Most Inspirational Moment
Walking the crater of Vesuvius was truly awesome and visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum, the latter on our day off, was extremely moving. Conquering the Path of the Gods and so many steps was a challenge, but satisfying once my thighs recovered. The gardens and infinity terrace at Villa Cimbrone in Ravello and the Piazza at Sante Maria Maddelena in Atrani were breathtakingly beautiful. Ravello and Atrani were both so lovely, and much more peaceful than the larger villages and towns.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Veriano was superb, from the moment he met us at the airport until our final goodbyes he dedicated himself to making our experience the best it could be, going way beyond our expectations. He knows the area intimately, was highly experienced and competent, and led the walks professionally, with care, courtesy and good humour, whilst emphasising that we needed to follow his advice and instructions in order to cope with the terrain. He managed a challenging situation on the first day with calm competence, transferring a struggling members of our group to vehicles at the earliest opportunity after physically supporting them down a considerable number of steps to the nearest road . As a life long local, his passion for and knowledge of the history and landscape enriched our walks, he took time to show us the flora and geology and lead us to spots off the normal tourist route. He had a great relationship with the hotel staff, joining in the fun at the cookery demos and dining with us every night, even on his day off. With his strong connections we were guaranteed the best guides at Vesuvius and Pompeii, friendly competent drivers, and local artisans happy to entertain us and allow us to sample their wares. He was reliable, amiable and sociable, had a good sense of humour and by the end of the week knew us so well he had even made a personalised playlist for our singalong on the minibus journey to Ravello. The hotel staff also deserve a mention- they were so friendly, learning all our names and making the evenings such fun.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Read the trip notes carefully and seriously consider whether you will be able to cope with the terrain. There are long sustained periods of steep, uneven steps down from the Path of the `Gods to Nocelle and Positano, 2,500 in total and more again from Bomerano to Amalfi and from Ravello to Atrani. Although mostly down this still puts considerable strain on your thighs, knees and calfs. Walking poles help but you do need strong legs. Take the advice to carry 1.5 litres of water, even in November we needed to hydrate regularly. Use your day off to visit either Herculaneum, much better preserved than Pompeii, smaller in scale and a great museum . Another great alternative is the beautiful Ravello and its gardens. Grouping together to share the transport costs will make this less expensive.