Hiking on the Amalfi Coast

When you travel to the Amalfi Coast of Italy, you can be sure of one thing; you’re going to eat a Colosseum size amount of delicious food. You’ll think, “I just can’t eat anymore” but low and beyond, you’ll be up for the challenge when the next meal rolls around.

To help you work off all that extra pasta and cheese, we’d recommend exploring some of the bellissimo hikes that you can go on while visiting the Amalfi Coast. Two of our favorite hikes are the Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei) and Valley of the Ferries (Valle de Ferriere).

Path of the Gods, Amalfi Coast

The Path of the Gods is a great way to see the beautiful coastline of the Amalfi Coast. You can start the path from either Positano, Praiano, or Bomerano. When we do this hike, we always start from Bomerano. Bomerano is above Amalfi and we prefer to walk down the coast instead of climbing up it. There is also a section with a steep staircase and if you’re like us you’d rather walk down the stairs instead of going up them. We’ve hiked up the Devils Staircase in New Zealand and learned our lesson.

How to get there: You can get to Bomerano from taxi or bus. You start the hike at the center of town so you can get water, snacks and even some hiking gear. If you have some time, grab a coffee at a cafe and relax before you head down. The center of town is a mix of locals and hikers.

Bomerano to Praiano

If you do decide to start from Bomerano, you can either finish the hike in Praiano or Positano. We’ve hiked down both ways and the path you choose is totally up to you! The walk down to Praiano is less traveled and the path is a little more rugged. We are pretty sure the steps going down to Praiano used to be for donkeys but loved the fact we didn’t see another person until we go to the main town. Duration: ~2 hours

Bomerano to Positano

The hike down to Positano is more popular and is it a bit more maintained. You’ll see stunning views of the coast and be able to take in the beauty of the Amalfi Coast. At the end of the hike, there are about ~1600 stairs you’ll need to walk down. Take it slow… our calf muscles have really felt it the next day from this section. Duration: ~2.5 hours.

Valley of the Ferries

Valle delle Ferriere (The Valley of the Fairies) is a lesser-known hike on the Amalfi Coast. On this hike, you’ll avoid the typical tourists that visit the Amalfi Coast and will be surrounded by endless lemon groves, beautiful forests and small waterfalls. Along the way, there are the remains of the ancient paper mills of Amalfi, which gives you a glimpse into the past of Amalfi’s thriving paper industry.

How to get there: Depending on where you’re staying, you can take the Sita bus from Amalfi to Pontone. Make sure you check the bus stops at Pontone as not all the buses do. Once you get off the bus, follow signs leading you to Valle delle Ferriere.

One thing that should not be missed is taking a detour to enter the Reserve. The entrance to the Reserve is guarded, and by guarded, we mean a little Italian guy sitting on a chair reading the paper. (How can we get that job?!) It is definitely worth stopping to chat with him to see if he will let you venture into the Reserve. All Italians are so friendly, so as long as you’re respectful, he’ll most likely let you explore! While in the Reserve, you should stop to drink the water that falls from the moss. It’s rumored to help you have much more vivid dreams. Duration: The hike takes about 3-4 hours.

Traveling around Italy? Check out our other blog posts for Italy.