inding the ideal route, best trails and most interesting sights
in Napoli – as the Italians call their beloved city of Naples – is
a lot harder than you would imagine. I spent months doing
online research (thanks Google Earth) and chatting with local
contacts. The idea was to traverse the city in five days, riding
from the breathtaking Amalfi coast, via Pompeii and the
volcanic crater of Mount Vesuvius, into the urban jungle, history, culture,
traffic and chaos of the 3 000-year-old streets of Napoli, and then on to
the beautiful island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples. Of course, there is no
better way to explore and experience such a place than by bicycle.
62 | MTB | bucket list busting
I was joined by different friends for different
stages of this tour, and it was really cool to
meet many of the local riders who showed
me their spots, trails and restaurants in
their home town. Two Italian photographers
declined my invitation to this trip but
I managed to convince Swiss photographer,
Martin Bissig, and French videographer,
Cedric Tassan (VTOPO), to join me. We met
up in the town of Amalfi, roughly 65km south
of Naples on the Gulf of Salerno, which is
characterised by dramatic coastal cliffs.
Ottavio Massa, an Italian mountain bike
guide, also met us here. He was instrumental
in helping to plan this adventure and
introducing me to local contacts.
Amalfi has a rich cultural history that goes
back centuries: the ancient Greeks settled
in the area, it was one of the most important
ports of the Middle Ages, and today is a
popular honeymoon getaway. The food and
restaurants lived up to their reputation –
fresh, authentic Italian delicacies, pasta al
dente, seafood from local fishermen, tasty
tomatoes, olive oil and vino, and the most
mouthwatering gelato.
It all provided a great start before we
headed off early the next morning on the
famous Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the
Gods) trail that traverses the steep cliffs
and villages that perch above the sea on
this famous stretch of coastline. This is not