The Amalfi Coast Walk

Experience Overview

Travelling at your own pace, you'll combine the elegance of eternal favourites like Ravello, Positano and Sorrento with discoveries most travellers never make such as farmers harvesting olives, fishermen crouched over brightly painted boats mending their nets and the bird's eye view of the entire peninsula from the Path of the Gods above Positano. From Ravello, whose exotic formal gardens at Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone seem to float ethereally between sea and sky, your route takes you first to Positano's chic pastel houses and enticing pebble beach. It's then on to Marina del Cantone, and the hidden shingle coves few visitors ever find. Finally you reach cliff-top Sorrento. With balcony views over Vesuvius, it's a great base to visit Pompeii or Herculaneum by train, or Capri or Ischia by boat.
Profile
— 8 nights hotel-to-hotel accommodation — All breakfasts — 5 days walking (including two optional walks) — Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent — Route directions and maps
At a Glance
— 8 nights hotel-to-hotel accommodation — All breakfasts — 5 days walking (including two optional walks) — Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent — Route directions and maps
Trip For You
Average daily distance on move on days: 9.2km ( 5.9miles). Please note that these are the average distances for the shorter walks , however on two of the days there is the option to extend the walk. No. of days Walking: 5 (Including two optional walks) Terrain: This holiday follows stone steps, coastal paths and some forest trails. You need to be a reasonably fit and confident walker, as the frequent ascents and descents, particularly on the coastal paths, make this a more demanding holiday than the distances suggest. On day 3 guests with a fear of heights may have problems with certain sections. Walkers with knee problems may have difficulty descending the stone steps and walking poles are strongly recommended. Vehicle Support: This is a self-guided trip for those who prefer to walk independently, but with our assistance to take out the stress of the logistics and planning. We arrange your accommodations, provide you with GPS route notes so that you can walk at your own pace. As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. There may be others on the same departure date as you, but you will not be organised together. The route notes contain a 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number should you need it and in emergencies, the local representative is normally able to dispatch a taxi. They may wish to charge for this service.
Group Description
As this is a self-guided holiday there is no group and no leader. A local representative is on hand to assist you and will meet you at the beginning of the week to go through the route notes and point out particular places of interest. Your luggage is transferred and route notes and maps are provided. Please note: the walking and luggage transfers included in this tour are subject to a minimum of 2 people (in total) booked on the departure. A supplement (payable in advance) to cover these transfers and sole occupancy of a room will apply if only 1 person travelling on a departure date.
Eating Drinking
The cuisine on the Bay of Naples uses the freshest vegetables and the famous mozzarella cheese is always on the menu. Try it in salad with sweet tomatoes, baked with aubergine slices or on its own with an accompaniment of herbs. Fresh fruit features heavily too - figs are often used in antipasti along with slices of ham and what better way to finish off a meal than with a slice of fresh water melon? Pizza is a favourite dish all over Italy, but nowhere more so than here (it was invented in Naples!). The thinnest of bases are cooked in the hottest of wood ovens and are garnished with a mouth-watering variety of toppings. The Amalfi Coast itself is not a wine area as such: the terraces are often too high for the vines to flourish. The region of Campania, however, has a number of good wines from vineyards further inland. Vines flourish too in the rich soil near Mount Vesuvio. Look out for Lacrima Christi del Vesuvio.
Transportation
On some of the days we will transfer you to the start of your walk and one day you will pay locally for a 20 minute bus ride to take you to Ravello.
Joining Instructions
Alternative Air TravelAlternative flights, onward rail to your holiday area, and connecting private transfers can be arranged from most UK airports. If you would like to use one of the many 'low cost' airlines, we can book these on your behalf (£30 admin fee per person). We can also book UK shuttles to connect with your onward flight, please call for details and prices. Alternative transfersIf you require alternative transfers (because you will be arriving at a different time to our standard flights), then we can usually arrange these for you (there may be an additional charge). Self Drive We can arrange various channel crossings for you. Please call for details and prices.
Transfer Details
Air prices include our standard flights/transfersBritish Airways Gatwick to Naples 06:35/10:20 transfer to hotel 80 minutes. Return: Transfer to airport 70 minutes British Airways Naples to Gatwick 11:05/12:55. Standard transfersStandard return transfers are only included for flight inclusive bookings from Naples airport at 10:20, and back to naples airport at 07:00. Customers booking a land only trip will be able to add arrival/departure transfers at a supplement payable in advance.
Weather Information
Southern Italy, like much of the Mediterranean, has a hot, dry climate in summer and cooler but sometimes wet spring and autumn periods. Unseasonable cold spells and rain are possible at any time of year, so we recommend bringing some warm clothes, especially useful in Bomerano where evening temperatures can be lower than expected. Summer can be very hot with daytime temperatures in July and August reaching up to 34-37°C on the coast. What to expect in the low season (October – March) A common misconception about the Amalfi Coast is that it is very warm and year round. However, autumn and winter months may be cooler than you’d expect; although usually milder than Northern Italy, average temperatures in December, January and February range from lows of around 8°C to highs of 15-17°C. Travellers should be prepared for periods of colder weather (with temperatures sometimes dropping to 2°C) especially at higher elevations – there may even be snow atop the Lattari Mountains and sometimes in Bomerano itself! During the winter up to early spring there is also more rain than usual (with an average of one day in four affected) but there are still plenty of enjoyable crisp sunny days. Overall the Amalfi Coast is still a great destination in winter as the coastline is beautiful year-round and you have the chance to visit the sights without the summer crowds and traffic.
Spending Money
— For lunches not included, you should budget €10-20, depending on whether you choose a set menu in a café or restaurant. — Approximately €25-30 should be enough for an evening meal including drinks. — LOCAL TAXES: many Italian cities have recently introduced a tourist tax for non-residents. The local administration is in charge of the tax, which will be collected by the accommodation provider at check-in or check-out. This fee varies depending on the hotel category, the season and number of days of stay. It is usually between €0.50 and €1.50 per person per night. For this trip, please allow between €5 and €10, depending on the season, for the week. Children and people aged 75 or over are exempt from this tax.

Highlights