery is spectacular!  Also I enjoyed the traditional aspects of Agerola [locality of hotel accomodation].  We were lucky to have been at a time when the locals celebrated their annual feast.  The Agerola people are very welcoming and the food is excellent!

Thoughts on Group Leader

I enjoyed Edwardo's company.  He is very sociable and being a local, he knows very well the surroundings and even the people!  

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would avoid going to Amalfi in hot weather.  This would spoil the 'walk of the gods'.

Most Inspirational Moment

An awe-inspiring walk around the crater of vesuvius with stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Friendly and engaging group leader, who did a great job on his first lead on the Amalfi coast.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Put your valuables into watertight containers on the walks, the weather is unpredictable and your phone/camera could be damaged.

Suggestions

A great holiday, the only cons are the unpredictable weather and uncomfortable public transport.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting Pompeii, walking up Vesuvius and being able to go round Herculaneum on the free day (which was organised by the hotel).

Thoughts on Group Leader

Christine was an outstanding group leader. She had an enormous local knowledge and nothing was too much trouble. She met us with a smile at the airport and that smile lasted all week. Several  treats appeared from her rucksack at key moments as well. She is an utterly professional and generous leader who is an asset to Exodus.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just beware of the heat if you go in the summer months. Earplugs might help at night as the family next door to the hotel keeps late hours!!

Suggestions

The hotel staff were outstanding and organised an optional trip on the rest day which was much appreciated. The holiday met all of my expectations and more: well worth booking this trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking round the crater of Vesuvius and looking down from there towards the city of Naples, with its 2 million people waiting for the next eruption .....

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very knowledgeable , experienced, well organised, somewhat temperamental :-)

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is an easy going, relaxed trip. Rather more sitting in a minibus and rather less walking than expected but that was fine for a week. Allow for mixed weather of you go in the spring...

Most Inspirational Moment

The Walk of The Gods is a lovely walk, taking you from the doorstep of your hotel along winding paths overlooking a beautiful stretch of coast. The highlight for me, however, was the city of Herculaneum. Whilst smaller than Pompeii, I found it easier to imagine it as a bustling city before the mudslides brought about by the eruption of Mt Vesuvius covered it for centuries. The guide there really brought the city to life.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Eduardo was a funny, knowledgable local leader who knows the area inside out. He's understandably proud of the region and takes great pride in showing people around. He's travelled the world too, so his dinner time stories of his days as a boat captain were as fascinating as his insights into local culture and food. His willingness to try and ensure everyone got what they were looking for out of the holiday meant a couple of unscheduled stops too!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring trousers/shorts with a bit of room. You will expand over the course of the week! My wife and I are big eaters but weren't prepared for the sheer amount of food (several courses every night) at the hotel. It was all delicious and we'd feel ready to burst as we waddled back to our rooms each night. If you have a food allergy or just have something you fancy, don't be scared to let the staff at the hotel as well as your tour leader know, as they're prepared to go "off menu" to ensure you're catered for and happy. Another review talks about getting better food at a local restaurant but I found the food at the hotel fantastic and we even chose to eat there on our free day to sample some of the dishes from previou nights again. On hearing that my wife had never had squid ink spaghetti, the chef even made the effort to order it in and prepare it for us during one of the group dinners. I just wish I'd recorded some of the kitchen demostrations so that I could make some of the food now that I'm home.

Suggestions

On the free day, the majority of people opt to go to Pompeii and then onto Sorrento. There's a fair amount of driving to fit both in, and at about 40 Euros per person (depending ont he group size) for the drive, as well as entry fees at Pompeii - it can initially seem rather expensive day once you add in meals etc. However, having looked into it a bit - you'd be paying a lot more to organise a taxi just to head to Pompeii and back, let alone being out from 8am to gone 6pm with a private mini bus. So, on reflection, it was good value and Eduardo did well to organise something that matched what most people hoped to do and see. It's a tiring day, so I'm glad we didn't stay on in Sorrento for dinner too, which a few people had hoped to do. Your time at Pompeii can feel a bit rushed too - but that's done in order to ensure you have time to get to Sorrento and have a few hours there. If you want to see more of Pompeii, don't bother joining the long queues to see the inside of the brothel, as that really isn't worth the time it takes (it's a really small building and once you're in you get herded through very quickly). A lot of the most impressive buildings at Pompeii are near the exit where you'll meet the bus, so don't be afraid to tell the guide you're going to go off and explore that for yourself.In the sales team, the questions we get most prior to people going away are about things like wi-fi availability or hair dryers! On this tour, there's wi-fi at the hotel for 1 euro for 24 hours. As in 24 hours useage, rather than it runs out the following day even if you've not used it. That means for 1 Euro you can check the news on your iphone or laptop (if you're so inclined) every day provided you log out when you've finished browsing each night. There are hair dryers in every room too. Towels are provided and changed every day. There's a small pool at the hotel and you can walk easily into the town for small bars and cafes. There are two dogs at the hotel, but if you're allergic you don't need to worry as they don't go into the bedrooms or eating areas at all. If you're considering this tour and have any questions, feel free to fire them my way at KAylward@exodus.co.uk

Most Inspirational Moment

The Walk of the Gods! I'm not a walker as a rule, so I approached this with some trepidation. But it was brilliant - great weather, in fairness (it would have been a different story had it been raining); stunning scenery; lovely villages - and, of course, good company. Walking shoes essential, although there were only one or two slightly dicey bits. I got away with walking sandals on this trek, but when climbing Vesuvius they were a definite disadvantage.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Eduardo was very good - patient and always helpful. I picked up some good tips on viticulture from him!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bomerano is high up on the mountain. We went in May, when the forecast was for sunny weather throughout, with temperatures rising to 30c. But the village was always on the cool side - the forecast was for the coast, hundreds of feet below us. And one day it rained (how it rained!) - yet the day turned out to be lovely as we passed through the mountain and down to sea level. So - seriously consider taking warm clothing.We were less impressed than others with the hotel food. The staff are lovely, and the pizza-making and pasta-cooking  demos interesting (we learned a lot), but we found far better (tastier) food in local restaurants, which were notably full of locals. 

Suggestions

We always thought we'd do Europe on our own (and generally do), but as ever, we got far more out of the trip by going with Exodus.

Most Inspirational Moment

what I found so inspirational was the organisation was so smooth, everything done as we were promised with friendliness from all quarters.     I really felt I had had a holiday when I came home.

Thoughts on Group Leader

very good, always helpful and patient and well organised.

Advice for Potential Travellers

just go along with an open mind.....prepare to be friendly........sometimes things might no go as planned but have a laugh about it and enjoy yourself

Suggestions

i am nuts!!!!!!....... I just hope I can find something this year that I can cope with.........look forward to receving details of holidays.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting  Herculaneum and Pompeii  -  although Pompeii was what we decided to do on our spare day - with the expert organisational assistance of our group leader.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Barbara was fantastic  -  she had superb knowledge of the area and Italy in general - and being a fluent Italian speaker allowed her to easliy smooth out any organisational blips.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes -  use the spare day to go to Pompeii  and ask Francesco the guide who conducts the Herculaneum tour to join you in Pompeii  ( extra expense but definitely worth it ! )