Self-Launched: Cycle Cilento & the Amalfi Coast
8 days · Cilento & the Amalfi Coast, Italy
Exodus charges £2,800
No-markup version: ~£1,075 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched 8-day cycling adventure through Campania's two faces — the wild, untrammelled Cilento National Park and the glamorous Amalfi Coast. You'll ride the same routes as the guided group tour but book your own bike hire, guesthouses, agriturismi and budget hotels, use regional trains to link the sections, and eat where locals eat. Expect 240km of gently undulating coastal riding, ancient Greek temples at Paestum, and the world's most scenic coastal road into Minori. All costs are approximate, per person, in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Palinuro, southern Cilento
Palinuro, Cilento National Park
Fly into Naples (or Rome, then train) and make your own way south to Palinuro, a lively village at the tip of Cilento National Park. From Naples Centrale take a Trenitalia regionale to Vallo della Lucania-Castelnuovo (~2h, £10), then a local bus or shared taxi to Palinuro (~40 min, £4). Check into a seafront guesthouse, swim off the rocks at Capo Palinuro, and pick up your pre-booked rental bike (a touring or gravel bike is ideal — £25-35/day, or a week rate around £150). Evening: aperitivo and a plate of fresh fish in the old harbour.
🚌Trenitalia regionale Naples→Vallo della Lucania (~£10) + local bus to Palinuro (~£4)
🛏Seafront guesthouse/B&B in Palinuro (double/twin, ~£45/night)
- →Bike pick-up and fitting
- →Sunset at Capo Palinuro lighthouse
- →Swim at Spiaggia del Buon Dormire
Cilento coastal loop to Mingardo Canyon
Palinuro → Marina di Camerota → Mingardo
Ride the most unspoilt coastline in southern Italy on a 60km loop. Head south along the coast to Marina di Camerota for a mid-morning espresso, then climb inland to San Giovanni a Piro and around Mount Bulgheria to the dramatic Mingardo Canyon, with its abandoned village of San Severino clinging to the cliff. The Grotte di Pertosa and the ghost town make a great photo stop. Return to Palinuro for dinner — grab picnic supplies at the panetteria to keep costs down.
🚌Own bike rental (60km ride)
🛏Seafront guesthouse/B&B in Palinuro (~£45/night)
- →Marina di Camerota harbour break
- →Mingardo Canyon viewpoint
- →Abandoned village of San Severino
- →Self-catered picnic lunch
Capo Palinuro, Pisciotta and down to Casalvelino
Palinuro → Pisciotta → Ascea → Casalvelino
A shorter 40km day but full of flavour. Follow the coast to the Capo Palinuro peninsula, then climb to the medieval hill village of Pisciotta, famous for its olive oil — stop at a frantoio for a tasting (free or small fee). Continue gently up to Ascea, passing the ancient Greek settlement of Velia and its 4th-century BCE arch. Drop onto the Casalvelino plain and settle into a working agriturismo for the night — dinner here is home-cooked and included in most rates.
🚌Own bike rental (40km ride)
🛏Agriturismo on the Casalvelino plain (half-board, ~£70/night)
- →Pisciotta olive oil tasting
- →Velia archaeological site
- →Agriturismo farm dinner
Acciaroli, Castellabate and the temples of Paestum
Casalvelino → Acciaroli → Paestum
One of Italy's finest rides: 60km of undulating coastal villages to Acciaroli (a favourite of Hemingway), then Santa Maria di Castellabate for lunch and an optional swim. Push on through Agropoli to Paestum, where your hotel sits a stone's throw from three magnificent Doric temples — go for a late-afternoon visit when the light is golden and the tour buses have left. Skip the coach tour and buy a £9 site ticket at the gate.
🚌Own bike rental (60km ride)
🛏Budget hotel next to the Paestum temples (~£55/night)
- →Swim at Santa Maria di Castellabate
- →Paestum Greek temples and amphitheatre (self-guided entry ~£9)
- →Local buffalo mozzarella tasting
Train to Salerno, then the ride to Minori
Paestum → Salerno → Cetara → Minori
Morning at Paestum for the museum, then take the local train from Paestum station up the coast to Salerno (~40 min, £4). From Salerno ride the legendary Amalfi Coast road: stop in the fishing village of Cetara for its famous tuna and anchovies, grind up to Capo d'Orso for the classic view over the whole peninsula and Capri, then roll down past cliffs and lemon terraces through Maiori to Minori. Book a budget hotel here for three nights — the base for the rest of the trip.
🚌Trenitalia regionale Paestum→Salerno (~£4) + own bike rental (22km ride)
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Minori (~£65/night)
- →Paestum museum
- →Cetara anchovy lunch
- →Capo d'Orso viewpoint
Amalfi, Positano and the Colli di San Pietro
Minori → Amalfi → Positano → Minori
The big one: 57km of coastal drama. Ride to Amalfi for a short stroll through the cathedral square, then push on through Furore, Praiano and into Positano — a near-vertical stack of pastel houses. Take the beautiful climb to the Colli di San Pietro on the ridge between the Bay of Naples and the Gulf of Salerno for sweeping views of both, then descend back into Positano for free time and an ice cream before the run home to Minori in time for sunset. Note: the exact route can be adjusted for local road conditions or traffic.
🚌Own bike rental (57km ride)
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Minori (~£65/night)
- →Amalfi Duomo
- →Positano beach and boutiques
- →Colli di San Pietro ridge climb
- →Sunset over Minori
Free day — Ravello, Capri or Pompeii
Minori and around
A day off the bike. Walk the ancient mule tracks up to Ravello for Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo gardens (self-guided, ~£10 entry), or take a ferry to Capri from Amalfi for the day (return ~£35-40). Alternatively, base yourself in Salerno and day-trip to Pompeii and Vesuvius by Circumvesuviana train (~£15 return). Whatever you choose, finish with dinner back in Minori — try the local scialatielli ai frutti di mare.
🚌Ferries, local buses or Circumvesuviana train (all bookable locally, ~£15-40)
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Minori (~£65/night)
- →Ravello villas and gardens
- →Capri boat day (optional)
- →Pompeii and Vesuvius day trip (optional)
Depart Minori
Minori → Naples
Final breakfast on the terrace, then return your bike if you hired locally and head for home. Take the SITA bus from Minori to Salerno (~£3, 40 min), then a Trenitalia train to Naples Centrale (~£12) for your flight, or continue to Rome. If you have time, add a night in Sorrento or Naples before flying out.
🚌SITA bus Minori→Salerno (~£3) + Trenitalia Salerno→Naples (~£12)
🛏N/A (departure day)
- →Final breakfast
- →Optional extra night in Sorrento or Naples
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,075 | £2,800 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,725 per person (62%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,075
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched: Cycle Cilento & the Amalfi Coast cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,075 per person for 8 days in Cilento & the Amalfi Coast, Italy. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £2,800 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,075 — a saving of roughly £1,725 (62%) per person.
How long is the Cilento & the Amalfi Coast, Italy trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Cilento & the Amalfi Coast, Italy.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, backpacker trip through Cilento & the Amalfi Coast, Italy, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.