Amalfi and Capri

With its head in the clouds and its feet in the sea, the precipitous Amalfi Coast has long been exalted as the most spectacular coastline in all Europe. Across the blue Bay of Naples from Amalfi is enticing Capri, a sun-splashed jewel of an island soaring out of azure waters. With hikes on ancient footpaths connecting hilltop villages and seaside hamlets, we explore this glorious realm surrounded by amazing landscapes. We also taste homemade pastas, watch mozzarella di bufala being made, explore the haunting remains of Herculaneum and out-of-the-way Paestum, and hike on the rim of brooding Mt. Vesuvius. Our Italy Trip Leaders are simply the best in the world, with a true passion for sharing their love of la bella Italia.

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-3
Naples / Paestum / Ravello

From Naples we head out for a hike on the outer rim of famous Mt. Vesuvius, the only active volcano on mainland Europe, with lunch at a winery on its slopes. At the majestic Greek ruin of Paestum, we explore its beautiful Doric temples, the best preserved in the world, with an overnight at a charming agriturismo that has been in the same family for generations. One of our afternoon hikes begins in Minori, a lovely village of seafront promenades, and brings us up to top-of-the-world Ravello, a gorgeous town perched on a spur high above the Mediterranean. The next day’s hike is a leisurely descent, much of it on stone steps, via the hamlets of Scala, Minuta, and Pontone to the shimmering blue sea. Our villa-turned-hotel in Ravello offers exquisite Mediterranean views.

Days 4-5
Sentiero degli Dei / Positano / Capri

Our panoramic hike across the beautiful Sentiero degli Dei (“Path of the Gods”) leads us through groves of Italian cypress, fields of wildflowers, and across hillsides overlooking the sea. Reaching Positano, a gem of a town with brightly painted houses covered in bougainvillea, we ferry to the isle of Capri, with its Roman ruins, high trails with sweeping views, and stone-paved lanes fragrant with lacy swaths of wisteria. Our hikes here offer eye-popping vistas across the azure sea and of the famous gray spires of the Faraglioni Rocks, familiar from the many classic movies filmed in Capri.

Days 6-8
Capri / Sorrento Peninsula / Herculaneum

Our morning hike on Capri to Mt. Solaro offers extensive views of the Salerno and Napoli Gulfs. A ferry then brings us to Sorrento, with its truly inspired location atop rocky cliffs at the end of a peninsula. We enjoy a wonderful walk through Sorrento’s maze of narrow streets packed with wares including intarso, the local inlaid woodwork craft, and authentic limoncello made from Sorrento’s special lemons. We finish with an exploration of the Roman city of Herculaneum, completely buried yet preserved under 50 feet of pumice and ash when Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. This World Heritage Site provides an extraordinarily detailed record of Roman life in the 1st century. Depart via Naples on Day 8.

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What the Trip is Like

This trip is rated Level 3+, Moderate to Strenuous. Our town and country walking tour consists of day hikes of up to 4 hours over often hilly terrain with many ascending and descending staircases and stone steps. We will carry just a daypack with water bottle, sunscreen, camera, and anything else you want with you while on the trail. Our luggage is transported for us by van, so it is usually possible to ride in the van if you want to opt out of a day’s hiking. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 p.m. Although the rooms are not always of uniform or international size, our leaders always try their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole.

Explanation of Trip Levels