Some hikes stay with you forever. This most definitely is one of them.
I’ve been fortunate to visit Italy a few times, but never had I been to the postcard-perfect town of Positano on the Amalfi Coast. A jewel of southern Italy, this area is known for its dramatic cliffs, turquoise waters, breathtaking scenery, and colorful towns clinging to the rugged coastline. As if that weren’t enough, high above Positano waits one of the world’s great hikes.
Sentiero degli Dei
Path of the Gods (“Sentiero degli Dei”) is a legendary 4.5 mile trail with unparalleled views, a rich history, and plenty of Mediterranean magic. The path hugs the cliffs at the dizzying height of 2065 feet above sea level. While we were excited to explore Positano, nearby Sorrento, Pompeii and other area sights, this hike was a big reason for our Amalfi adventure.
Legends abound regarding the trail’s origin. Some say it was built by the ancient Romans as a trade route, while others claim it served as a pathway for Greek gods traversing between Mount Olympus and their earthly domains. Or, it’s a really beautiful goat path with an amazing PR backstory. Regardless of its origin, the Path of the Gods has served as a crucial connection between coastal villages for centuries.
The myth gets more specific than “the gods just walked here.” The story goes that Ulysses had his crew lash him to the ship’s mast so he could hear the Sirens’ deadly song without leaping overboard to his doom — and those Sirens supposedly lived on Li Galli, the tiny archipelago you can spot from the trail just off Positano. The gods, worried their favorite mortal wouldn’t survive the temptation, are said to have raced along this exact ridge to keep watch over him. On a clear day you can see Li Galli below, and if you look west, the Faraglioni sea stacks off Capri, a place we got to know pretty well on a very different kind of Amalfi adventure.
We discovered that if you’re staying in Positano, the ideal itinerary is to catch a bus to Bomerano and hike the trail back toward Positano. This way the views are always in front of you, and you finish with the 1700 stair descent back into town. But on this chilly and rainy mid-December day, with intermittent bus service, the odds and the gods were not in our favor.
So we took a local bus from Positano up, up, up to Nocelle, a charming little village high above Positano. Fueling up before the hike, we stopped in an absolutely adorable deli—or, in Italian, “salumeria” which sounds way sexier—for the world’s greatest salami and provolone sandwich. While the deli owner spoke no English, she understood exactly what we needed to pregame for the Path of the Gods.
So many selfies
The sun played peek-a-boo through the clouds as we spent the next few hours wandering the trail, stopping every few seconds to take in the view, take photos, and utter “Wow” endlessly. The views truly are breathtaking, and there are unexpected delights along the way, including several ancient ruins to explore. While the weather was less than ideal, on the plus side our December hike meant we had the trail almost completely to ourselves. We saw maybe half a dozen people the entire time. Sounds like that’s not the case in warmer months, when crowds overtake the path. It’s worth considering planning your visit during a less crowded off-season time.
Those ruins scattered along the trail aren’t just photo props, either — before guardrails and painted trail blazes, this route was the only practical way to get between the villages that cling to this stretch of coast. Farmers and mule drivers used it for centuries to move olives, lemons and goods between Agerola and Positano, and locals will tell you it doubled as an escape route into the mountains whenever pirates raided the coastline below. The trail wasn’t formally marked and maintained until fairly recently. For most of its history it was just a network of footpaths everyone knew and nobody bothered to name.
“Sentiero degli Dei” is more than just another hike. It’s an epic journey for the soul. It feels timeless, as you’re surrounded by ageless cliffs, Old World culture and the mythical Mediterranean.
Pro Tip: The Path of the Gods is a moderately difficult hike with some uneven terrain, loose rocks and decent inclines. We’re glad we brought our hiking shoes. Bring water in that backpack, there aren’t places to stop along the way. Shade is limited on the trail, so sunscreen is a good idea too, even in the cooler months like our December trek.