The glorious Amalfi Coast in Italy is a real tourist hot spot and it’s easy to see why the Italians flock here for their holidays. Charming villages overlooking the sapphire Mediterranean are the stuff dreams are made of, and both the scenery and the lifestyle give you the opportunity to experience the real flavour of Italy. If you want to live the real la dolce vita then our Walking the Amalfi Coast tour takes you on foot to discover a multitude of hidden gems off the tourist trail. Here are a few of the fabulous places you will come across.
Amalfi
Amalfi is a graceful town that enjoys a natural and dramatic setting below towering cliffs. The cluster of whitewashed buildings gleams like a string of pearls along the coastline. It’s one of the most level towns as well and seems to amble up the hillside, rather than rising vertically from the sea like many of the towns and villages in this area. This makes it much easier to walk around and explore. There is a lot of history to Amalfi, back to the days when it was an independent maritime republic and its name was right up there with fellow Italian powerhouses Genoa, Pisa and Venice. Today it relaxes in the sun and its charming streets welcome visitors with open arms.
Pompeii
There’s nothing we can say about Pompeii that hasn’t been written a hundred times before. Suffice to say it’s one of the places that deserve to be near the top of everyone’s bucket list. Even when packed with visitors, there is an eerie calmness in the air, as if the whole town fell asleep when Vesuvius erupted on that fateful day in 79 AD. Even with all the years of excavation and unearthing of many houses and monuments, the area still refuses to be awakened from its slumber, and this just adds to the mystery of Pompeii.
Ravello and the Valley of the Dragon
While walking in this region, you’ll also visit the charming town of Ravello. As you wander through the labyrinthine alleys, Ravello unveils its treasures, from medieval churches and charming piazzas to opulent villas with panoramic terraces. The star attraction is undoubtedly the Villa Rufolo, a historic mansion surrounded by lush gardens that inspired famous German composer, Richard Wagner, and set the stage for the town’s annual Ravello Festival.
A short walk away, lies Atrani, the second smallest town in Italy, situated in the “Valley of the Dragon”, between Mount Civita and Mount Aureo. Steeped in local folklore and mythology, the verdant trails, surrounded by ancient olive groves and meandering streams, were said to have once been the domain of a mythical dragon. On our Walking the Amalfi Coast trip during the months of July and August, we wander through this valley and make a descent to Atrani Beach.
Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods)
If you want to have an altogether more adventurous walk at altitude, then the Path of the Gods trail is for you. The “Sentiero degli Dei”, or Path of the Gods, is a clifftop trail high above the Amalfi Coast. The main section is around 4 miles, 6.5km long, and stretches between the small and picturesque villages of Bomerano and Nocelle. This is a wonderful walk and the views across the sea and to the coastal towns below are simply stunning.
If this has whetted your appetite for a walking holiday along the Amalfi Coast then you have made a great choice! Our Walking the Amalfi Coast trip classes the terrain as moderate, as there are steps involved and some steeper areas, but nothing that a person of average fitness would have a problem with. So, grab your walking poles, camera, and your water bottle, and have a wonderful time!
If you’d like to discover the picture-perfect Amalfi Coast for yourself, click here.
