Amalfi Coast Archives - Roths Around The World

What to Expect on the Valle delle Ferriere

Amalfi Coast, Europe, Hiking, Italy, Physical Activities

Towards the beginning of the hike – Amalfi is down below

On our attempt in December, we didn’t know what to expect on the Valle delle Ferriere hike, and unfortunately didn’t complete it. But, this time, we were determined to make it happen and experience everything this hike has to offer – and finish it!

Challenging Climb of Valle delle Ferriere (but worth it!)

We spent the night in Ravello, and awoke to wonderful weather filled with sunshine, clear skies, and low humidity. Along with our friends Charlie and Ayessa, Jon and I packed our bags full of granola bars, apples, and a bunch of water. We headed to the start of the Valle delle Ferriere hike (Valley of the Mills) in Pontone.

The trail gets its name from an ancient ironworks factory that lies in the middle. The area is now a natural reserve that sadly, few tourists explore. The trail started on an incline and continued going up, up, up… and then up some more! Just when we would think that we couldn’t possibly go up anymore, there was a whole new set of rock steps waiting for us.

Beginning of Valle delle Ferriere, making our way up the trail

Spectacular Views

Soon into the hike, we saw what we had come for. The mountains were spectacularly framed by the blue sky, and far in the distance, Amalfi was calling out to us. The trail wrapped around high mountains and cliffs. We gazed out to the magnificence of it all, feeling so small in front of such grandeur.

The path took us into a cool and dense forest where we heard the sound of water in the distance. Beautiful waterfalls were pouring down the mountainsides into small rivers and pools of water. We stopped for a rest, took off our shoes, and let the COLD water flow over our feet.

While enjoying the serenity of it all, we snacked and replenished ourselves, poured water on our heads to cool off, and did some exploring of the area to see which direction to take.

Hidden Paths

We unknowingly took the road less traveled and found ourselves hiking a route where the trail was barely visible and barely marked. We climbed over and under trees, and unfortunately got snagged on a number of thorny plants. I was a little bit miserable thinking about what kind of critters were waiting for us in the greenery, but alas, we made it out without any bites or stings.

We ended up passing the “easier” trail as it met up with ours, but where would the fun be if we actually knew where we were going?

1,000 Steps to the End

After 4 hours, we were able to make out some cars in Amalfi and knew that we were close to the end. However, one thing we definitely did not expect on the Valle delle Ferriere was the 1,000 steps to the town! Down, down, down, we went, wondering at every turn when the steps would end. Some people also start this hike going from Amalfi to Pontone. We couldn’t imagine starting this long hike with more than 1,000 steps!

We finally made it to the bottom and felt ourselves gravitating towards food! We sat down at a restaurant and proceeded to order caprese, bruschetta, gnocchi, ravioli, spaghetti, tagliatelle, and a pizza.

Yes, we were hungry and we finished it all! A stop for gelato afterwards put us into a food coma.

There are parts of the Valle delle Ferriere hike that we did not see (another big waterfall and the iron mill and paper mill), perhaps because we took the path that we had to bushwhack our way through…

Either way, we enjoyed this fantastic hike in the company of good friends, on the beautiful Amalfi Coast.

The Hidden Gem that’s Worth the Visit

Amalfi Coast, Europe, Food & Wine, Italy

If you visit Sorrento, you might understand why I consider it the gateway to the Amalfi Coast. While Sorrento isn’t technically part of the Amalfi Coast, driving to it gives you your first taste of the stunning beauty in the area. Take in the scenery, enjoy the tasty food and limoncello, and you’ll easily decide that Sorrento is worth the visit.

Getting to Sorrento

Our first time going to Sorrento was with my parents. My mom was hesitant about going on the twisty winding roads of the Amalfi Coast, but quickly lost any feeling of nausea when she saw the beautiful sights below her.

We found Sorrento to be a much easier drive to get to than the other towns. Parking was easy and because we always went in the off season it wasn’t very crowded at all.

The main street was lined with high-end shops, hotels, and cute restaurants. We walked down a narrow street with touristy shops, filled with art, ceramics, and other Italian souvenirs. Of course we gobbled it up! We walked towards the water and took in the scenery. Sorrento is a charming town and we can see why so many people flock to it.

View from Sorrento — My parents with a nice view!

Learning about Lemons in Sorrento

Sorrento has a ton of limoncello shops that you can go into and try the merchandise. I was surprised to learn that there are other “cello” flavors besides lemon. Meloncello is a very popular one in the area and has a sweeter undertone than the lemon.

But don’t get me wrong, everything here is lemon-centered. The peel of the Sorrento lemon is very rich in essential oils which makes it very fragrant. The lemon juice is high in mineral salts which give it detoxifying and antioxidant properties. Not only are Sorrento lemons used in a ton of cooking dishes, they are used in non-food products as well. They also sell lemon perfume, soaps, lotion, and anything else that would benefit from its beautiful fragrance.

The Unique Charm of Sorrento

Sorrento is filled with beauty, charm, and of course LEMONS! There’s really no other place like it. Whether you travel directly to Sorrento, or visit the town as part of your trip to the Amalfi Coast, you will easily see why it’s worth a visit.

Breathtaking Views on the Amalfi Coast

Amalfi Coast, Europe, Italy

Oh Amalfi Coast, we think you are the most magical place! The breathtaking views on the Amalfi Coast are truly like nothing you have ever experienced. Climb as high as you can go, and you’ll see the most gorgeous swaths of pastels built into hillside cliffs, boats coasting through the water below, and winding roads paralleling the jagged coast, make this area so fantastic. The first of many, many times to the Amalfi Coast was with Jon’s parents Lori and Joe.

First, we all visited Pompeii, and then moved onto the Amalfi Coast. We had a driver take us around to make things a little bit easier for everyone. Everything we had heard about driving on the Amalfi Coast is true, and we’re so glad that we didn’t have to drive it ourselves during our initiation into the area. In the future, we drove it many times on our own. The twists, narrow roads, speedy cars, buses, and scooters were enough to make anyone feel a little queasy. But it made this trip quite exciting!

The Amalfi Coast - Amalfi & Positano — Positano from above

Exploring Amalfi

We visited the town of Amalfi, which is a quaint town on the water. It has an older feel to it than the other towns on the coast, with a Duomo and piazza. It also has many ceramic and glass shops. At one such store, we bought decorative oil and vinegar holders, as well as salt and pepper holders.

Duomo The Amalfi Coast - Amalfi & Positano — Amalfi Duomo

Next, we went back up the coast, above Positano, to eat lunch at Fattoria La Tagliata. Overlooking the sea and cliffs, we ate like kings with eight different antipasti, four different pastas, and four different desserts! And of course, we can’t forget about the many limoncello drinks. Simply delicious!

Positano’s Charm

Positano is located in a beautiful valley, and it opens up to a magnificent stretch of coastline. The very narrow streets with boutiques on either side of them are pretty charming. Winding pathways and staircases guaranteed that we had amazing views around every corner!

We were fortunate to live so close to the Amalfi Coast that we were able to come back with future guests. There are so many towns along the Amalfi Coast, and each have their own charm, purpose, and breathtaking views, but Amalfi and Positano consistently stand out, with good reason!

With each visit, we discovered something new in this area. The changing seasons, new perspectives, and infinite opportunities in this area make it the perfect place to visit again and again.