The Path Of The Gods // Positano, Italy
My beloved Positano has one more thing to offer! (Yes, I know. I’ve done my share of nagging about my favorite place in Italy, but just bear with me for oneeee last post – the most scenic to date.)
On day 3 of our stay, we got up at the crack of 9 and took the local bus to the nearby village of Priano, just down the coast. Our plan: hike the path of the Gods. A famous, ultra-scenic hike along the coastline teetering high above on the cliffs. All the raving TripAdvisor reviews coupled with our own interests in working off a few cals, it was a perfect day of sweaty picture taking.
While the path up from Priano was a stair stepper’s daydream, the vertical ascent wasn’t as brutal as it looked. A word for travelers, the route isn’t as clearly defined as I’d imaged and a few times we had to consult google maps to ensure we were in fact heading in the appropriate direction. Here is an awesome map to print/save on your phone in advance. I suggest going from Priano to Positano – the views are better and the trail is far more forgiving. For those looking for a longer route, the path actually starts in the town of Furore and also promises spectacular views.
After about 40 minutes of climbing (the burning quads are actually melting gelato) the trail leveled out, with a far more tolerable grade. At this point the scenic vistas start to unfold, leaving little room for any complaints you may have stirred up during the ascent.
As the path continued to level out, we found ourselves zigging and zagging across the mountaintops. Swerving by vineyards (surely these farmers had some sort of secret elevator?) and centuries-old churches. Most captivating though, were the ongoing views of Positano off in the distance. The mountains of the Amalfi Coast peninsula photo unrolling into the distance.
While the trek wasn’t a breezy beach stroll, I appreciated the workout and (obviously) the dramatic views of the coast. I would’ve easily accepted another steep accent for those views.
Following the path back down to Positano, we were faced with endless switchbacks of steps. Steps on steps on steps. Thank goodness we didn’t choose to go the other direction, it was brutal enough descending. Far below us the sea swelled with neon blues beneath the midday sun.
In total the hike took us around 4 hours with multiple photo stops and bench rests. Back in town we treated ourselves to pizza and lemon gelato. Well…truthfully, the pizza and lemon gelato would have happened no matter what, but it tasted extra delicious knowing that we deserved it!
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