Amalfi Coast: Hike & Kayak

• Orientation Meeting: 6pm

Say hello to Naples, one of Europe’s cultural centers since the time of the Greeks. No activites are planned before this evening’s orientation meeting, so feel free to wander the streets if you arrive early. Discover some of Naples’ stunning architecture and history or any of the lovely museums, many of which have been around since the Spanish rule in the 16th century. You can check out the Royal Palace of Naples or walk through the plaza to Museo Di Capodimonte, but make sure to make your way to the joining point hotel by the evening which is located in the historic city center. 

The orientation meeting usually takes place at 6pm, but check for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the receptionist where the meeting will take place. Your group leader will give you a quick briefing and let you know what lies ahead on your trip. Please be sure to attend as you will need to provide insurance and emergency contact information at this time. If you’re going to be late, please let the hotel or your booking agent know. Consider book additional accommodations in Naples before your tour to explore this lovely city and to make sure you arrive in time for the orientation meeting. Intrepid will be happy to arrange additional accommodations for if availability allows.

• Travel: Transport in Private Vehicle to Pompeii, 1 hour scenic drive to Agerola 
• Activities Included: Pompeii Archaeological Site, Guided Hike along Vesuvius’ Crater Rim and Summit
• Meals Included: Breakfast 
• Hiking Distance: 2.5MI /4KM

Eat hardy this morning at your included breakfast before loading up in your private minibus to travel to Pompeii. Without a doubt, these ruins are some of the most spectacular in the world as they are perfectly preserved from the ash and lava of Mount Vesuvius. Stroll through the streets marked with chariot wheel ruts and feel what it would have been like to walk through a Roman city with villas, temples, theatres, a Roman Forum, public baths, and what some would call the first “fast food” restaurants. All of these areas were bustling with life up until the fatal eruption of  the volcano in whose shadow they lived in 79 AD. Make sure not to miss the giant amphitheatre in this city as well as the “Villa of Mysteries.” After lunch, you’ll be picked up to travel to your next destination: the mountain that has been looming over you all day. Stroll the rim of Mount Vesuvius’s crater of this active volcano that still steams with gases although no lava is visible. To finish out your day, take a scenic drive to Agerola high plain where you’ll be amazed by the panoramas of the Amalfi Coast and the Bay of Naples. 

• Meals Included: Breakfast 

The schedule is clear today for you to explore any of the amazing sights here in Agerola. There are plenty of trails to hike as well depending on what you’d like to do. Maybe trek to the “Punto Panoramico” viewpoint for vistas of the Amalfi Coast and then descend back into the city with views of the Isle of Capri and the wooded mountains of Cilento National Park. Experience the iconic Italian countryside with vineyards, oaks, chestnut trees, and lovely flowers. There are many ruins dotting the hillside so keep you eyes up and see if you can smell some of the famous Italian herbs. If you’d like to stay in the more populated parts of this landscape, visit Bomerano, a small local village to experience some of the classic Italian food and drinks. 

• Activities Included: Sentiero Degli Dei Hike, Boat Cruise Positano to Amalfi
• Meals Included: Breakfast 
• Hiking Distance: 6MI / 10KM

Today, your group will embark on a through hike to the next town that will serve as you home for the night. Your main luggage will be transferred to your next destination in Amalfi, so just bring your day pack to enjoy the sights along the way. Start your day by hiking the very famous Sentiero Degli Dei, meaning “Footpath of the Gods” that will bring you all the way to Positano. Trace the coastline as you observe local farmers tending crops and animals such as sheep and goats, see the wildflowers in the lush meadows and on the hillsides, and enjoy unparalleled views of the coast. By late morning, you’ll come to Vallone di Grarelle before continuing on to the small village of Nocelle, poised right above Positano. Stroll through the town and traverse the famous Montepertuso Crossing, a deep limestone gorge before ambling through the lower olive groves and vineyards to the picturesque Positano (or taking the bus if you’re a bit tired out). After a little time in this seaside town, hop aboard a boat to take you to Amalfi and enjoy the views while looking toward the land instead of out to sea. 

• Travel: Ferry to Capri Island 
• Activities Included: Villa Jovis Archaeological Site, Boat Ride to Isle of Capri, Capri Coastal Walk
• Meals Included: Breakfast 
• Hiking Distance: 6MI / 10KM

Soak up the rich Italian history and culture today on the rightly famous Island of Capri where emperors of Rome would come as tourists. Begin with a lovely boat ride to the island that offers spectacular views of the coastline with jagged rocks, clear blue waters, and high cliffs. Once you arrive, see the popular sights on the island before taking a circuit walk that will not only bring you to Villa Jovis which once belonged to Emperor Tiberius and is one of the best preserved villas on the island, but also to an ancient monastery and the classic, winding alleyways of the village. The last section of your walk brings you away from the city to parts of the wild coasts where there are many huge grottoes and where you can wade into the Mediterranean. Depending on that the group wants, this walk can be extended or shortened, so don’t hesitate to ask you guide about what you’d like. Late in the afternoon, take the ferry back to Amalfi for your overnight accommodations. 

• Activities Included: Valle delle Ferriere (Iron Mill Valley), Valle dei Mulini (Valley of the Watermills), Kayaking to Santcroce Beach 
• Meals Included: Breakfast 
• Hiking Distance: 6MI / 10KM

Today will bring your group to some of the most wonderful areas of Amalfi from the hike up into the hills to a kayak trip to a pristine beach. Your hike will take you from the backstreets of Amalfi to the little village of Pontone. On a short side hike, you’ll get to have a wonderful view of the Valley Del Dragone (Valley of the Dragon) with the lavish villas and gardens of Ravello in the background before coming up a famous watchtower, Torre dello Zirro. Follow the side hike trail back to Pontone where the group will relax perhaps with a drink beneath the lemon trees looking down on Amalfi. Afterward, trek down the Valley Dei Mulini– or the Valley of Watermills– where you will find the remains of Europe’s earliest paper mills lying about, some of them swallowed up by foliage. There are many locals on these trails so watch for those gathering mushrooms or carrying huge baskets of lemons on their heads. Trek on to the Valley Delle Ferriere, a wonderful nature preserve which is the perfect place for lunch. Then hike about an hour back to Amalfi for the second half of your adventure today: kayaking. After some quick instruction, grab your paddle as the group will boat along the coast to the pristine beach of Santacroce. Spend some time on this beach before heading back to Amalfi, slowly kayaking through the calm waters along the coast. 

• Activities Included: Villa Cimbrone, Valley of the Dragon Nature Hike
• Meals Included: Breakfast 
• Hiking Distance: 5.5-7.5MI / 9-12KM

Start your trek today right from your hotel in Amalfi as you follow the Valley of the Dragon that you saw yesterday up to Ravello, another well known spot on the coast. André Gide, a French Novelist, once described this town as “closer to the sky than the seashore” despite it being so near the coast. It’s high position up on the cliffs and sunny, dry climate has drawn many people here for art, music, literature, and traveling. The two major sights in this city are both villas. The first is Villa Rufolo, an 11th century residence of the pope as well as the later home of the composer Wagner. The second is Villa Cimbrone, a 19th century estate with lush gardens and gorgeous views of the Gulf of Salerno. Once you’ve had you fill of this lovely city, trek back down to Amalfi with wonderful views the entire way. 

• Meals Included: Breakfast

Your tour of the Amalfi coast comes to an end today after breakfast, so you are free to depart anytime you’d like. There are no end of opportunities for adventure in this region and elsewhere. There are many cities that are accessible by boat or bus such as Sorrento, Salerno, and Naples where you can catch trains to farther destinations. 

If your Italian adventure is coming to an end too soon, you can add one of Intrepid’s other Italian trips to your itinerary such as the Cinque Terre  that shows you the best of the Ligurian Coast or the Italian Lakes which focuses on Lake Como and Lake Garda. Many departure dates coincide to create perfect longer trips, so ask you guide for assistance or check with your booking agent to see what’s available.