Italy Coast to Coast by E-bike: Puglia to Amalfi Coast

Cross the Beautiful Country from east to west with a little help from our battery-powered rides

Combining highlights from two of our most popular Italian cycling trips, this itinerary offers the challenge of riding right across southern Italy, with the added support of an e-bike. Starting from the coastal city of Monopoli, we take quiet routes through the mountainous Basilicata and Campania regions, finishing at Sorrento on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The trip includes time in Matera, home to ancient cave dwellings, plus lesser-known (but no less beautiful) attractions, including Castelmezzano, a postcard-ready mountainside village where we stay for a night. Our journey ends with a memorable ride along the scenic Amalfi Coast all the way to Sorrento.

For those seeking a challenge, it is possible to join this trip with a road bike rather than an e-bike. Please see our ‘Is this trip for you?’ section under Essential Info for more information.

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is classified as Road and Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

• Average daily distance: 47mi (76km)
• Number of days cycling: Six

This trip crosses the mountainous Basilicata and Campania regions; however, the use of e-bikes makes the climbs much easier to manage. There will be some sections with sustained climbing, particularly on days 3, 4 and 7, which are considered Activity Level 5 (Challenging) without e-bikes. The difficulty and distances of other rides (days 2, 5 and 6) are similar to those you would find on a standard Activity Level 3 (Moderate) cycling trip. The reward for the ascents will be stunning views and an amazing sense of achievement. Daily distances vary from 31mi to 60mi (50km to 97km).

E-bikes provide battery-powered assistance that is triggered by pedalling. It is still necessary to push the pedals yourself, but less effort is required when setting off and climbing hills.

If you are an experienced cyclist who uses a road bike regularly, you may request to join this trip with a road bike. The trip is graded Activity Level 5 (Challenging) when completing it with a road bike.

Daily rides will start from our accommodation and the terrain and route will be mainly on quiet asphalt roads. The more remote roads are often not maintained as well as those nearer towns, so on these we may encounter a few potholes and less-than-perfect surfaces. The support vehicle will follow the group for the vast majority of the time (with seats for two or three people at a time).

Day 7 (cycling the Amalfi Coast from Salerno to Sorrento) is a classic ride and a highlight for many customers. The spectacular road is narrow in many places and traffic can be heavy, but our leaders and support crew are experts at keeping the group safe and together to experience this highlight. The support vehicle will be available if two or three people in the group prefer not to cycle. We do not run this trip in the month of August when the roads are at their most congested.

A good level of fitness is essential for this trip.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Italy

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

Italy

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Italy. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/italy
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/italy
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html

Please note: it is compulsory to carry ID with you at all times in Italy.

Food & Drink

A typical hotel breakfast consists of toast/bread with jam or honey, cereal, cheese and ham, served with coffee, tea, milk, orange juice, fruit, cake and yoghurt. Lunches are normally arranged as picnics or taken in small cafes along the route. Included dinners normally consist of a three-course menu with a choice of regional specialities. Vegetarians and people with special dietary requirements can be catered for but please inform us prior to travel.

Weather

Southern Italy is characterised by a hot, dry climate in summer, with cooler but slightly damper spring and autumn periods, and mild, damp winters at coastal levels. Rainfall is more common in winter with an average of one day in three affected. Unseasonable cold spells are possible at any time of year, during which you need warm clothes. You cross mountainous regions on this trip, where temperatures are typically slightly cooler than by the coast. It is very important to be equipped for cold and wet weather in early and late season departures. Additionally, you may experience significant temperature changes between the coastal and inland areas; therefore, it’s vital you take warm and waterproof clothing.