Cycling the Cilento Coast

Arrive in Paestum. You can visit the archaeological site, dating back to the 6th century BC (on the UNESCO World Heritage list), where you will admire the temples and several other monuments. The bikes will be delivered to the hotel, usually early afternoon.

Your first trip takes you on a ride through the ancient territory of the Greek town of Paestum. You may opt for a relaxed ride through the plain or a longer and harder one taking you to some nice medieval hamlets in the countryside and offering some amazing views. Before taking off, you can visit the temples and the museum of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Paestum and its world-famous Doric temples. The route will take you through the plain to the Sele river and along the ‘Capo di Fiume’ karstic springs to the villages of Giugnano and Cicerale (optional) and back down again to your hotel. Dinner is on the premises of the hotel tonight. After dinner, you can opt to make another short stroll through the temples and perhaps grab a gelato.

Cycling for the day: 33/65km, between 3 and 6h

Today you will leave the Paestum plain for a first taste of the real Cilento. Your trip takes you on quiet roads through the fragrant Mediterranean maquis and shady olive groves, up into the coastal hills above the town of Agropoli, through some dreamy medieval hamlets, and down again to the coastal villages of Santa Maria and San Marco di Castellabate. From here, you continue along the coast in a southern direction. This is definitely one of the finest coastal rides in Italy, full of wonderful views with charming seaside villages. You cycle past the headland of Punta Licosa, named after the nymph Leucosia, and then climb the ‘red hills’. After a flatter section, you may then stop for a drink in Acciaroli, where, back in 1952, Ernest Hemingway spent some holidays and – some say – was inspired to write ‘The Old Man and the Sea’. After a last easy climb, you descend to the delightful little fishing village of Pioppi, where you can visit the small Sea Life Museum dedicated to the local marine fauna and flora. A last short stretch brings you to Casalvelino Marina, where you will stay in a beautiful agriturismo for the next two nights. Tonight you’ll indulge in local specialities: the dinner you’ll have is completely based on the agriturismo’s own produce and original recipes.

Cycling for the day: 55km, approx 5h

Today’s trip starts with a long and winding climb up the southern slopes of Monte Stella, to the beautifully located old village of Acquavella, through olive groves and vineyards. The road continues uphill and, past the village of Stella Cilento, you reach Omignano. Once you have reached this village, the route becomes easier, from here you’ll start the ‘Ring of Monte Stella’, a very panoramic tour with fantastic views in all directions, all around the ‘Mountain of the Sea’. This circuit touches several charming villages at more or less the same altitude (a transfer to either Stella Cilento or Omignano can be arranged). The easy road now passes through chestnut forests, opening up now and then to wonderful views over the inland Cilento, reaching as far as the Alburni and Cervati mountain ranges. Once you reach the northern edge of Mt. Stella, your views open up towards the Amalfi Coast and Capri, and on clear days you sight might stretch even as far as the island of Stromboli in Sicily. You pass a number of nice medieval villages: Celso, Galdo, San Mauro, Stella Cilento, all worth a shortstop. Their simplicity and quiet peace are best savoured from the local bar, with an Italian coffee at hand. At the end of the day, you descend towards Pollica, and then along the coast back to Casalvelino. Or you can opt for a slightly longer route that takes you down to the fishing village of Acciaroli again, for a nice ‘aperitivo’ at the harbour, before doing the beautiful final stretch back to Casalvelino. After arriving here, you can make a stop at the beach for a well-deserved relaxing swim. Another great dinner awaits you on the premises of your beautiful agriturismo.

Cycling for the day: 65km, approx 6h

Today is a relatively easy day, which will bring you along the panoramic coastal road to the southern part of the Cilento. The first few km are like a warm-up ride through the coastal plain of the Alento River. Soon you reach the archaeological site of Velia, home to the Greek philosophers Zeno and Parmenides, and cradle of one of Europe’s most ancient schools of medicine. Amongst its remains, one finds the celebrated ‘Porta Rosa’ (Pink Gate), one of the first examples of the use of the vault in Greek architecture. After a short visit, you continue your ride, which now starts to go uphill, reaching the village of Ascea. The road now passes through the fragrant Mediterranean maquis and century-old olive groves, also offering fantastic views over the sea. At about lunchtime, you reach the medieval hilltop village of Pisciotta, where you can enjoy a great lunch overlooking the Mediterranean below. The ride after lunch is mostly downhill. Halfway through the afternoon, you reach the headland of Capo Palinuro. This promontory, named after one of the helmsmen of the mythical hero Aeneas, is one of the most famous spots in the Cilento National Park. Its unique topography, made up of dazzlingly high rock cliffs full of sea grottos, amongst which is the stunning ‘Grotta Azzurra’, makes for a wonderful sight. You cycle to the little village of Palinuro and stop at the tiny port. In case you are not too tired, you can take a short boat tour of the cape and visit the caves.

Cycling for the day: 40km, approx 4h

After an early breakfast, you start your cycling day with a wonderful stretch along the southern coast of the Cilento National Park. You arrive in the lovely coastal town of Marina di Camerota, where you can have a short biscuit stop, and then you start cycling uphill. During this very scenic climb, you enjoy an unparalleled view of one of the most unspoilt stretches of coastline in southern Italy, the ‘Costa degli Infreschi’. You pass through the little hamlet of Lentiscosa and continue to the village of San Giovanni a Piro, beautifully located with spectacular views of the Gulf of Policastro on the one side and the impressive sheer cliffs of the mountain on the other. Here you can have a picnic lunch at one of the most stunning places you’ve ever been to, or visit a cosy little restaurant. You then continue the tour around the impressive Mt. Bulgheria, first with a short downhill section, taking you to a flatter one through the villages of Bosco and Acquavena. After reaching the valley of the Mingardo River, you can continue for a short visit to the charming village of Roccagloriosa, nestled on a rocky hill high above the valley floor. After a stroll and perhaps a drink in the village square, you go downhill, alongside the river, towards the entrance of the impressive Mingardo canyon, dominated by the abandoned medieval village of San Severino. Through the Mingardo canyon, you return to your hotel at Cape Palinuro.

Cycling for the day: 53km, approx 5h

Today you can sleep in for a bit longer and enjoy the scenery. After a leisurely breakfast, you are brought to the train station from where you can take the train to Naples, Rome or to Salerno, the gateway to the Amalfi Coast. In case you would like to extend your adventure, you can very easily get on our Cycling the Amalfi Coast tour, for the most complete biking experience of this iconic region.