At six o'clock one summer morning, I pushed open the door excitedly and tiptoed out onto the street. It was still early in the morning and the morning mist was still chilly. The streets were deserted, a far cry from the bustling daytime scene in the Amalfi Coast. Stretching over 25 kilometers and located entirely in the Gulf of Salerno south of Naples, the Amalfi Coast begins at Positano and passes through the villages of Praiano, Amalfi, Ravello, and Vietri sul Mare.
Amalfi of yesteryear…
Many years ago, I visited Amalfi. I fell in love with the charming little villages nestled on the mountainside, the gently sloping pedestrian streets, the colorful ceramic shops, the villa gardens, the sunny and flower-filled balconies facing the sea, welcoming the cool Mediterranean breeze. The Amalfi Coast is truly Italian, romantic, luxurious, vibrant and passionate. Amalfi Coast is also a paradise for mountain climbers. I had heard about the "Path of the Gods" (Sentiero degli Dei) but had never had the chance to set foot on it. From that moment, I knew I would return.
The Amalfi Coast is truly Italian, romantic, luxurious, vibrant and passionate.
The “Path of the Gods” is a trekking route of more than 8km, starting at Bomerano, in Agerola and ending at Nocelle, above Positano – one of the most beautiful villages of the Amalfi Coast. The “Path of the Gods” is named after a legend. The story goes that the Olympian gods, wishing to hear the song of the Sirens, often borrowed the path between the sky and the sea, winding along the rocky shores of the Amalfi Coast. From halfway up the mountain, the gods can admire the island of Capri, the Li Galli archipelago, the Sorrento peninsula in the west, all the way to the Gulf of Salerno in the east.Must-try dishes
- Spaghetti with clams
- Black noodles made from stir-fried squid and seafood
- A Neapolitan pizza topped with buffalo mozzarella cheese
- Italian fresh cream made from rich buffalo milk
- Sweet and refreshing limoncello dessert wine
…and the day of return
Today, after many failed attempts to visit Amalfi over the years, I finally brought my family here at the busiest time of the year. Southern Italy's summer is scorching hot, especially on the jam-packed bus routes connecting Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Agerola. After two days of battling the heat, looking at the map and seeing that the "Path of the Gods" is located on the southern slopes of Monte Peruso, with almost no shade, I knew I had no choice but to leave early.
From the corner of Piazza Paolo Capasso in Bomerano, a small road leads me to the starting point of the "Path of the Gods" at an altitude of 650m. The sun has not yet risen, the morning mist still covers the sea, creating a thin layer of white clouds floating. Below, small boats are anchored close together in a narrow cove. Layered on the mountainside, a few pretty stone houses are faintly visible among the pine trees and the ripening grapevines.
After a while, I found myself walking in a cool mist. The air warmed as the sun rose, causing the steam to rise higher and higher, and after a while it dissipated completely. The drops of sunlight fell, sparkling and scattering on the mountainside behind me. Ahead, the deep blue Mediterranean gradually became clearer, the coastline glowing in the morning sun.
The sunlight glistened and dissipated on the mountainside behind him. Ahead, the deep blue Mediterranean gradually became clearer, the coastline glowing in the morning light.
The “Path of the Gods” from Agerola to Nocelle slopes down gently, as easy as a stroll. On one side is a high cliff, on the other is a vast open space. About a hundred meters lower, small yachts have begun to set sail. From here, they look as tiny as grains of rice floating on the water. The sky is so high, the sea is so blue, who knows where the boundary is?
After about four hours of walking leisurely, taking photos and admiring the scenery, we finally saw the white houses of Positano appear in the distance. Nocelle is a small village located just above Positano, marking the end of the road. From Nocelle down below is another 3km, there is a bus every hour from here to the port, where we can catch a boat back to Amalfi. It was still early, the sun had not risen above the horizon, we wanted to walk to see the tiny streets, winding between the white walls typical of the coastal area.
Positano is one of the most beautiful villages on the Amalfi Coast. The houses here are arranged in terraces, following the mountain terrain. It is fair that every house gets the sea breeze, every balcony has a view of the cool blue water, and also receives the warm rays of sunshine.
Coming to the Amalfi Coast and the Central Italian province of Campania, I cannot forget to enjoy delicious food, bathed in the Mediterranean sun. Surely everyone knows the most typical flavors of Italian cuisine such as crispy thin-crust pizza, hot plates of spaghetti, soft round mozzarella cheese or sweet mascarpone ice cream.
In Campania, however, each seemingly familiar dish takes on a more refined touch. Italians often start their meal (primi piatti) with a plate of clam pasta or seafood, tossed in a little olive oil for a rich shine. The dish has the crunch of al dente spaghetti, the sweetness of clams, and a little bit of spiciness to round out the flavor.
Few people know that Italian pizza, popular all over the world today, was born in Naples two centuries ago and was classified as an intangible heritage by UNESCO in 2017. Among them, the most famous is the Margherita pizza with three colors symbolizing the national flag: the green of fragrant basil leaves, the white of traditional mozzarella cheese made from buffalo milk and the red of ripe tomatoes grown on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius.
For dessert, try a colorful selection of fresh creams and a chilled limoncello served in a small, hand-decorated porcelain cup. Limoncello is the name given to the lemon liqueur that is famous on the coast from Sorrento to Amalfi. Its lemony aroma and sweet golden color evoke the sun-drenched sea.
If you have been to Amalfi once, you will definitely come back again. Just like me!
If you are planning to travel the path of the gods for the first time, check outessential information for your trip here.
