Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

This trip is a great mixture of walking (which, despite being billed as leisurely/moderate, is quite hard on the legs!), visiting the local towns and getting to know the area. Things like the visit to the local cheese-makers were really great, as were the evenings in the kitchen at the hotel.  The hotel staff are so friendly.Ravello was a real highlight on the 'free' day, definitely get a suggestion for a restaurant from the guys at the hotel, Eduardo's recommendation was fantastic! 

Thoughts on Group Leader

Liz was great!

Advice for Potential Travellers

A lot of the walking involves going up and down lots of steps - the trip notes do warn you about this but I think we all suffered from stiff calves after day 1.  If you can do any step training before you so, you'll spare yourself some pain.And if you can bother to learn some basic tourist Italian before you go, it will stand you in good stead, as Bomerano is pretty rural and not all of the locals speak English.

Suggestions

The food at the hotel is really good and expect to eat a lot of it.  Also fantastic wine policy at dinner...

Most Inspirational Moment

Walk of the Gods was physically enjoyable and spiritually uplifting. I also enjoyed my free day which I used to discover the wonderful archaeological  treasure troves, the   architectural diversity and   the  spectacular and shabby grandeur  of Naples.    

Thoughts on Group Leader

Liz was professional, gentle, knowledgeable and intuitive. I  particularly liked her low key, confident style of leadership which commanded respect and appreciation while at the same time her presence was unintrusive and  measured.   

Advice for Potential Travellers

A level of technical competence is required in relation to ascending and descending a considerable number of uneven and varied sets of steps which can last over twenty minutes at any one given time. Go at your own pace and be confident enough to invite others to pass you out so that you don't feel presssured.  

Suggestions

I really enjoyed this trip and would recommend it. I found the hotel safe, comfortable and convenient. However,  although the food was plentiful and at times interesting, I  found the evening meals slightly bland as frequently  three of the  four courses consisted  of  various forms of pasta.   

Most Inspirational Moment

The walk down the via Krupp on Capri was breathtakingly beautiful.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Barbara was the perfect leader. She knew just how much information to give you, when to get involved and when to leave us alone. She knew the answers to everything and had great rapport with the locals. I don't think we could have had a better guide.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The weather is quite changeable so pack for every eventuality. Also, some of the walks are more challenging than I expected so believe them when they say you need a moderate level of fitness!

Suggestions

A very memorable holiday - thank you.

Most Inspirational Moment

The 2nd walk in to Amalfi via the gorge was lovely. The little detour behind the gates, to which the tour leader held the key, to visit the waterfall was magical.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good.

Advice for Potential Travellers

None.

Suggestions

Nothing that Exodus can do to change this, but I was fairly shocked at how unkempt the Italian contryside is. There is lots of fly tipping and generally most verges are "adorned" by litter.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting into the fenced-off section of the national park to view the untouched waterfall/scenery.  Our guide one of the very few to have a key.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Having been on a few tours now I'm always impressed with the guides but Morten was outstanding. He gets five stars. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

We were lucky to go in April, just before the tourist season gets into swing. I suspect May onwards would demand a lot more patience re queuing at sites and strolling around the towns. 

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking around the crater of Vesuvius, visiting Pompei and Herculaneum (optional), any number of beautiful towns/villages on the Amalfi Coast, the views around every corner, the fantastic landscape and the italian cafes...

Thoughts on Group Leader

Barbara was great, we couldn't have asked for a better guide to keep all of the group happy; enough breaks and stops and well-managed pace on the walks for all the different-level walkers (with plenty of local knowledge) and assistance on organising the 'free days' activities (Herculaneum and Ravello for the majority of the group, bus info etc for the others who wandered off in other directions). A very good guide indeed.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Walking poles could be useful for a couple of the days - the walk to Amalfi and the Walk of the Gods to Positano have 'quite a few' steps down... there are a fair few steps up too on the walks.

Suggestions

Book it and go!Good as a first walking holiday.I had a great time :~)

Most Inspirational Moment

All the walks.  Especially the start of the Walk of the Gods with the mist on the terraces.  Even the rain on the two days we walked down to Amalfi were so atmospheric.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suzi was great.  She was considerate, encouraging and safey conscious on the walks and went out of her way to ensure we got the most out of our week.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Beware of the hotel's charges. They tried to charge us E4 for taking a teapot of hot water to the room every evening and for drinks which we did not have.On the night when dinner is not included go to the only other decent restaurant in the village. Turn left, going away from the village centre, at the supermarket and it is just round the corner on the left. Food is better than hotel and cheaper.  Service was good and lots on local people use it.Supermarket next door is good.  Fabulous local green olives and white wine at E5.  If you ask hotel will serve you same wine for E12 which is better option than their 'all you can drink' wine for E10!

Suggestions

This trip needs to be 10/11 days so that you can have, at the very least,  a full day in Pompei and a full day in Naples as well as all the other excursions available in the summer months.  Ravello is also worth at least 3 - 4 hrs.  When there go to Villa Cipriani and follow the map they give you to make the most of your visit.  Allow at least an hour.  The view from the end of the path is breath taking.  Mid February was a good time to go. Apart from 2 days of rain we had calm, bright cool days and the roads and sites were still quite busy.  It must be awful in the summer because of the crowds.