Southern Italy Delights and Twisties - CUI2502
It's arrival day and the group is slowly gathering in the hotel. Some decided to arrive early to beat the jet lag a little and others luckily didn't had to travel that far. Our start hotel is nestled in the foot hills of this magnificent city overlooking it's unfading beauty. And what would be better to round-up this experience than a cold drink in hand and meeting the other participants for the first get-together. The official start is our welcome briefing, the group is getting an introduction and outline of the the things to come and more importantly the motorcycles are getting handed over. This is always exciting! Everyone has a chance to play a little with the bikes features and even if wanted has a short run around to see how it feels. Once everything is set up right, we all are heading for the welcome dinner. Our first experience with the outstanding Italian cuisine. There is a lively conversation across the table and we all get to know each other a little better. We can't wait to keep going tomorrow!
"Wet bride, lucky bride" this italian expression could be applied to our tour: "Wet tour, lucky tour", because just as we were about to leave, it started pouring rain in Florence. But, with the worst behind us, we set off for the Tuscan Apennines. After the first hour, we enjoy a good coffee in Reggello in Valdarno. Once we've done our first check, we set off again towards Arezzo. It's Sunday, and Italians love to spend their Sundays away from home. In Arezzo, we are welcomed to the historic center by a fascinating antique fair. We sit down for lunch right in Piazza Grande, on the terrace of a small restaurant. In the afternoon, two more unmissable highlights await us: Cortona and Lake Trasimeno, two panoramic spots that delight our eyes, as well as entertaining us with the winding roads we take to reach them. We arrive in Perugia at dusk and spend the night in Monterone Castle, a historic manor dating back to the 13th century, perched on the hills above Perugia. What a sight!
It's a pity leaving this beautiful castle, but the good thing is that is awaiting us a beautiful day of riding of about 260 Km. (ab. 160 miles). First stop the holy city of Assisi, home of Saint Francis. Yesterday was a warm-up day for the bikes and crews, but today, dear friends, it's time to get serious, A feast of curves, tastier than the local cuisine, heading south through the Apennines to reach the “wild” region of Abruzzo. The regional capital city of L'Aquila and the nearby town of Amatrice (from which the Amatriciana sauce derives) suffered extensive damage in 2009 and 2016 due to frequent earthquakes in the area. But the people of Abruzzo are like their land: tough and resilient, but above all very hospitable. Our destination hotel in Santo Stefano di Sessanio is a concrete example of sustainable tourism that respects local traditions, a medieval village that has been renovated and converted into a diffused hotel. It does not offer the comforts of modern hotels, but it does offer the charm of centuries of history. For better or worse, this is an experience we will never forget.
Our first rest day, beneath the Gran Sasso mountain range, the highest mountain in the Apennines, unspoiled nature reigns supreme. Bernie ride with Christian & Esther and Brian & Judith for a tour around Gran Sasso. Kevin, Rich and John & Susan decide to explore the surrounding area, taking a motorcycle ride along the beautiful, winding road to Castel del Monte. Steven & Pat take some rest.
Our experience at the hotel, located in a historic medieval village, has come to an end, and this morning we are happy to hop on our motorcycles and head toward a new destination. The morning is cool and crisp, Abruzzo salutes us with stunning views of its unspoiled valleys. This region is one of the least populated in Italy, and traffic on the mountain passes at this time of year is practically non-existent. we arrive at Majella National Park quite early and we climb up the first mountain pass of the day: San Leonardo Mountain Pass at an altitude of 1282 mt. (ab. 3800 ft.), after that we descend to Sulmona, a city in the hearth of Abruzzo, to have our lunch break during the crowded daily market day on the main square of the city, where we pose for a nice photo in front of an ancient Roman aqueduct. In the afternoon the fun is not over, roads are still gorgeous and winding, with beautiful sighseeing of lakes and wooded valleys, our destination for tonight is a cozy resort with pool in the green hills of Lazio Region.
After a good night's sleep, we are all ready to resume our journey on two wheels. we head to the region of Molise, an unspoiled corner of Italy, off the beaten track, where you can enjoy winding roads through valleys covered with dense forests. We pass through villages and places where time seems to have stood still, far from mass tourism, where you can still see authentic Italian rural life. After enjoying ourselves driving up and down these spectacular mountain roads, we arrive in the plains of the Campania region, passing through the city of Caserta. It's worth taking a short break to see the Royal Palace of Caserta, known as the “Italian Versailles.” From the non-existent traffic of the mountains, we move on to the hustle and bustle of Naples to climb Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that symbolizes this region, from where we can admire the spectacle of the Gulf of Naples. Through the busy and endless curves of the Amalfi Coast roads, nestled between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Lattari Mountains, we reach our resort on the Amalfi Coast. We arrive just in time to enjoy the magnificent sunset from the ridge of Furore, where a delicious dinner with a sea view awaits us.
Today the sun is shining on the beautiful Amalfi coast, the view from our Hotel is stunning, The group splits up, Bernie takes Christian, Esther, Brian, and Judith for a motorcycle ride up and down the scenic roads overlooking the sea. The others enjoy their day off, taking a bus trip to the town of Amalfi. In any case, just being here puts you in a good mood, regardless of what you decide to do!
Today we leave the Amalfi Coast, but first we head back down to the beautiful cliffs. The traffic is bearable at first, but steadily increases, and we are glad to finally reach the hinterland of Campania. Here we cruise through dense chestnut forests, which delight us with their play of light and shadow and autumnal colors. At lunchtime, we reach a baptistery that was first mentioned in the late fourth century. The existing building was constructed somewhat later. Alberto is waiting for us here with a typical Italian picnic, after which we continue on to the Certosa de Padula, one of the largest monasteries in the world. But now we have to move on, because after Campania we still have to cross a part of Basilicata before we reach our nice, family-run hotel in Calabria.
After spending the previous days on the Tyrrhenian Sea, we now make our way through the hills of Calabria to the Ionian Sea. The coastal road takes us to Castello di Roseto Capo Spulico, an 11th-century fortress that has been repeatedly adapted to military requirements. Back in the mountains, we stop in Craco, an area that was settled by the Greeks as early as the 8th century BC. The settlement developed and even became a university town in the 13th century. After landslides in the 20th century and an earthquake in 1980, the town was abandoned. Today, due to the risk of collapse, the old town can only be visited with guides. The next highlight is already waiting for us, so we set off for Matera to get our first impressions there too. Southern Italy has a lot to offer, as long as you are willing to open your eyes.
Today is a rest day in Matera Basilicata, and some guests hop back on their motorcycles to visit Alberobello. The small village impresses with its typical Apulian houses, called trulli. These are characterized by their pointed roofs and colorful plantings. Next on our itinerary is Polignano, a small town on the cliffs of the Adriatic Sea. It has a small sandy beach, but is best known for its cliff divers. However, we don't throw ourselves off the rocks, but instead have lunch on a small terrace with a great view. Now it's time to head back to Matera, because there is still a lot to discover here.
On the last day of our tour, our destination is Bisceglie, a small town with a sandy beach on the Adriatic Sea. However, as Bisceglie is quite close to Matera, our route takes us northwest again. There are lots of bends here, which is sure to delight motorcyclists. The town of Gravina in Puglia was founded by the Greeks and then conquered by the Romans around 306 BC. The Roman bridge over the gorge still serves its purpose today. Finally, we visit Castello del Monte, a 13th-century complex built under Frederick II. What makes it special is its architecture, which is clearly dominated by octagons. Not everything about the significance and purpose of the complex has been clarified yet. Tonight is the night: our tour ends with a farewell dinner. Hopefully it won't be our last dinner together; we would be delighted if we could get together for another tour.
We wish everyone a safe journey home and hope to see you again soon at another Edelweiss Experience.