The paths of the mezzogiorno

A journey to discover Southern Italy in all its splendor

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Duration

10 nights and 11 days
, including 9 on a motorcycle

Distance

Approximately 2,000 km
(200 km per day on average)

Itinerary

40% sea and 60% mountains

Level

Intermediate and above

Motorcycle

With or without rental

Our next departures

Guided group tour (Zeus):
May 21–31, 2027

Voyage à la carte (Poséidon):
From April to October of your choice

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"From Pompei to the Amalfi cliffs, from Matera's sassi to Apulia's trulli, a journey through ancient heritage, picturesque villages and Mediterranean roads! "

Why this trip

Because it brings together in a single itinerary the most seductive aspects of southern Italy:

must-see ancient sites such as Pompeii and Herculaneum, at the foot of Mount Vesuvius,
spectacular coastal scenery with the Amalfi Coast and the Mediterranean shores of Basilicata and Puglia, all the way to Gargano,
authentic and unusual villages, from Matera and its troglodyte dwellings to the ghost village of Craco, via the white villages of Puglia,
a diversity of regions - Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, Puglia and Abruzzo - each with its own character and atmosphere,
an immersion in Italian culture through the gastronomy, hospitality and dolce vita of the small towns of the Mezzogiorno.

This journey has been designed as a grand Mediterranean crossing, starting from Rome, between volcanoes, baroque cities and mountain roads.

A compendium of history, culture and luminous landscapes, to discover a more secret and authentic face of Italy.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS

Overview

This road trip starts and returns to Rome, after a journey of discovery through the southern Italian regions of Campania, Calabria, Basilicata and Puglia. Whether you decide to take this trip as part of a group or as an individual, with your own motorcycle or a rental bike, expect to see a whole new side to this part of Italy known as the Mezzogiorno.

Welcome in Rome and check-in at your hotel, located near our partner's motorcycle rental garage.
Early morning departure via the A1 out of Rome and into Naples, followed in between by a beautiful itinerary along the seafront and in the Aurunces mountains. Check-in at your hotel in Pompei.
Morning visit to Pompeii, an archaeological site frozen in time since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
In the afternoon, head for Sorrento: in the distance, Capri and Ischia announce the Amalfi Coast, a ribbon of cliffs plunging into the blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
After Salerno, the itinerary climbs up into a hilly, forested landscape, before reaching the coast.
Arrival at Maratea offers a breathtaking panorama, dominated by the monumental statue of Christ the Redeemer, one of the highest in the world.
A great day's motorcycling through the Fiume del Argentino and the Pollino, Italy's largest national park, between Calabria and Basilicata. It's an ideal playground for motorcycling: winding roads, splendid panoramas, limestone plateaus, narrow gorges, etc. Overnight by the sea on the Gulf of Torrente.
You'll discover a different Mezzogiorno as you cross the Calanchi, clay formations that form lunar landscapes.
On the way, the ghost village of Craco offers a rather strange stopover, before arriving in Matera for an unforgettable immersion in the Sassi.
Crossing the Terra delle Gravine park towards Puglia.
The first trulli scattered across the countryside herald the emblematic white villages: Locorotondo, Alberobello and Ostuni, among others, offer timeless charm.
You leave the trulli for the plateaus of the Murgia Alta. Castel del Monte, Frederick II's octagonal fortress, rises out of this mineral immensity.
Then there's the Gargano promontory, whose cliffs plunge into the Adriatic Sea. The roads here are breathtaking. Look forward to some great motorcycling!
The return journey takes you through Molise, Italy's least-known region, before entering the Abruzzo National Park, where the scenery becomes grandiose, with wooded valleys, soaring peaks and turquoise lakes.
This is the last stage before returning to Rome.
This stage continues along the roads of Abruzzo, before crossing the Simbruini Mountains, the last rocky barrier of the Apennines before Rome, where you arrive in the afternoon.
Return of bikes for those who have rented one, before a final evening in the Eternal City.
Free day to visit Rome if you have taken an extension.
Alternatively, transfer to Fiumicino airport for your return flight.

Program subject to change.

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Rates

Price examples for 10 nights / 11 days. Flights or crossings as well as motorcycle rental or transport are optional. Ask for a quote according to your preferences.