Left : Italy ’ s history has deep roots , and photo ops are endless throughout the Appenines . Right : Castello di Monterone in Perugia is a 15th century castle restored as a premium hotel . Its accommodations and grounds make visitors feel like royalty .
and the mad downtown traffic of a city of 3 million people . Cars , bikes , scooters , and buses battled for the same piece of roadway , each insisting on advancing as quickly as possible , while chic passengers of scooterists nonchalantly perused their smartphones amidst all the chaos and seemingly endless near- misses . In motorcycling ’ s version of a rude shove into the deep end of the pool , riding in this environment can initially be quite shocking . Eventually , it becomes somewhat normalized and manageable , although certainly out of the ordinary for most American riders . The Turkish contingent thought nothing of it – in fact , it may have even been a bit milder than what they were accustomed to back home .
Just as we became adept at dodging and passing other vehicles in tight spaces , it was back into the open country , where we moved from the Tyrrhenian Sea at the instep of Italy ’ s boot , tickled the arch at the Ionian Sea , and worked eastward through farm country toward the Adriatic Sea at the boot ’ s heel .
Our lodging and dining experiences were every bit as diverse , with no two days the same .
We settled into a spectacularly restored 15th century castle , now a first- class hotel with a beautiful view overlooking its gardens and the city of Perugia . The views would be inspiration even for the Masters ’ canvases .
In sharp contrast to the luxurious castle in Perugia , we stayed two nights in the tiny remote medieval village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio . Once an abandoned 15th century hill town left largely in ruins , it has been brought back to life as a distinctive retreat . The village ’ s buildings and former residences now form the highly unique Sextantio , an “ extended hotel .” With the lodging modernized just enough for comfort and convenience , the space preserves much of the original medieval ambiance . It ’ s an incomparable experience .
We also maneuvered the bikes up narrow , winding mountain roads to a point high above the Amalfi coast , where we stayed in a luxury hotel built on the edge of the rock face , hundreds of feet above the rocky coast . The view from the balcony of our room was spectacular , and a touch terrifying .
Later in our journey , we enjoyed 4- star modern accommodations and delightful sea- sourced cuisine in the ancient city of Matera , where the modern civilities and businesses are mixed in among Roman Empire- era structures dating back to 250 B . C . that were , in turn , built upon the remains of cave dwellings that have been there since the dawn of man ’ s first colonization ( and amazingly , were occupied until the 1950s ).
Built upon the cliffs , the city of Polignano a Mare provides breathtaking views of the crystal blue waters of the Adriatic , drawing sunbathers , swimmers , divers , and motorcyclists to the area .
36 / FEBRUARY 2024 / RIDERMAGAZINE . COM