Sentiero Degli Dei
Walking from Praiano
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 For
nature lovers and hikers you must not miss the pristine paths of the Amalfi
Coast.
The Lattari Mountains, up to Campanella Point, constitute a territory that
is one of the most suggestive and celebrated of the world. It is an
impressive show and imposing view of precipitous cliffs above the "pending
waves".
The area of the
Lattari mountains provides a hike that can offer a unique vacation
experience: the itinerary unwinds in the silence of the mountainous calm,
with scenery of haunting panoramas, far from the coastal congestion and the
ribbon of asphalt highways.
The trails run across
places of incomparable beauty, rich with history and culture, and are not
particularly difficult: Hikes can accommodate all levels, even those with a
minimum of experience.
Groups of young people
that are nature lovers organize ecological walks for interested tourists to
rediscover the origins of the earth and the sea. The walks lead over paths
where the colors, the perfumes and the odors have lost each real
relationship with nature, the mother nature.
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Il Sentiero degli Dei
Path of the Gods -
VIDEOCLIP |
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Billed as "The Path of
the Gods" this route lives up to its name with dramatic views of a rugged
coastline, and distant sightings as far as the island of Capri. Allow 4h30
mins walking time.
Agerola buses take you from Amalfi to Bomerano. On the bus, having driven up
innumerable hairpin bends and reached the level ground of the Agerola plain,
to get to Bomerano main square, alight at the third bus stop (Say to the
driver "Per favore, ci può far scendere alla fermata per Bomerano?" to get
him to put you down there.) Turn left up a narrow road for 200m/yds to the
main square.
From Praiano you
can also choose to meet the Sentiero degli Dei about 500m downhill from
Colle Serra, via the Convent of San Domenico.
If you walk up from Praiano, it's worth walking a couple of hundred metres
towards Bomerano, beyond Colle Serra, as far as the pinnacolo with the
marble plaque in memory of Giustino Fortunato, the economist who named the
Path.
To start the walk,
facing Bomerano church, take the narrow road going left out of the square (faded
sign ŒVia Penina¹; red/white sign Route 27). The road descends, passes under
a road bridge and,after 200m/yds, becomes concrete then stone steps. At the
foot of the steps, turn right over a narrow footbridge and climb rough
concrete steps up to a road. Turn left and follow the road for 500m/yds to
its end below Grotta Biscotto, cave containing some medieval animal pens. A
mule track now takes you on the level with dramatic views for 1km to Colle
la Serra a junction of wide tracks by a crucifix on the garden wall of a
white house.
With your back to this house, pick up orange/red dot waymarks following the
narrow path that ascends straight ahead. Then it bends up left away from an
abandoned building. The path soon levels off among terraces. The waymarks
are your guide for the next two hours as you make way across a wild
mountainside, either on the level or with a gently descending tendency,
always with the slope up to your right. The orange/red dots are quite
frequent so, if you have not seen one for about 50m/yds, retrace your steps
to where you last saw one. Be alert when passing through bushes. Eventually
you enter Nocelle on a level path by houses. The path turns left down to a
shrine and water tap in the centre of the village.
Continue on the level
path and out of the village on a level path overlooking a ravine. This leads
to a motor road and beyond down to Monte Pertuso. In Monte Pertuso enter the
piazza on the mountain side of the road. From its far left corner, take the
alley going half left. After 250m/yds of gentle ascent, go left down steps,
cross the road, and continue down, turning right after just 10m/yds. Broad
steps now take you down to the first houses in Positano and a T-junction.
Turn left for 100m/yds to a footbridge. Cross this and descend to the main
road. Go left for 20m/yds for the steps down to the centre of Positano.
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 The world-famous
Amalfi coast, Positano, Ravello, the Island of Capri and Sorrento; these
are names to conjure with, evoking prospects of hedonistic days by the
Mediterranean sea of Ulysses and the Sirens. Lazy time spent exploring
the piazzas, piers and bars of the towns and villages is one thing, but
there is more. A wonderful network of ancient footpaths connects the
towns with each other and the surrounding countryside, letting you
saunter among terraced vineyards and lemon groves or out onto wild
rugged hillsides, always regaled by the most stunning of views. On these
paths you meet people tending vines or gardening or whatever, who will
acknowledge you in the friendliest of manners, making you feel a part of
the scene.
So how do you enjoy these delights? "Landscapes of Amalfi..." contains
over 70 walks to suit all abilities, either starting at your resort or
easily reached by one of the frequent local busses. The walks form a
network which covers the whole region, so no matter where you are there
will be something for you. As you walk, you will bump into fellow
walkers perhaps doing the same walk in the reverse direction. And for
those too hot, lazy days, there are suggestions for outings to be made
by bus or boat.
Already into its second edition, feedback to date suggests that the walk
directions are accurate and easy to follow. Each of the six regions has
a schematic walk planner to make compiling an itinerary easy, and full
bus timetables cut down on research time.
Julian Tippett first came to the
area in 1991 after taking retirement, looking for a project. What better
than to have to revisit the coast many times researching the many nooks
and byways of this delightful region? A first small guide to just Amalfi
and Ravello came out in 1991, self-published, to be followed by the
first edition of this guide in 1995. He can be reached on
ju@tippett.free-online.co.uk
The book is published by Sunflower
Books, London, UK cost £9.99. Copies may be ordered from Sunflower Books
on their website:
www.sunflowerbooks.co.uk
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