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The Path of the Gods provides not only some of the best views of the Amalfi Coast but also a way to escape from the crowds and experience the Amalfi Coast from above. The Path of God is a perfect way to spend the day exploring and experience the beauty of this area. The journey will lead you through historic towns, along ancient routes, and stopping you in your tracks with its breathtaking views across the whole region. This guide tells you everything you need to know to hike the path of the gods!
History of the Path – Why Path of the Gods?
the Path of The Gods, known to locals as the Sentiero Degli Dei! This amazing clifftop trail runs between Bomberano and Nocelle. The trail crosses about halfway up Mount Sant’Angelo a Tre Pizzi. Often referred to as the best hike in the world. It’s easy to see why the one you see its amazing views of the Tyrrhenian Sea and Amalfi Coast Line.
According to History the Path once acted as the only means of communication between some of the Amalfi Coasts villages.
Its name ‘Path of the gods’ was named for its mythological roots in the tale of Odyssey. According to legend the gods once rushed to Ulysses from the sirens of Capri and mapped out this path in the process!
When we visited Positano in Septmember 2020, we knew we wanted to take on this hike! It ended up being a really highlight of our trip and an exciting challenge. With spectacular views and the best breakfast of our trip most people can attempt this hike without difficulty!
Now you know the history of this amazing trail, let’s get into how to take on this Path of the Gods.
Which way to hike?
You can hike the Path of the Gods in both directions and it goes without saying strolling downhill is easier than hiking up the path but both offer a slightly different experience. For this reason, we recommend starting in Bomberano and walking to Nocelle!
Bomberano – Nocelle
If you start at Bomberano you start at the top of the mountains with spectacular views across the area. This is the best way to view the sunrise over the mountain range and across the valley. From here make your way down to Nocelle is mostly downhill, although there are a few steep uphill parts that are not for the faint-hearted!
Nocelle – Bomerano
If you start at Nocelle you start by hiking up from the old historic town into the woods when you appear out the other side it is a spectacular view looking towards to mountain range you are going to be hiking up. At the end of your hike up you will finish with the best views and hiking up here makes the views feel more of an achievement.
Best time to hike the Path of the God’s
The best time to hike the Path of the Gods is during sunrise. There are a number of benefits to hiking at this time in the morning.
Firstly, in the cooler weather, you will struggle a lot less than in the midday heat.
Secondly, fewer people so you feel like you have the place to yourself, at peak season the path becomes swarmed with tourists making it a little harder to enjoy and go at your own pace!
Thirdly, watching the sunrise from a unique location along the Amalfi coastline. Along the Amalfi coastline, there are not many other opportunities to watch the sunrise from the top of the mountain with the lush green valley and perfect blue sea below.
How to get to the Path of the Gods
Starting at Bomberano
This is the most popular direction to do the hike as you start at the top and work your way down.
From Amalfi to Bomberano
Taxi
Traveling by private Taxi is the fastest taking around 15mins and picks you up from your location and drops you at the start but this is an expensive option and if you want to arrive for sunrise expect an extra fee due to the travel time this can cost £20-40
Bus
This will take around 40mins and cost around £3-5. Jump on the SITA bus to Agerola getting off at Bomerano.
From Positano to Bomberano
Ferry and Bus
Traveling but Ferry and Bus take around 2:15hours and cost around £20, but due to ferry times, you may not be able to arrive till later in the morning missing sunrise.
Taxi
Travelling by private Taxi is the fastest taking around 30mins and picks you up from your location and drops you to the start but this is a expensive option and if you want to arrive for for sunrise expect an extra feee due to the travel time this can cost £30-50
Bus
This will take around 2hours costing around £15. From Positano, you will need to get a bus to Amalfi then change to a second bus that takes you to Agerola getting off in Bomerano. Make sure to ask the driver to drop you off for the Path of the Gods!
From Sorrento to Bomberano
Train and Bus
This will take around 2:15 hours and cost around £10. The train runs hourly but the bus from Castellammare di Stabia Viale toAgerola Bomerano only runs a few times a day. Make sure you time it correctly to avoid waiting around too long for the next bus.
Taxi
Travelling by Taxi is the fastest, taking around 40mins. It is also the most convenient and picks you up from your location and drops you to the start. This is a expensive option and if you want to arrive for for sunrise expect an extra fee due to the travel time this can cost £50-80.
Bus
This will take around 3:30hours and cost around £5. You will need to make a change to a second bus to continue to Agerola before arriving at Bomerano.
Nocelle to Bomberano
This is to walk the Path in reverse starting in the old town of Nocelle and hiking up towards Bomberano.
Hiking this way around will add around an hour extra to your journey due to the incline. The rest of this guide assumes you are walking from Bomberano to Nocelle, but the information still applies for walking the path the other way!
Check out our Guide to Positano here.
How long will hiking the Path of the Gods take
The hike will take around 3 to 5 hours. This depends on your ability and the frequency of stops for pictures and food. Although we would recommend taking the time to take in the breathtaking views.
Distance of the Path of the Gods Hike
The path is around 7-8 kilometres. This is dependent on where you start how far off the path you go at each view point.
Sunrise over the Valley
This is by far the best time to be at the top overlooking the mountain range while the sunrises. We would personally recommend this but it does comes at a price.
What to pack for the Path of the Gods
- Water
- Sun cream
- Camera
- Food and snacks
- Sunglasses
What to Wear
- Hiking Clothes
- Pack a light jumper for first thing in the morning
- Good hiking shoes
Overview of the Trial
The Trail
Goats
If you are lucky enough you might be blessed with sighting some goats! Whilst hiking the beginning part of the Path we suddenly became faced with hundreds of Goats heading towards us!
Don’t get Lost
Okay so if you have decided to hike this path, be warned, whilst most of it is clearly marked out… there are some parts that will easily lead you astray. Once you get to the house in the picture below make sure to continue straight and not to follow the path up behind the house (which is the natural route).
This route might seem the most direct, but it will take you around 15 minutes to suddenly realize you are at a dead end! Luckily for us, we had people in front who made this mistake so we found out before venturing too far!
There are only a few parts along the trail that are not obvious. But we would recommend checking in on google maps at random intervals to ensure you are on the right track. Even when it seems obvious!
The Best Place for Breakfast
Grab a pastry from Collina in Positano before you leave for the Path of the Gods, and stop here for a spot of breakfast or lunch! You can’t miss this amazing spot! Eating breakfast here was perhaps the most exhilarating experience on the whole trip.
The Second half of the Path of the Gods trail
Up until now, your hike would have been pretty straight forward, with mostly flat parts… well that’s about to change! The second half of this trail is very different with steep steps and dramatic cliff edges. It’s about to get very interesting!
We would recommend taking your time and watching your step. The hike is achievable for most people. Just be warned to expect rockier terrain for the second half of the walk.
The end of the Trail
The end of the trail takes you through forests, and into Nocelle! The forest is a welcome change as the sun will be getting warm at this point. There are random openings in the forest that open up to the most beautiful views over the valley. This part of the hike provides some of the most amazing veiws! With Positano starting to become visible you know you have nearly made it.
Nocelle
After your long walk you will definitely need to have a stop for a drink. We would recommend stopping at Lemon Point for the best freshly squeezed juice.
Lemon Point
Staying in Positano? Check out our top things to do in Positano.
Back To Positano
If you start the hike in Bomerano and want to finish in Positano, you have two options:
- Walk down the 1700 steps from Nocelle to Positano (approximately 45 minutes). Most people report it as surprisingly challenging and tough on their knees. Including us who found this bit rather hard after the 2-hour hike! The views are good though. At the end of the stairs, you reach Arienzo. You will then have to walk another 15-20 minutes along the road to the centre of Positano.
- Take the bus from Nocelle to Positano, strongly recommended by is!
Facts
- Famously known as one of the best hikes in the world. Make sure your camera is fully charged when you take on this gem!
- Although you only need to set aside half a day to take on this hike, if you can spare a whole day you can take on both the normal path and the higher more challenging path if you are up for the adventure!
- We did this hike in September and started early, the weather conditions were amazing! The best time to take on this hike is September through to November and February to May. Other months can be too hot and too crowded.
We hope you choose to hike this incredible awe inspiring path, it really was the highlight of our trip to the Amalfi Coast, we know it will be yours too!
