Path of the Gods: the hike, the steps down to Positano, and how to plan the day

Which way to walk it, and why direction matters

Almost everyone who has done the hike will tell you the same thing: walk from Bomerano (a hamlet of Agerola) towards Nocelle, not the other way around. Starting in Bomerano means the first stretch is flat-to-gently-undulating along the ridge, so you arrive at the dramatic viewpoints — Grotta del Biscotto, the wide bowl above the sea, the final descent — with fresh legs and the sun mostly behind you in the morning. Walking the reverse direction turns the finish into a long, tiring climb up from Positano, and you do it in the afternoon heat.

The trail itself is a single ridge path with a handful of junctions, waymarked with red-and-white CAI (Club Alpino Italiano) paint and signposts reading "Sentiero degli Dei" or trail number 00. It is not a loop: you start in one town and finish in another, which is the main reason logistics matter more here than on most day hikes.

There is more than one "Path of the Gods" route sold online — some tours use a shorter high path finishing directly by bus, others include the full descent into Positano. Read the itinerary before booking if reaching Positano on foot matters to you.

Guided hike vs self-guided vs private transfer to the trailhead

A guided hike is the easiest option if you don't want to think about bus timetables: someone else handles the trailhead transfer, the pace, and often a stop for local produce along the way. Self-guided with SITA buses is the cheapest, but the buses to Agerola from Amalfi or Positano run on a limited daily schedule, so a missed morning bus can cost you the whole day. A private transfer splits the difference — you still walk unguided, but you're not tied to a public timetable to get to the start.

How long it takes and when to go

• Budget 2–3 hours of actual walking from Bomerano to Nocelle, plus 30–45 minutes for the 1,500 steps down into Positano [VERIFY].
• Add time for photo stops — the ridge has several viewpoints worth lingering at, and midday light is harsher than early morning.
• Start early: aim to be walking by 8:30–9:00am, especially June to September, to avoid the worst heat and the busiest stretch of trail.
• Avoid the hike entirely during or right after heavy rain — sections become slick limestone and genuinely unsafe underfoot.
• Check the forecast for wind and fog on the ridge; visibility drops fast in cloud, and the exposed sections are less pleasant in high wind.
• Winter daylight is short — a December or January start needs to be earlier to finish and descend to Positano before dusk.

What experienced hikers actually pack and do

1. 1Wear proper trail shoes, not trainersThe path is loose rock and dust in dry weeks, muddy and slick after rain. Trainers with flat tread are the single most common cause of turned ankles on this trail; a hiking shoe with ankle support and grip is worth the extra weight in your bag.
2. 2Carry at least 1.5 litres of water per personThere is no reliable water source on the ridge itself. The bar in Bomerano and the cafés in Nocelle are the only refill points, so start full and don't count on buying more mid-route.
3. 3Bring cash for the trailhead bar and any snack stopsSmall kiosks along the route and in Bomerano often don't take cards. A handful of coins also covers the toilet at the Bomerano bus stop, useful before a bus ride with no facilities.
4. 4Layer for the ridge, strip down for the descentThe ridge can be breezy even in summer; the descent into Positano is sheltered and gets hot fast. A light windproof layer that packs small is more useful than a heavy jacket.
5. 5Confirm your return bus time before you start walkingIf finishing in Positano, check the SITA timetable back towards your base before setting off — signal on the trail is patchy, and you don't want to be planning your exit with 2% battery at the bottom of 1,500 steps.

How to save money and avoid the common mistakes

• Take the earliest SITA bus of the day to Agerola/Bomerano — it's the cheapest way to reach the trailhead and avoids the mid-morning queue for tickets and seats [VERIFY].
• Buy your SITA bus ticket before boarding, from a tabaccheria or authorised kiosk — tickets generally aren't sold on board and fines for riding without one are steep [VERIFY].
• Skip a guide if you're comfortable navigating a waymarked ridge trail; the path is well signed and a guide's main value is transport logistics and local commentary, not route-finding.
• Book a guided hike instead if your schedule is tight and a missed bus would wreck your day — the fixed pickup removes the single biggest risk of the self-guided version.
• Pack your own lunch and water rather than relying on the one or two bars along the route, which can run out of stock or be closed off-season.
• If driving, park in Agerola rather than trying to find parking in Positano at the finish — Positano's centre has very limited and expensive parking, and the town is easier to leave by bus or boat than by car.

Getting to the trailhead and away from Positano

From Amalfi, the standard route is a SITA bus up to Agerola/Bomerano, changing or connecting depending on the specific service and time of day [VERIFY]. From Positano, buses also run up to Agerola, meaning you can theoretically start from either end, though starting in Bomerano is still recommended for the reasons above. Journey time from Amalfi to Bomerano by bus is roughly 45–60 minutes depending on traffic and stops [VERIFY].

At the end of the hike, Positano is the natural place to recover: cafés, gelato, and a beach to sit at after the descent. From here you have three realistic ways back to your base — a SITA bus along the coast road, a ferry if the season and weather allow, or a scheduled boat tour if you've timed the hike to finish by early-to-mid afternoon.

Book a Path of the Gods hike from Agerola

Combining the hike with an afternoon boat trip

The hike and a boat trip pair well precisely because they use different muscles and different halves of the day: the ridge walk in the cool of the morning, a boat in the calmer light and warmer air of the afternoon. If you finish the descent into Positano by early afternoon, you're already at one of the coast's main departure points for scheduled boat tours along Praiano, Furore and towards Amalfi or Capri.

Practically, this means booking a boat tour departure from Positano for roughly 2:30–4:00pm, giving yourself a buffer after a mid-morning start on the trail. It's a more relaxing way to see the coastline you've just walked above than doing a second big activity on tired legs — an hour on the water lets you actually rest while still doing something worthwhile with the afternoon.

See afternoon boat tours along the coast

Frequently asked questions