-
Overview
-
Walking on the Amalfi Coast describes 32 day-walks, ranging from 3km to 11km in length. The walks explore the Sorrento Peninsula, Amalfi Coast and Monti Lattari, as well as the islands of Capri and Ischia in the Gulf of Naples. The whole area is crisscrossed by ancient mule tracks, pilgrim routes and goat tracks, offering a variety of walking from family strolls to strenuous treks across terrain from paved paths to verdant hillside paths and rough volcanic scree.
Split into the five sections of Ischia, Capri, Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi, each walk is accompanied by relevant public transport information as well as a sketch map. The book also provides local and practical information, accommodation options and an Italian-English glossary.
The steep southern edge of the Sorrento peninsula, famous for its medieval villages perched atop plunging cliffs, with their near-vertical vineyards and lemon orchards, is recognised as a World Heritage Site. This coastline, the rugged landscape behind, crowned by the Monti Lattari, and the idyllic islands of Capri and Ischia together make a perfect holiday destination for walkers.
-
Table of Contents
-
CONTENTS
Map legend
Overview map
Introduction
Flowers and plants
Wildlife
Exploring and bases
Information
Getting there
Getting around
When to go
Accommodation
Culinary delights
What to take
Maps
Emergencies
Using this guide
Dos and don’ts
Ischia
Walk 1 Over Monte Epomeo
Walk 2 Bosco della Maddalena
Walk 3 Maronti to Sant’Angelo
Walk 4 Piano Liguori traverse
Capri
Walk 5 Sentiero dei Fortini
Walk 6 Over Monte Solaro
Walk 7 Villa Jovis loop
Walk 8 Arco Naturale–Faraglioni circuit
Sorrento
Walk 9 On Monte Sant’Angelo
Walk 10 Bagni della Regina Giovanna
Walk 11 Monte San Costanzo and Punta Campanella
Walk 12 Monte San Costanzo
Walk 13 Baia di Ieranto
Walk 14 Sant’Agata to Massa Lubrense
Walk 15 Marina di Crapolla
Walk 16 The Siren trail
Walk 17 Sant’Elia
Positano
Walk 18 Santa Maria Castello to Montepertuso
Walk 19 Montepertuso–Fornillo circuit
Walk 20 Sentiero degli Dei
Walk 21 Above Praiano
Walk 22 Grotte di Santa Barbara
Walk 23 Furore Fjord
Amalfi
Walk 24 Upper Valle delle Ferriere
Walk 25 Valle dei Mulini, Ferriere and Pontone
Walk 26 Torre dello Ziro
Walk 27 Ravello to Amalfi via Valle del Dragone
Walk 28 Ravello and Santa Caterina loop
Walk 29 Minori–Atrani–Amalfi
Walk 30 Minori and San Nicola
Walk 31 Santuario dell’Avvocata
Walk 32 Badia Santa Maria dell’Olearia
Appendix A Italian–English glossary
Appendix B Walk summary table
Appendix C Further inspiration
-
Maps
-
Maps
Sketch maps are provided alongside the walk descriptions in this guidebook. The idea is to provide as much useful detail and as many key landmarks as possible, space permitting. Acquiring a larger commercial map is also warmly recommended for identifying distant points of interest and for plotting your own routes.
One map that covers nearly all the walks in this guide is ‘Monti Lattari, Penisola Sorrentina, Costiera Amalfitana, Isola di Capri’ at 1:25,000, published by Edizioni Il Lupo in collaboration with the area Alpine Club and on sale locally.
Several 1:10,000 carta dei sentieri walking maps (www.carteguide.com) are available locally. They show paths in greater detail, although the coverage means multiple maps are needed. Their downside is the dearth of landmarks and names. There are currently three useful maps: 1 does Vietri sul Mare (close to Salerno) as far as Minori, 2 Maiori to Furore, and 3 covers Conca dei Marini to Positano.
Both the Ravello and Amalfi tourist offices have free maps showing walking routes in their districts.
The promontory centring on Massa Lubrense is covered by an excellent 1:18,000 map, available free of charge at the tourist office. Another clear one is the 1:12,500 ‘Monte Faito & S. Angelo a Tre Pizzi’.
For Capri a decent if small map can be downloaded from the Capri tourism website, www.capritourism.com; it shows the paths used in Walks 5, 7 and 8, but not Walk 6. Otherwise Kompass do a good 1:7500 map ‘Isola di Capri’.
Ischia is a bit of a no-man’s land, although Kompass has done 1:15,000 map n.680, easily the clearest on the market.
The reliable website www.giovis.com has lots of downloadable maps and walks, as does www.caimontilattari.it (but check locally as not all are doable).
Walking maps are available from leading map suppliers in the UK such as Stanfords www.stanfords.co.uk or The Map Shop www.themapshop.co.uk and through Libreria Stella Alpina in Florence www.stella-alpina.com.
Italian terminology commonly found on maps can be found in English translation in Appendix A.
-
Updates
-
June 2023
Walk 15
Due to a path collapse on the way down after the Via Nula shrine turnoff, you need to take the Via Crapolla route both up and down.
In general the long-distance buses are often full to bursting, so use local buses where possible.
(Thanks to Barbara and Mark Hancock)
October 2022
Walk 24
Shortly before the descent to Pogerola begins, a small section of path has slipped away with a significant drop below. There is a diversion to avoid it, but this is not at all evident in the direction of the walk. Proceed with care.
(Thanks to Liz Johnson)
August 2022
Rockfall on Walk 25
Due to rockfalls, the central part of Valle dei Mulini is currently closed to walkers. But all is not lost. To access the upper part and Valle delle Ferriere, follow Walk 24 and the steps climbing as far as Pontone (or catch the bus from Amalfi) then turn L along the road which leads along to the Antica Ferriere. By all means explore here then either take the link path (p156) to the Upper Valle delle Ferriere walk or retrace your steps to Pontone and back down the steps to Amalfi.
(Thanks to Geert-Jan Verkade)
August 2022
Walk 23
As mentioned in the note on p140, the route is no longer completely doable, so be prepared to conclude at the Furore fjord - see p143 exit route to a bus stop.
Also, the Furore Inn hotel mentioned on p143 has closed, replaced by the Ristorante Italian Touch. (Thanks to David Phillips)
September 2018
Updates
Walk 20:
The Sentiero degli Dei has recently been repaired and re-opened and is now safe for walkers once again.
April 2018
Walk 20: Sentiero degli Dei: due to landslips the local council has officially closed the path to walkers until further notice.
Oct 2017
Walk 19: In the wake of summer forest fires above Positano walkers may encounter a sign 'enter at your own risk' as well as several charred logs along the way.
(Thanks to DJ Anderson)
-
Reviews
-
Walks 20, 24, and 27, in particular, were unforgettable
[Gillian's] book was an inspirational guide: walks 20, 24, and 27, in particular, were unforgettable, and I'm looking forward to doing more walks when I next visit. I spent two weekends around Amalfi, armed with [the] book. Can't wait to do it again! - David
A great guide
This is another of Cicerone's foreign travel guides and visits one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy which is dominated by some magnificent sea cliffs and inland by the Monti Lattari, the mountainous backbone soaring to spectacular heights behind Sorrento. The book contains 32 walks in five main regions; The Island of Ischia, its more well known neighbour Capri, Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi.
Many of the walks have dramatic scenic views down onto the azure blue Tyrrhenian Sea. In addition to the walks there are chapters on Flowers and Plants, Wildlife, Exploring and Bases, Getting there, Getting Around, When to Go, Accommodation, Culinary Delights, What to Take, Maps and Emergencies plus How to use the Guide.
Distances for the walks range from three kilometres (1.8 miles) to 11 kilometres (seven miles). The walks are also graded from one to three with one being easy and three being fairly strenuous. Gillian Price, travel writer and photographer, now lives in Venice with her Italian husband Nicola and knows Italy intimately. She recommends Spring and Autumn for the best time to walk in this area as Summer can be somewhat overpowering as I found out personally whilst there at the end of August when the temperatures were still in the mid-thirties.
The walk descriptions are good and as well as the routes themselves, Gillian also includes a plethora of information about the history of the area. If you are visiting the Amalfi coast and would like to include a walk or two whilst on holiday this is certainly a great guide to take with you to enjoy.
Your wonderful guides have been a pleasure to read, and have been particularly helpful, thank you!
Dear Ms Price,
For the last 20 years, my wife and I have relied heavily on Cicerone guidebooks. Your wonderful guides for Amalfi, Dolomites, and Gran Paradiso have been a pleasure to read, and have been particularly helpful, thank you!
Thanks again!
Dan & Cheryl
Seattle, WA
Just wanted to comment on your book Walking on the Amalfi Coast. I walked # 25 - Ravello to Amalfi via Valle del Dragone and it was a perfect hike with perfect directions. I had some naysayers with me who thought the book and its directions were all wrong and at one point did not want to continue on. But I kept saying trust the book. And we hit every landmark you said would be there, arriving in Amalfi a little over an hour and a half later. They could not believe we ended up where we did. The book was wonderful and it was like following a visual treasure map. Thank you for the great work.
-
Downloads
-
