Italy Bound – From Alpine Paradise to Amalfi Madness
Day 12 to Day 14 – Mountains, Mass Tourism and Why Sorrento Nearly Broke Me
27.05.26 – 29.05.26
There are days on a motorcycle trip that remind you exactly why you travel.
And there are days that remind you why tourists invented package holidays.
Day 12 delivered both.
Within a single day I went from empty mountain roads surrounded by nature and absolute peace to one of the most famous tourist regions in Europe.
And honestly?
The contrast couldn’t have been bigger if somebody had tried.
One moment I was listening to cow bells in the mountains.
The next I was dodging rental Fiats, selfie sticks and scooter riders who apparently believe every commute is the final lap of MotoGP.
Welcome to the road towards Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.
Day 12 – Vairano Patenora to Sorrento
27.05.26
One thing I really appreciate during motorcycle travel is starting the day slowly.
Not because I’m lazy.
Well… maybe a little.
But because a good breakfast and a friendly conversation can set the mood for an entire riding day.
And that’s exactly how this day began.
Coffee.
Breakfast.
Friendly chat with the owners.
Weather looked fantastic.
The bike was ready.
The rider was ready.
And those who know me already know what came next.
Mountains.
Of course mountains.
At around 8 am I rolled away from the B&B with a full stomach and a full fuel tank.
The route immediately led onto smaller roads climbing higher and higher into the hills.
The higher I climbed, the cooler the air became.
Fresh.
Clean.
Comfortable.
Exactly what a motorcyclist wants.
Local traffic was minimal.
No tourists.
No camper vans.
No buses.
Just the occasional local car.
And endless scenery.
The first village I passed was Letino.
A tiny mountain village overlooking a beautiful artificial lake.
One of those places that probably never appears in guide books but deserves to.
The kind of village where life seems to happen at half speed.
The road continued across a plateau surrounded by mountains rising almost 2,000 metres into the sky.
And mate…
What a place.
Lush green fields.
Wildflowers everywhere.
Fresh mountain air.
The smell was incredible.
Honestly it felt like somebody had sprayed perfume across the entire landscape.
Cow bells echoed from distant hills.
Birds were singing.
The road was almost completely empty.
Every ten minutes a local car appeared.
Then disappeared again.
That’s it.
No traffic.
No stress.
No noise.
Just riding.
Days like this remind me why I avoid tourist hotspots whenever possible.
You don’t need famous places.
You need beautiful roads.
And this road had beauty in abundance.
The Hidden Gem – Matese Regional Park
Soon the route entered the magnificent Parco Regionale del Matese.
Most foreign visitors have never heard of it.
Which is probably why it’s still fantastic.
The Matese mountains form a huge protected area between the regions of Campania and Molise.
Dense forests.
Mountain lakes.
Deep valleys.
And enough hiking trails to keep outdoor enthusiasts busy for weeks.
During summer holidays this area apparently becomes quite popular with local tourists.
But today?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
The roads were empty.
Picnic areas sat deserted.
The forests were quiet.
The cool mountain air felt amazing after the increasingly hot days further south.
The road flowed through dense woodland with occasional panoramic viewpoints opening up over the valleys.
For long stretches I didn’t see another vehicle.
Maybe one or two local bikers.
That’s all.
Motorcycling perfection.
When Italian Roads Attack
Unfortunately paradise never lasts forever.
Eventually the route started descending again.
And then Italy’s road maintenance department reminded me that they still exist.
Or perhaps don’t exist.
Hard to tell.
Because suddenly the road surface became horrific.
Not bad.
Not poor.
Not slightly damaged.
Horrific.
The tarmac looked like somebody had tested artillery shells on it.
Cracks.
Potholes.
Missing sections.
Random repairs.
Gravel.
Broken edges.
Everything.
For about 30 kilometres I wasn’t riding anymore.
I was surviving.
Every second required concentration.
Eyes scanning constantly.
Searching for the next crater.
Avoiding broken pavement.
Trying not to launch the mighty RT into low earth orbit.
After a while it becomes exhausting.
The scenery may still be beautiful.
But you can’t enjoy it.
Because your brain is operating at 120%.
Eventually I had enough.
Mountain roads are great.
But only if they’re actually roads.
So I changed plans.
Again.
One of the advantages of travelling without strict schedules.
Forget the tiny roads.
Take the faster main route.
Less exciting perhaps.
But far more relaxing.
The Road to Sorrento
My destination for today was Sorrento.
Now Sorrento deserves a few words.
Located dramatically above the Bay of Naples, Sorrento has been attracting visitors for centuries.
The town became famous during the Grand Tour era when wealthy Europeans travelled through Italy to experience culture, scenery and sunshine.
Today it remains one of Italy’s most visited destinations.
It’s known for spectacular sea views.
Lemon groves.
Luxury hotels.
Beautiful historic streets.
And as a gateway to the Amalfi Coast.
Sounds fantastic.
And honestly?
The town itself is quite attractive.
The problem isn’t Sorrento.
The problem is everyone else also knows about it.
And that’s where things got interesting.
Or painful.
Depends on your perspective.
Pompeii, Traffic and Human Suffering
The route towards Sorrento passes through some very famous locations.
Including Pompeii and Castellammare di Stabia.
Normally these would be places worth visiting.
Not today.
Today they were obstacles.
The heat increased dramatically.
Traffic became heavier.
Road closures forced detours.
Scooters appeared from every possible direction simultaneously.
Cars stopped randomly.
Navigation became confusing.
Honestly I had no mood whatsoever for sightseeing.
I simply wanted out.
And then things got even worse.
Because eventually I arrived in full-scale mass tourism.
Welcome to Tourist Hell
Tour buses.
Rental cars.
Selfie sticks.
Groups following tour guides.
People parking wherever they felt like.
Traffic jams inside villages.
Endless hotels.
Cheap pizza restaurants every twenty metres.
Scooters racing around like Valentino Rossi personally promised a trophy to the winner.
Absolute madness.
The coastal road towards Sorrento is famous for its scenery.
And yes.
The scenery is beautiful.
No argument there.
Cliffs.
Sea views.
Colourful villages.
Pretty spectacular.
The problem is that everybody wants to see exactly the same thing at exactly the same time.
Finding a place to stop?
Almost impossible.
Taking photos?
Good luck.
Actually enjoying the ride?
Questionable.
Even though high season hadn’t started yet, the roads felt overloaded.
I can only imagine what July and August must be like.
Probably similar to a traffic experiment designed by psychologists.
Escape to the Mountains
After finally passing through Sorrento itself, things improved slightly.
But another problem appeared.
Accommodation prices.
Mate.
Some hotels wanted over 200 Euro per night.
Two hundred.
For that price I expect somebody to wash the motorcycle, polish my boots and read bedtime stories.
No chance.
I needed a room.
Not ownership of the building.
So I opened the internet and started searching.
Fortunately I found exactly what I like.
A small B&B.
Tiny mountain village.
Excellent reviews.
Private parking.
Peace and quiet.
Perfect.
I rode uphill away from the madness and immediately felt better.
The further away from Sorrento I got, the more relaxed everything became.
Less traffic.
Cooler air.
Fewer people.
More sanity.
After arriving I had one look around and booked three nights.
One day to relax.
One day for an early morning Amalfi Coast exploration.
Then leave before the upcoming long weekend turns everything into complete chaos.
Total distance today:
310 kilometres.
From deserted mountain roads to tourist insanity.
One of the most contrasting riding days of the entire trip.
Day 13 – Sorrento Area
28.05.26
Yesterday was exhausting.
Very exhausting.
So naturally I slept like a dead man.
With a little help from some excellent red wine.
The B&B proved to be a fantastic choice.
Quiet.
No traffic.
No noise.
No drunk tourists singing karaoke at midnight.
Just peace.
Today’s plan?
Nothing.
And I mean absolutely nothing.
Breakfast.
Relax.
Edit photos.
Write blog entries.
Go for a walk.
Maybe sleep again.
Then eventually find a pizza.
Honestly those recovery days are essential on longer motorcycle trips.
Not every day needs to involve hundreds of kilometres.
Sometimes the best riding decision is simply staying off the bike.
And that’s exactly what happened.
A wonderfully uneventful day.
Day 14 – Amalfi Coast Reconnaissance Mission
29.05.26
I had a plan.
A genuinely good plan.
At least it seemed good at 4:55 in the morning.
The idea was simple.
Everybody complains about traffic on the Amalfi Coast.
So what if I arrive before everybody else?
Brilliant.
Problem solved.
Alarm set for 5 am.
Riding gear on.
Engine running at 5:30 am.
The roads leaving my mountain retreat were fantastic.
Twisty.
Quiet.
Slightly damp from overnight moisture.
Nothing difficult.
Just ride carefully.
Soon I reached the main coastal road.
And immediately noticed something worrying.
Traffic.
Already.
At six o’clock.
Apparently nobody had informed the rest of Italy about my clever plan.
The road towards Amalfi and Salerno runs mostly downhill from my location.
Sunrise had just begun.
Many sections remained in shadow.
Photographically it looked decent.
Riding-wise?
Not so much.
My original intention was to ride the full route to Salerno and back.
Roughly 120 kilometres.
Instead I gave up after about 30.
Why?
Because honestly I wasn’t enjoying it.
The scenery wasn’t bad.
Far from it.
But the experience itself?
Disappointing.
Traffic.
Rubbish alongside parts of the road.
Constant interruptions.
Aggressive drivers.
Tourist buses.
Chaos.
The road simply carries too much traffic.
There is one narrow coastal road trying to handle thousands of vehicles every day.
And it shows.
The locals?
Always in a hurry.
Overtaking in blind corners.
Passing trucks in hairpins.
Treating solid white lines as polite suggestions.
The usual Italian racing spirit.
For me personally?
The Amalfi Coast is overrated.
There.
I said it.
If you love crowds, expensive hotels and famous Instagram locations, you’ll probably adore it.
If you love quiet roads, peaceful villages and relaxed riding?
Choose somewhere else.
Italy offers countless alternatives.
Places just as beautiful.
Sometimes even more beautiful.
Without the madness.
So after turning around I happily returned to my mountain refuge.
Tomorrow I’ll continue south.
Away from the crowds.
Away from the tourist buses.
Away from the selfie sticks.
Back to the Italy I actually came here to find.
The Italy hidden behind the famous postcards.
#dustysocks
