All round excellent trip. Stunning towns. Good quality hotels. Great Tour Leader. A great trip with some beautiful scenery and stunning towns. Cycling on some of the days was quite tough given the weight of the bikes combined with the undulating terrain and Puglian heat (end May 2022). Great tour guide Antonio and driver Piero could not have been better. Very good standard of accommodation.
Many of the reviews describe how stunning this ride is and it's all true. I'd like to review a slightly different side to this trip - how it changed me as a person and that is down to 3 things: 1. The ride as a whole and all the beautiful sights along the way 2. The friends I made and the "moments" we had that I will treasure and giggle about for ever 3. The leader - read on... Mario soon became re-named 'Super-Mario'; a true professional - caring, fun, sociable, knowledgeable, encouraging, supportive BRILLIANT, PASSIONATE & SIMPLY EXCELLENT. With mental health now recognised at being so important to people's well-being, Mario skilfully managed to transform me from a tired, unsure, lost soul back into a happy, confident, motivated person hungry and ready for the next challenge. I laughed like I have never laughed before, made wonderful friends, felt good about myself and relished the escapism for a week. I shall never forget this trip and it is refreshing to see someone (young) like Mario who adores his country, loves his work and shows such respect and kindness. From the moment we 1st shook hands to tearful goodbyes, he took full control in such a fantastic mature manner and I felt in safe hands throughout. I really hope his parents get to read this as they should be SO proud. I can't wait to do another Exodus trip (this was my first) but worry it won't be the same without Mario - the other Exodus leaders have a lot to live up to as he has set the bar so high! Thanks Mario.
The tour guide, Shabby-Eliot, is in a league of her own. She made the trip enjoyable for everyone. She has the ability to answer ever question with a perfect balance of expertise, humour, and knowledge. She handled every issue quickly, while resolving matters without making feel stupid. Her infectious laughter is wonderful. The driver, Etier, brought us safely through some very tricky tricky roads. Fantastic driver! The 12 day Italian Delights tour lived up to its name. It's amazing how many places we went, at a good pace. The food was delicious. The only thing missing was butter for bread. Lol. When in Rome.... Use olive oil.