Path of the Gods (Agerola–Bomerano Stretch): The Amalfi Coast From Above, Without the Crowds

The stretch between Nocelle and Positano on the Path of the Gods is now on the lips of every northern European travel blogger. But the route along the crests above Agerola, on the northern side of the Coast, is still almost unknown. Here the lemon and vineyard terraces built by farmers over the centuries are half abandoned: the dry-stone walls slowly yield to wild fig trees, the paths narrow, the waymarking is less precise. That is exactly why it is worth coming.

The route and the views

From Agerola (623 m), reachable by bus from Amalfi or Castellammare di Stabia, you climb toward Monte Finestra (1,145 m), which separates the Coast from the Tramonti valley. The ridge offers simultaneous views of the Bay of Naples to the north and the Gulf of Salerno to the south, with Capri floating on the horizon like a mirage. The path then descends toward Bomerano, a hamlet of Agerola, passing the remains of a medieval settlement of which only the low walls and the wild walnut trees survive. The variant leading to the Grotta dello Sbirro, a natural cavity with eighteenth-century votive frescoes nearly erased by damp, appears only on local maps.

The season and the hospitality

The ideal period is March to May: the lemons are in blossom, the air smells of orange flower, the trail is still muddy in places but perfectly walkable. October and November bring the harvest of the last terraced vineyards — Tramonti DOC, a Piedirosso red forgotten by large-scale distribution, can be bought directly from producers for 5–8 euros a bottle. In July and August the Nocelle–Positano stretch is jammed; this side of Agerola stays nearly empty even in high season. B&Bs in Agerola cost 40–60 euros a night, a third of the price in the coastal towns.

How to get there

From Naples: Circumvesuviana to Castellammare di Stabia, then SITA bus to Agerola (about 1 hour and 20 minutes total, under 5 euros). From Amalfi: ferry to Positano, then bus up through the Coast's hairpins to Agerola. Those arriving by car will find parking in Agerola free and easy — an impossibility in Positano or Ravello. The walk requires no climbing gear: hiking boots and plenty of water are enough for the main 12-kilometre stretch.