Amalfi Walking Tour
Duration: 8 Days/7 Nights
Departures 2012: May 19, Sept 22, Oct 13 and private departures.
Departing from: Naples 9:00 a.m. on Day 2.
Tour finishes: Naples train station at 10 a.m. on Day 8.
Trip Price 2012: €2,250 per person based on double occupancy.
Single Supplement €260.
Spread along the shores of the sparkling Mediterranean, the Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful in Europe. It offers an extraordinary palette of colors, with bright azure skies, white limestone cliffs, deep blue seas, and green citrus orchards lit by the dazzling Mediterranean sun. We hike ancient paths from bustling coastal towns through rustic woodlands and up along the cliff-side trails to villages perched atop craggy outcrops. We take you beyond the crowds to experience the hidden treasures and authentic culture of this Italian paradise.
The trip starts with your arrival in Naples, where we spend one night in the historic center. The next day we have a guided visit of Pompeii, the incredible Roman site preserved in time by the ashes of Mount Vesuvius, followed by a lunch at a beautiful winery on the slopes of the ancient volcano. We stay two nights at a lovely family-run hotel in Minori with majestic views over the sea. On Wednesday we find ourselves high in the hills in the village of Ravello, famous for its gardens and villas. We have two beautiful walks in the area. At our final destination, Praiano-Positano, we join Angela and her husband Catello (a professional chef) in their home where they show us how to prepare some local dishes made with fresh ingredients from their garden. We all dine together, eating what we have prepared. We celebrate our last of day of hiking on the “Path of the Gods” with a final meal together on the shores of a small cove just below our hotel.
(Luggage is transfered by van. 1 night Naples, 2 nights each Minori, Ravello, & Praiano-Positano. End Naples.)
Day 1 -Saturday – arrival Naples: Independent arrival in Naples. You are pre-booked into the hotel Chiaja which is located in the heart of historic Naples, only 20 meters from the Piazza del Plebiscito and many great cafés, restaurants, and shops. Overnight Naples. Hotel included. Dinner not included.
Day 2 – Sunday – Pompeii: Today we have a morning transfer to Pompeii for a guided tour of this outstanding archaeological site. In 79 AD, a massive eruption at nearby Mt. Vesuvius buried the city under a 6-meter blanket of ash and rock. Due to its fine state of preservation, the excavations now give us an extraordinarily real image of daily life in a Roman city. We spend a half day visiting the site with a specialized guide, seeing the villas, temples, theaters and markets that once bustled with life in ancient times. We then have a private transfer to a winery on the fertile slopes of Vesuvius. Gaetano will welcome us to his family estate and offer us a visit of the winery, a tasting, and then lunch. We then continue on to Minori village where we stay at the Palazzo Vingius, a family-run three-star hotel with gorgeous views over the sea. We offer an optional afternoon walk for those who want to stretch their legs. We meet at a seaside café for an aperitivo before dinner at a local trattoria. Overnight Minori. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and hotel included.
Day 3 – Monday – Convent of San Nicola: After breakfast on the terrace, depart by private shuttle to the village of Maiori where we begin our hike up into the mountains overlooking the shimmering Mediterranean. Our path is lined with holm oaks and chestnut groves, opening out onto a long ridge that traverses the mountainside, offering breathtaking views of the coastal villages and bright blue sea below. We stop at the Convent of San Nicola for a picnic lunch and then slowly descend down into Minori. Optional visit of a remarkable Roman villa (from the 1st century AD) nestled in the heart of this maritime village. Overnight Minori. Breakfast, dinner and hotel included.
Day 4 – Tuesday – Amalfi and the Valley of the Mills: A short bus transfer along a spectacular coastal road brings us to the famous village of Amalfi, which was an important naval power from the 8th -12th centuries. You will have some free time this morning to explore Amalfi and put together a picnic lunch before we hike through the “Valley of the Mills.” For almost a thousand years Amalfi was renowned for the production of fine paper made from cotton cloth that merchants brought back from the Middle East. It was used throughout Europe by kings, nobles and popes. Our path leads us past crumbling ruins which give mute testament to an industry that thrived during medieval times. We make our way into the mountains on an ancient path that is still used today by woodsmen and their donkeys to access the remote valleys and woods of this ruggedly beautiful area. Our walk ends in Ravello, our home for the next two nights. You have free time to visit the lovely gardens, villas, convents and churches of this serenely beautiful town. Overnight at the Hotel Giordano. Overnight Ravello. Breakfast, dinner and hotel included.
Day 5 Wednesday – Valle delle Ferriere: Today we start our walk directly from the hotel, walking to the nearby village of Scala and then down through the beautiful Valle delle Ferriere, one of the most important protected areas of the region. The trail passes by streams, woods, and old ruins and ends in the village of Pogerola. A quick flight of steps down takes us into Amalfi where we’ll have free time this afternoon. A local bus to Ravello brings us home and then you’re free to dine as you like tonight. Overnight Ravello. Breakfast and hotel included. Dinner not included
Day 6 Thursday – Furore: Today’s hike is lined with caves on one side and stunning sea views on the other. Our destination is the tiny fishing village of Furore where we stop at a small café’ for a light snack (or picnic lunch) before continuing along a path dedicated to the “Crazy Fox”. This evening is special because we meet Mamma Angela and her family for a wonderful cooking class in their home above Praiano. Angela’s husband Catello also helps out, and he is a professional chef. The lesson will be followed by dinner, and of course you will enjoy the fruits of your labor! Overnight Praiano. Breakfast, dinner and hotel included.
Day 7 Friday - Footpath of the Gods: Today we head to Positano via the beautiful Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods). This spectacular four-hour hike takes us through stands of cypress forest, fields of wildflowers, and past ancient stone huts. We traverse the hillside along narrow trails high above the coast. The views are unforgettable. At the village of Nocelle our path takes us into a deep gorge with striking limestone walls to eventually emerge at the quaint village of Montepertuso. From here we take old steps down through olive groves and vineyards to world-famous Positano. Some consider it the most beautiful — and now the most fashionable — town on the Amalfi coast. The town sits in a protective bay, its brightly painted houses covered in bougainvillea. Share a final seafood feast tonight to celebrate a great week of hiking. Overnight Praiano. Breakfast, dinner and hotel included.
Day 8 – Saturday – Departure: We leave at 8:30 a.m. for the Naples train station, arriving around 10:00. Breakfast included.
The walks in Amalfi, though not long in terms of distance, can be strenuous at times as we ascend or descend mountain paths or a series of old stairways that have been used for years to link the villages of the region. We have designed the trip so that there is always some free time in the late afternoon so you can relax, read, swim in the hotel pool or venture down to Amalfi’s beaches for a dip in the sea. Breakfast is included every day, and dinners reflect the excellent traditional food of the region. Daily distance between 8 and 14 kms. (Click on these photos to the left to view the typical staircases that are part of the trails. We often climb or descend a staircase for 10 or 15 minutes, at our own pace, and then traverse on an a more open path.)
Useful links – Amalfi Coast: general information, weather forecast, photos, history, and more.
Pompeii Archaeological Site: official site of Pompeii, with good maps, photos, history of the excavations, etc.
Pompeiana: more serious website devoted to current research on the site
Mount Vesuvius: Wikipedia has a great site
UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Italy has more sites in the list than any other country!
General Information
Qualifications: This trip is rated moderate with some challenging climbing. We usually walk 4-5 hours per day, divided between morning and afternoon. Some days have a shorter option. The paths are sometimes steep, ascending and descending ancient stone staircases linking one village to the next. Note: There are a lot of stairs. Trip Cost includes: All accommodations (7 nights in 3- and 4-star hotels); 7 breakfasts and 5 dinners; all luggage transfers starting from pick-up at the Naples hotel to the final drop-off at Naples train station; entrance and guided visit of Pompeiii with licensed guide; winery visit and lunch; cooking class; bilingual Customwalks guide(s); all van, bus, and boat transfers as noted in the itinerary.Getting therethis will redirect you to our “Getting to the Trip” page)Booking: e-mail us to receive a booking contract (or use the “Reservation” page). Insurance: We highly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance. We recommend “Travel Guard” to our American clients, just click on the logo below, while Canadian residents can click here. Australian, New Zealander, and British travelers, please consult your insurance brokers.
 We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! |
