Discover, Plan & Go!

The trip starts in Salerno, south of Naples, which is easily accessible by train from other cities in Italy. Our hotel is conveniently located close to the station on a lively yet quiet pedestrian street. We are just a five-minute walk from the historic center of old Salerno with its great cafés, restaurants, and shops.

Day 2 - Sunday

Meet your guide(s) after breakfast this morning and then transfer to the village of Maiori where we begin our first hike, up into the mountains overlooking the shimmering Mediterranean. Our path is lined with holm oaks and chestnut groves, opening out onto a long ridge that traverses the mountainside, offering breathtaking views of the coastal villages and bright blue sea below. We stop at the Convent of San Nicola for a picnic lunch and then slowly descend down into Minori, our home for the next two nights. We stay at the four-star Villa Romana with a rooftop pool and solarium. While in Minori, we visit a remarkable Roman villa (from the 1st century BC) with well-preserved mosaics, nestled into the heart of this maritime village.

Day 3 - Monday

Today we take a morning transfer to Pompei for a guided tour of this outstanding archaeological site. In 79 AD, a massive eruption at nearby Mt. Vesuvius buried the city under a 6-meter blanket of ash and rock. Due to its fine state of preservation, the excavations now give us an extraordinarily real image of daily life in a Roman city. We spend a half day visiting the site with a specialized guide, seeing the villas, temples, theatres and markets that once bustled with life in ancient times. Optional afternoon walk.

Day 4 - Tuesday

A short bus transfer takes us along the spectacular coastal road to the famous village of Amalfi. Every street hides a charming square, and we take time to visit the Piazza dei Dogi, still known by its former name "Piazza dei Ferrari" due to the blacksmith shops that used to line the square. Another street takes us to the Vagliendola quarter, renowned for its tower houses. You will have some free time this morning to explore Amalfi and put together a picnic lunch before we head out on today's hike. We exit Amalfi via the Valley of the Mills, arriving at an ancient mountain path that is still used by woodsmen and their donkeys to access the remote valleys and woods of this ruggedly beautiful area. On the way we visit the last operating paper mill in Amalfi. Our walk ends in the delightful village of Ravello, our home for the next two nights.

Day 5 - Wednesday

We leave on foot this morning and take the path down to the village of Pontone, a defensive stronghold for the area during the 12-13th centuries. We wind our way through trellised lemon groves to emerge into the village piazza where we have time to enjoy a mid-morning cappuccino, then we exit the village and begin our ascent onto the spur that contains the Torre dello Ziro, an imposing tower that was part of the defensive system of walls and towers that protected Amalfi from marauding Saracen pirates. We will have dramatic views down onto the rooftops of Amalfi, Atrani, and the stunning coastline. Optional lemon-themed lunch in Amalfi. In the afternoon, we have an optional walk up to Ravello or you can take the bus. Then you have free time to explore the gardens and villas of what many consider to be the most beautiful village in Italy.

Day 6 - Thursday

Today's walk starts with great views of the villages and nearby sea as we make our way to the beautiful Valle delle Ferriere, one of the most important protected areas of the region. The trail passes through streams, woods, and old ruins and ends in the village of Pogerola. From there you can take a bus to Amalfi or keep walking to the village of San Lazzaro. We walk to a village called Campidoglio, then through the Valle delle Ferriere that will take us to Pogerola. You can also take another trail that joins the Pogerola-San Lazzaro hike close to the spring. We finish our day in the town of Praiano, near Positano.

Day 7 - Friday

Walk along the fabulous Sentiero degli Dei (footpath of the Gods) this morning to Positano. This four-hour hike takes us through groves of cypress and fields of wildflowers, past ancient stone huts, and across precipitous hillsides and narrow ledges overlooking the sea. We reach the Vallone di Grarelle, with its many caves and deep coves, and continue to Nocelle, a picturesque neighboring village of Positano. A walk through the village brings us to the old footpath that leads to Montepertuso, before crossing the Vallone Porto, a deep gorge with striking limestone walls. From here we take the old steps down through olive groves and vineyards to the center and the beach of Positano. It is the setting of Positano that sets it apart as the most beautiful -- and now the most fashionable -- town on the Amalfi coast. Positano is perched on a steep slope on a small and protective bay, its brightly painted houses covered in bougainvillea. Our hotel is perched on the cliffs, offering lovely views of Positano and out to sea.

Day 8 - Saturday

We say "arrivederci" to the beautiful Italian coast this morning and offer a transfer to the Naples train station, arriving around 10:30.

Note: this trip is priced in euros, payable as Euro 1,950.