Path of the Gods hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei) is the best-known walk on the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy. It runs along a ledge high above the sea, from Bomerano, a village of Agerola at about 630 m, to Nocelle, a tiny hamlet above Positano, with views over Positano, the Li Galli islands and Capri for most of the way. The path itself is CAI path 327: 5.3 km and about 2 hours, mostly level or downhill. Most people then walk on down to Positano, which makes a day of about 9.5 km and 3.5 to 4 hours of walking. There are no huts and no permit: you sleep in hotels and B&Bs in Agerola, Nocelle and Positano.

The route

The walk starts at Piazza Paolo Capasso in Bomerano, where the SITA bus from Amalfi stops. A lane drops between the houses, crosses a small wooden bridge and climbs to a road, which soon turns into a mule track. After a few minutes you reach Grotta del Biscotto, a cliff of crumbly rock with old cave houses below the path. The path then runs gently up and down to Colle la Serra (about 580 m). Here it splits: the lower path on the left is the main route, more panoramic and in places exposed above steep drops; the upper variant on the right (CAI 327a) is rougher at first but less exposed. They meet again about 1.3 km later at Cannati. The path then winds across the Vallone Gradelle and other gullies to Nocelle (437 m), with its small church, fountain and drink stalls.

From Nocelle this guide follows the route recommended by the CAI and the Comune di Agerola: a short flight of steps up to the road, about 1.5 km along the quiet road to Montepertuso, then a long stone stair (CAI 331a) down to Lipariati in the upper part of Positano, and lanes and steps to the beach. The other way down is the stair of about 1,700 steps from Nocelle to Arienzo, which ends on the busy coast road about 500 m from the centre of Positano. You can also take the local bus from Nocelle or Montepertuso to Positano.

This guide splits the walk into 2 stages, about 4.8 km each: Bomerano to Nocelle (the Path of the Gods itself) and Nocelle to Positano. Most people walk both in one day; staying a night in Nocelle gives you the sunset and an empty path in the morning.

Highlights

• Grotta del Biscotto: a cliff of crumbly rock with old cave dwellings under the path
• The views to Capri: the Faraglioni, Punta Campanella and the Li Galli islands, in sight for most of the walk
• Terraces and ruins: lemon groves, vines and dry-stone walls, old farmhouses and lime kilns
• Nocelle: a car-free hamlet on the cliff, with lemon granita at the end of the path
• Montepertuso: the village named after the hole in the rock face above it
• Positano: the steep pastel town and its beach, Spiaggia Grande

When to walk the Path of the Gods

The path is open all year. The best months are April to June and September to October. In July and August there is little shade and the path is crowded, so start early, before 9:00, and carry plenty of water. In winter the days are short, rain makes the rock and steps slippery, and buses and ferries run less often; some hotels in Positano close from about November to March. In dry summers wildfires sometimes close the path for a few days (it was closed after fires in August 2020), so check before you go.

How hard is it?

The CAI grades the path E (escursionistico): a marked mountain path with no technical sections. It is rocky and uneven, with many steps and some short climbs, and on the main lower path there are exposed edges with steep drops, so it is not ideal if you suffer from vertigo; take the upper variant 327a at Colle la Serra instead. The descent from Montepertuso to Positano is a long stone stair, about 350 m down, that is hard on the knees. Wear shoes with a good grip, not sandals or flip-flops. Walked in the usual direction the day has more descent than climbing; walking it from Positano to Agerola means climbing about 600 m, mostly on steps.

Permits and booking

No permit, ticket or guide is needed and the path is free. Book your room ahead from May to October: Nocelle has only a few small B&Bs, and Positano is one of the most expensive places to stay in Italy. Agerola is cheaper and makes a good base for the night before.

Getting there and away

The nearest airport is Naples. SITA Sud buses run along the coast road between Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Salerno, and from Amalfi up to Agerola (Bomerano) in about 40 to 50 minutes. Ferries (Travelmar and other companies) link Salerno, Amalfi and Positano, mainly from spring to autumn. So a classic day is: bus or ferry to Amalfi, bus to Bomerano, walk to Positano, and ferry or bus back. In Positano a local bus runs from the centre up to Montepertuso and Nocelle. If you come by car, park in Agerola and come back by bus; parking in Positano is scarce and expensive.

Money and phone signal

Positano and Agerola have ATMs, and cards are widely accepted. In Nocelle and Montepertuso carry some cash for a drink, a granita or the bus. Mobile signal is usually fine on the open, sea-facing path but can drop in the gullies.

What to pack

Carry at least 1.5 to 2 litres of water each in warm weather; there is drinking water in Bomerano, at Colle la Serra and in Nocelle, but nothing in between. Bring a sun hat, sunscreen, a light layer for wind, a snack and offline maps. Poles help on the long stairs. Leave big luggage at your hotel: Nocelle and much of Positano are reached only on foot.

Safety

In an emergency call 118 for an ambulance, the helicopter or mountain rescue. 112 also works from any phone, but in Campania it is still the Carabinieri line. Say that you are on the Sentiero degli Dei and give the nearest landmark (Grotta del Biscotto, Colle la Serra, Nocelle) or your GPS position. Stay on the path, keep children close at the exposed edges, and never light a fire or drop a cigarette. The nearest emergency departments are in Sorrento (for Positano) and Castellammare di Stabia (for Agerola).

History

Before the coast road was built, the villages of the Amalfi Coast were linked by mule tracks and stairways. The Path of the Gods is one of them, linking the farming plateau of Agerola with the hamlets of Positano, and it still crosses terraces of vines and lemons. The Amalfi Coast has been a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape since 1997, largely because of these terraces, villages and paths. The CAI sections of Castellammare di Stabia and Cava de' Tirreni maintain and waymark the path.