Hiking the Amalfi Coast is one of the best ways to get amazing ocean scenery, culture and food all in one hike. There are only a few locations in the world that provide this trio of an experience – even less in Italy. If you are looking for a vacation that involves moderate hiking near Italian towns, the Amalfi Coast is for you.
The Amalfi Coast has thousands of visitors every year. Therefore, while traveling and hiking through Amalfi you have to be responsible.
I cannot stress this enough.
The more people who visit the more we risk losing the beautiful views and culture-filled towns and being one of the most popular destinations for long weekend trips in Italy, it is important to do your part.
The below tips will help you find the best trails in a sustainable way so you can see all the sights without leaving a footprint. This will be essential to create an unforgettable Amalfi Coast itinerary.
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Best Amalfi Coast Hiking Trails
Hiking in Amalfi Coast is unlike any hiking adventure you’ve encountered before. Some parts of the trails are rocky and steep while others are pleasant walking trails. Regardless of what trail you choose to take you will experience breathtaking views, fresh air, and history.
The best part about hiking the Amalfi Coast is that you aren’t in a highly remote location. You can likely stay in nearby towns or visit multiple towns during your trip. Because there are so many beautiful towns on the Amalfi Coast to visit it is easy to walk and stop to make it through a few towns per day. For any adventure traveler, this is undoubtedly one of the best things to do in the Amalfi Coast!
La Torre dello Ziro Watchtower and Trail
Difficulty: easy
Length: 4.5km
Time: 2.5 hours (approximate)
Located between Pontone and Atrani, La Torre dello Ziro is an easy-to-hike path that takes you up to an ancient watchtower. Follow along ancient walls of the Dukedom of Amalfi to the Torre dello Ziro which was built before the 16th century. The trail itself is pleasant, an easy and short walk with fantastic views in all directions.
At the end of the trail, there is a tower that was one of many built to watch the approach of pirate ships. It has an interesting past – at one point the Duchess of Amalfi, after being accused of an affair, was locked in the tower with her children and murdered. Locals believe the tower to be haunted.
Vallone delle Ferriere Hiking Trail
Difficulty: easy
Length: 6km
Time: 5 hours (approximate)
The Vallone delle Ferriere begins in Pontone and ends in Amalfi (or vice versa). This trail is perfect for plant and forest lovers as you will walk through woods of tall chestnut trees and large ferns.
The highlights of this trail are the historic aqueducts, ancient foliage (the ferns date back to the ice age), and medieval foundries. As you follow the streams you will see medieval mills and foundries that put Amalfi on the map. There are a few detours you can take that will bring you to waterfalls and gardens – check with your local tour guide to make sure you’re walking on the proper path and not one that was tourist-made.
While visiting the medieval mills and foundries it is important to stay cognizant of your footprint. Do not take pieces of the structures home with you. Although one souvenir doesn’t make a dent, thousands of tourists taking a piece home with them adds up fast. Take some pictures instead of bringing home a piece of the towers.
Sentiero degli Dei hiking trail
Difficulty: easy
Length: 4.8 miles, 7.8km
Time: 4 hours (approximate)
Sentiero degli Dei, also known as Path of the Gods, is located between Agerola and Positano. This relatively flat trail boasts views of the island of Capri and multiple local towns. The trail itself is easy to walk, but you’ll want to avoid it in the late afternoon. The majority of the path is on the coastline (it gets steep!) which has little to no shade making it very hot in the afternoon of the summer months. However, it is an excellent trail to hike in the spring or fall, since the temperatures are lower but the views stay the same.
If you are averse to heights, this is not the trail for you. Parts of this trail is narrow and high up with steep drop-offs. Nevertheless, the trail is very safe.
READ: Complete 4 day Rome itinerary
Monte Tre Calli hiking trail
Difficulty: medium
Length: 1.8 miles, 3km (round trip)
Time: 2.5 hours (approximate)
If you are looking for outstanding views after a bit of a sweat, this trail is for you. Although shorter than Sentiero degli Dei trail, Monte Tre Calli trail is much more rigorous. Monte Tre Calli trail goes from Agerola to Tre Calli Mountain. This trail is tough as it takes you up to the summit of Tre Calli Mountain which is located over 1,000 meters above sea level. From the summit, you can see Vesuvius, Sorrento, and other Amalfi towns.
Our recommendation: make it up for sunrise or sunset to enjoy the magnificent, colorful views.
While hiking this trek make sure your water bottles are filled. If you brought snacks or power foods, don’t litter. Leaving trash behind on this elevation can carry it many miles and into the ocean.
Make sure you get your travel insurance before your trip!
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Hiking the Amalfi Coast Responsibly
Hiking in the Amalfi Coast is beautiful – we want to keep it that way. When hiking in Amalfi it is important to hike responsibly – especially due to the increasing number of tourists that visit every year. Here are some tips for hiking Amalfi with little footprint.
Read: Why Sustainable Tourism is important
Bring a water bottle or camelback
A great thing about Amalfi Coast trekking is that you are near many different towns. This is not a remote location where food and water are hard to come by. Since you are close to many towns, this is an easy hike to bring a reusable water bottle or camelback to refill at the towns instead of purchasing single-use plastic water bottles as you go.
Get your reusable water bottle here
Eat local
Since you are near so many culture-filled towns, stop by and grab a snack at the local restaurant. At any given time, you are an hour away from town which is plenty of time to prepare for a bite to eat. While you are in town you can pick up some local fruit for your next leg. You are in Italy after all – surrounded by some of the best fresh produce in the world.
Stick to the paths
We get it – the views are gorgeous, but stick to the trails and paths! Going off the paths may get you that photo, but over time it will damage nature around you. And if more and more people start going off the path it can permanently damage the trail structure and surrounding vegetation.
Leave the animals alone
One of the worst things tourists can do is feed the wild animals. After time animals become accustomed to tourists feeding them which harms the local environment and creates a nuisance to other travelers. Have you ever seen the pigeons in Venice or London? Yeah. Let’s not turn Amalfi into that.
Read: How to spend 2 days in Amalfi Coast
Conclusion on Amalfi Coast Trekking
The Amalfi Coast is a beautiful place. We should strive in keeping it that way. While hiking and staying around Amalfi, remember to shop local and support local businesses. They often rely heavily on tourism, so do whatever you can to do your part. It goes a long way in keeping a community strong.
Also, while hiking, think about using eco-friendly materials. You should always consider using reusable, compostable and biodegradable materials.
With this, you will have a better experience as well as the next generations that want to experience Amalfi Coast trekking. Have fun on your hike!
Book your accommodation in Amalfi Coast with Booking.com.
Author Bio: Kyle is the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief for Via Travelers, a blog focused on providing the best travel tips, hacks, and itineraries around the world. You can follow along by following Via Travelers on Twitter and Instagram.
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