Hiking the Path of the Gods: A Trail with the Best Views of Italy’s Amalfi Coast

Don’t let the name intimidate you – The Path of the Gods (or  Il Sentiero degli Dei in Italian) gets its name from its beauty and not the difficulty of the trail. Hiking the Path of the Gods is one of the best things to do while visiting Italy’s stunning Amalfi Coast because you get to soak up absolutely breathtaking views!

The trail starts in the mountains, so you get sweeping views of the amazingly blue Mediterranean and all of the seaside towns that dot the coast.

The hiking trail takes about two to four hours to complete, depending on how often you take a break to soak in the incredible views. 

When to Hike the Path of the Gods

The Amalfi Coast has a Mediterranean climate, so the Path of the Gods is accessible all year. However, the summer experiences larger crowds and warmer temperatures (which makes for a great reason to take a dip in the pristine waters in Positano at the end of the hike). This hike has almost no shade, so if you do go in summer, make sure to start early so you’re not hiking in the heat of the day.

Similar to our tips for hiking in the Cinque Terre, the ideal time to trek the Path of the Gods is in the spring or late summer/early autumn. Temperatures are more moderate and the crowds are smaller.

Like all hikes, it is best to get out early! Without a taxi or your own car it takes a few steps to get the trail, so it is important to get on the bus early before crowds arrive and it gets hot.

Hiking Difficulty

If leaving from the village Bomerano, hiking the Path of the Gods is a pretty moderate hike as it is mostly downhill. The trail is about 4.7 miles (7.5 km) and descends about 500 meters. As mentioned earlier, the hike takes roughly 2-4 hours to complete. I’d budget more around 4 hours because you’re going to want plenty of time to take in all the views!

If you plan on starting this hike in Positano and ending in Bomerano, it means you’ll be ascending 500 meters, including a long set of steep stairs (about 1,800 in total!). This will make it a bit more difficult, but completely doable. Just make sure you don’t hike during the heat of the day and bring plenty of water. 

Getting to the Trail

The Path of the Gods stretches between the tiny mountain village of Bomerano, through Nocelle, and down to the famous seaside city of Positano. You can begin hiking the Path of the Gods at either end, but we recommend starting from Piazza Paolo Capass in Bomerano. For one, beginning in Bomerano means that the hike is downhill, including a steep set of stairs. Plus, it also means you’ll be ending in Positano where you can have a great meal or enjoy the afternoon at the beach.

Trail Map for Path of the Gods

If you’re traveling abroad in Italy and won’t have cell service, I recommend you download the Amalfi Coast area into your offline maps in Google Maps. Or, trip another offline map app like smAnd.

The trail begins here. See below for a map of the trail:

You can get to the start of the trail by taxi, private shuttle, or the public SITA bus.

Taxi from Amalfi to Bomerano is about 25 euro, and from Positano to Bomerano is about 40 euro.

Taking the Bus to The Path of the Gods Trailhead in Bomerano

While the hike itself wasn’t that difficult, getting to the trail via public transit was a bit more of a challenge. We stayed south of Amalfi Town, which serves as a hub for all of the buses. That meant that in order to get to the start of the trail, we first had to take a bus to Amalfi Town, then take another bus from Amalfi to Bomerano. Unless you’re staying in Amalfi town or along the Amalfi-Bomerano route, you’ll likely have to take two buses too.

The SITA bus costs €2.20 for a one-way journey lasting less than 45 minutes, or €6.80 for an all-day pass. We were usually better off just purchasing the all-day pass as most of our journeys required multiple buses. If you want to make it to the trail first thing in the morning, buy your bus tickets the day before. Tickets cannot be purchased on the bus, and most ticket offices or convenience stores that sell tickets do not open until 8am or later.

When in Amalfi, take the 508808 bus from the Amalfi station to the Agerola (Bomerano) station. The bus will say say “Agerola” or “Agerola (Bomerano). Agerola is the municipality, and Bomerano is just a small village within Agerola. The first bus leaves at 7:10 am from Amalfi and the ride journey takes 40 minutes. Click here to see the bus timetable.

So just a quick recap:

• First, take a bus to Amalfi
• Then, take the Agerola (Bomerano) bus up to Bomerano

Tips for hiking the trail

Grab food in Bomerano

We didn’t spend much time in Bomerano, but it was enough time to grab some of the best pastries we had in Italy at Panificio. Before the hike, we also picked up a few sandwiches to eat along the trail. We stopped in at a small salumeria where you can purchase some focaccia, meat and and fiordilatte, a local cheese that is similar to fresh mozzarella.

Refill water bottles along the trail

Water is available on the trail. There will be signs that will say “drinkable water”. We found a number of these water outlets throughout the trail so just bring a reusable water bottle to refill along the way.

Restrooms

Towards the end of the hike, and before descending down the stairs, there is a place to grab some freshly squeezed lemonade. There is a small plaza with a few benches and a public restroom. This is a great spot to relax and enjoy the views before the heading down into town.

After the steps, you’ll pass by Arienzo Beach and be walking along the road and down into Positano.

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Other beautiful hikes in Amalfi Coast

We always think the best way to explore a best place is by walking or hiking it. The Path of the Gods is one of the most popular walks in Amalfi Coast for good reason, but there are other great ones too. If you have more time on your trip, here are five other hikes in Amalfi Coast. 

Path of the Lemons

The trail is named for the groves of lemon trees that line the path. This hike is incredibly scenic and fragrant if you go when the lemons trees are blossoming. The path starts in Maiori, next to the collegiate church of Santa Maria a Mare, and ends in Minori. The out and back trail is 2.4 miles. Tiles and yellow spray paint on the ground marks the way.

Punta Campanella

This 4.4 mile (7.1km) roundtrip hike includes views of Capri, the Bay of Ieranto, and passes by ancient Roman and Greek temples. Budget about 2.5 to 4 hours to complete.

Bay of Ieranto

Starting from the small square in the town of Nerano, this trails takes you down to the Bay of Ieranto. It’s a 2.9 miles (or 4.7 km) out-and-back trail, with a turnaround point at Capitiello beach. Pack a picnic and your swimsuit so you can enjoy the beach!

Monte Tre Calli

Rather than walk down towards the coast, Monte Tre Calli takes you further up into the mountains. This hike starts in Bomerano’s Piazza Paolo Capasso, just like the Path of the Gods hike. This trail loops around for a little over 6 miles (9.9km), heading above Nocelle before turning back. You’ll have all the views of the Path of the Gods, this time from a higher vantage point. You can see all the Amalfi Coast and the Gulf of Sorrento from up here. 

Valle delle Ferriere

This trail translates to Valley of Ironworkers, from when merchants used to transported Ravello silk and Amalfi paper along the road in iron wheeled carriages down to the port in Amalfi. The hike starts at Piazza Generale Avitabile in the San Lazzaro area of Agerola and ends in Amalfi. The vegetation is lush and there is even a waterfall. The trail is about 3.7 (or 6km) one way.

Planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast

Here’s a few tips on traveling to the Amalfi Coast.

Where to Stay in the Amalfi Coast

We opted to stay on the southern part of the coast in Salerno, but if I did it again, I’d stay somewhere more centrally located.

Sorrento is the official start of the northern border Amalfi Coast and the most touristy (personally, I’d skip it). Most day trippers wanting to get a taste of the Amalfi Coast visit Sorrento, so during summer this place is packed.

Positano and Amalfi are the most centrally located and most popular, but they’re also going to be the busiest and typically most expensive. If you don’t mind paying a little extra for location and like to be in the middle of it all, then I’d plan on staying in one of these towns. 

Here is a list of beautiful apartments in Positano and Amalfi

If you’re new to Airbnb, use our referral link here for $40 off your first home booking.

Praiano is situated right between Positano and Amalfi, so it’s a great location and not near as busy. Plus it’s got a great beach!

Ravello, Maiori and Minori are a bit further south, but all oozing with charm. Ravello is located up in the hillside and the perfect place for a quiet retreat. Maiori and Minori are much less crowded, a bit less expensive, and known for their family-friendly atmosphere.

Here is a list of affordable apartments in Praiana, Ravello, Maiori and Minori under $100 per night

Getting around the Amalfi Coast

Trains only reach the edge towns of Sorrento in the North and Salerno to the South, so on land you’re stuck dealing with the roads in a bus, car, or scooter to reach the towns in between.

To get to Sorrento from Naples, use the Circumvesuviana trains. The Circumvesuviana station is just beneath the Naples Central Train Station (Napoli Centrale), and it takes a little over an hour to get to Sorrento. You’ll need a NA5 Ticket – €4,50 (valid for 180 minutes).

If you’re coming from Rome, you must first take a train from Rome to Naples, then the Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Sorrento.

To get to Salerno from Naples, use the TrenItalia trains from the Napoli Centrale. Tickets cost around €4.

SITA Bus

Once you’ve reached Sorrento or Salerno, your only option for public transit on land to reach the towns in between, like Amalfi Town, Positano and Ravello, is the SITA Bus.

The buses from Sorrento and Salerno both end in Amalfi. This means that if you want to go from Salerno to Positano, you must first take the bus from Salerno to Amalfi Town, then another bus from Amalfi Town to Positano. Due to the irregularity and overcrowding, this can make travel along the coast very time-consuming. This makes Amalfi Town the most convenient home base if you’re planning on exploring the Amalfi Coast by bus as it’s the main connection hub.

Car

If you drive (and heaven help you, the roads are very narrow and most sides are a cliff), you’ll have the added nuisance of trying to find parking, which I’ve heard is extremely difficult even in the winter.

Scooter

A scooter would’ve been a fun option, but wasn’t practical for us with a baby. I just hope you have fast reflexes to dodge the buses zooming through!

If you want to opt out of the roads entirely, you can rent a boat or take a ferry.

Have a wonderful time in the Amalfi Coast hiking the Path of the Gods! Let us know if you have any questions below!