Sentiero degli Dei – the Path of the Gods is the most known and most popular hikes on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The scenery here is breathtaking! So if you are looking to do some hiking when visiting the Amalfi Coast, the Path of the Gods hike is not to be missed.
But what to expect, what to know in advance, how to get to/ from the Path of Gods, and which trail is best? Can you do this hike with kids and is it even worth it?
In this guide, we share our experience and useful tips for hiking the Path of the Gods. You can also find a map and practical information for getting to the trailhead and where to go after finishing the hike. Because – well, there are just so many options that it can get really overwhelming trying to figure it all out (but once you do, it’s really simple).
So I hope that this guide will make it easier to understand how it all fits together and to include Sentiergo degli Dei into your Naples – Amalfi Coast trip itinerary. Find out!
Path of the Gods hike – overview:
This is the official data for the Path of the Gods, a one-way hike starting in Bomerano (Agerola) and ending in Nocelle:
- Start/end: Bomerano to Nocelle (see the trailhead on Google maps + see also our detailed map below).
- Distance: 7.8 km.
- Time: 1.5 – 2 hours.
- Difficulty: Easy/medium. The trail goes slightly downhill, with little elevation change.
Season: The trail is accessible the whole year-round, but the best months for hiking the Path of the Gods are April – May and September – October. In summer, it’s very hot and in winter it can be really muddy and there is a risk of landslides. Our guide told us that he would never recommend hiking here when it’s hot (basically July – August) or in hard rain/ thunderstorms.
Our experience: We hiked Sentiero degli Dei at the beginning of April and it was just perfect. We started with sweaters and rain jackets, but after a while, a sweater was more than sufficient. The temperatures changed a lot in a short time, especially when the sun came out or disappeared behind the clouds. Also, rain was on the forecast for that day and we were thinking of canceling the hike. Luckily we didn’t – in the end, we didn’t get any rain at all. So you just never know what you get when hiking here in the shoulder season.
Good to know: In addition to the ‘official’ trail, you’ll need to walk to the start of the Path of the Gods from Bomerano village. This adds 1 kilometer and about 20 minutes of hiking time. Plus, you’ll have to get to Positano after you reach Nocelle. Depending on where you go, this can add a couple of thousand stairs and a few hours to the total hiking time.
It took us 2 hours to hike the Path of the Gods from the official start near Bomerano to finish in Nocelle. This includes a stop for a picnic. So if you don’t stop anywhere, you could probably do it in about 1.5 hours. However, the entire hiking time from the town of Bomerano to Positano (including everything) took us about 3.5 hours.
You can find a MAP and more information about all these options below. All in all, you really need to count at least half a day for the Path of the Gods.
TIP: If you find the practicalities overwhelming already, just do as we did and book a guided tour that includes transfers. We opted for this private tour (we started from Positano). If you are staying in Sorrento, a small-group tour is a great (and cheaper) option. Here you can find more tour and transfer options for this hike.
Please note that sometimes companies organizing these tours take them offline in the lower season so the exact tour we did may not show up, but there should always be at least a few options available since this hike can be done in any season.
What to expect
The Path of the Gods is the most beautiful hiking trail on the Amalfi Coast. Its name probably says it all – locals consider the scenery worthy of the gods…
Indeed, this trail gives you access to some of the most spectacular scenery in the area.
As you hike, you can enjoy unparalleled views of the nicest stretch of the Amalfi Coast right in front of you. You can see spectacular bays and coastlines, as well as the town of Praiano and Punta Campanella below. During the entire hike, you can also see Positano, several smaller islands, and also Capri Island in the distance.
The scenery along the Path of the Gods is also more varied than I thought at first. From rocky walls, interesting caves, and rock formations, to historic ruins (some as old as 11-12th centuries), farming lands, or steep cliffsides – there’s always something nice to see along the way.
We also met some locals who live along the Path of the Gods. Apparently, they still transport things using horses, etc. Walking here gives you a glimpse into a more authentic side of the Amalfi Coast than what you see by the coast in Positano or Amalfi.
In addition, the village of Nocelle where the trail ends is really nice and picturesque too. We stopped for a cold drink at a small café at the end of the trail, and afterwards walked to the small square in front of the church. The views from there are really nice and it’s worth a small detour (you wouldn’t normally pass there if you don’t go towards the stairs in the direction of Positano).
Map of Sentiero degli Dei
Below, you can see the map of the Sentiero degli Dei hiking trail.
As you can see, this is a one-way trail between the hilltop villages or Bomerano (Agerola) and Nocelle, with a possibility to connect from Praiano.
In addition, at a certain moment, the Path of the Gods splits in two, and you can choose to hike via the lower or the upper trail (more about it further below).
Please note that Nocelle and Bomerano are located high on the hill, whereas the towns of Praiano and Positano are located a few hundred meters lower by the sea. So unless you are prepared for a very steep climb, be sure to take a transfer to the trailhead.
See below for more information about which trails are best and why.
Where does the Path of the Gods hike start and end?
The official Sentiero degli Dei hiking path starts in the village of Bomerano in Agerola municipality and ends in Nocelle. Both these villages are located high on the hill overlooking the Amalfi Coast.
You can also do this hike in the other direction, or hike there and back the same way. In addition, it’s also possible to start or end in Praiano (located by the sea) which has separate access to the Path of Gods via the steep stairs.
As you can imagine, the distance, duration, and difficulty of this hike will depend on the route you choose. In addition, you have to take into account that you have to get to/from Agerola and Nocelle.
So for example, if you end in Nocelle and decide not to wait for a bus to bring you back down to the coast, you will have to walk down to Positano. Also here, you have a few options on which route you take and this will make your entire hike much longer than the official numbers of the hike might make you think.
Below, you can find practical information and more details about the possible options where to start/ end.
Which trail is best?
As already mentioned, there are several options for how to hike the Path of the Gods.
The best and most popular route is starting in Bomerano (Agerola) and walking to Nocelle. That way, you walk a bit downhill and are looking towards the nicest scenery in front of you all the time.
In addition, when the trail splits in two (the red dotted line on the map above). Here, take the lower path (red line on our map). We did the Path of the Gods hike with a local guide and he told us that this is the most scenic route.
So when you see the signs showing Nocelle to the right and Nocelle/ Praiano to the left, take the latter. Just don’t take the stairs down to Praiano when you get to them and continue to Nocelle via this lower trail.
If you take this lower path, you’ll also pass a drinking fountain. It’s a good place (and the only one) to refill your water bottles.
Our guide warned us that the lower path is a bit more exposed and not suitable for people with fear of heights. But we found that it was perfectly fine. We had done many other hikes which were incomparably more exposed (like Lago Sorapis in the Italian Dolomites or Oeschinensee in Switzerland to mention just a few), so the Path of the Gods hike didn’t look challenging to us at all.
But if you think you could have issues with vertigo or if you are hiking with very young children, you may opt for the upper path here instead.
Good to know: If you don’t feel like arranging transport to Bomerano, you could also consider starting in Praiano. However, be prepared for a very steep uphill climb! Also, keep in mind that you’ll miss a big part of the Path of the Gods trail since you’ll only join it halfway.
If you start in Arienzo (next to Positano), you’ll have to do about 1500 stairs to Nocelle. If you are very fit, this could be an option too, but keep in mind that you’ll be hiking uphill all the time and will still need to make your way back to the coast afterward.
Getting to the trailhead
Bomerano village where the Path of the Gods starts can be reached by car. In that case, you’ll have to do the hike both ways – to Nocelle and then again back to your car. Also, keep in mind that the roads to get to Bomerano are very steep and narrow.
We also passed a few places that had ZTL signs (limited traffic zones) – you can’t enter these zones by car if you don’t live there. I guess there are alternative roads too, but since we didn’t drive here ourselves, I cannot comment on how easy it is.
There is free street parking in Bomerano, but it’s rather limited. The best place to park is near the stadium. At the moment of writing, it costs 5 euros per day.
You can also get to Bomerano (Agerola) by bus from Amalfi town. So you’ll first have to make your way to Amalfi and then take a bus to Agerola.
In summer, there is also a shuttle bus to Agerola from Amalfi. It’s organized by a local ferry company.
The easiest way to get to the Path of the Gods is by booking a transfer (taxi) or a guided tour. Since taxis are very expensive on the Amalfi Coast, we found that a tour was a better option – more info below.
Tours & transfers
Unless you want to drive (really not recommended in general – see our tips for visiting the Amalfi Coast for more info) or spend hours on buses, the easiest way to get to the start of the Path of the Gods is by booking a transfer (e.g. this transfer from Positano).
Just keep in mind that the transfer/taxi can sometimes be just as expensive (if not more) than going with a tour. It depends on the number of people in your group, the season, etc. In any case, book it in advance because it will likely cost you double otherwise.
TIP: If you want to save yourself all the trouble of getting to/from the trail and not worry about the practicalities, you can also do the Path of the Gods hike with a guided tour. This is what we did.
There are a couple of choices, depending on where you want to start. This highly-rated tour from Sorrento is one of the best options for hiking the Path of the Gods. It’s a small-group guided tour that includes all the transfers.
Our experience: We also did the Sentiergo degli Dei hike with a guided tour. Since we stayed in Positano, we opted for a private tour and had a very good experience.
I have to add that we are avid hikers and normally wouldn’t even consider hiring a guide for an easy hike like this. The main reason was to have someone bring us to the starting point of the trail, and taking a taxi turned out to be almost the same price as hiring a private guide with a transfer. So we decided to do that and really enjoyed having a local guide to share some stories and fun facts along the way. It was also nice not to have to worry about anything for a change.
Getting back at the end of the hike: from Nocelle to Positano
As you can see on the map, the Path of the Gods trail ends in Nocelle. It’s a small village high on the mountain, above Positano. There are several options on how to get from Nocelle down to Positano:
- By bus, taxi, or tour/ transfer. This is by far the easiest way to get back to ‘civilization’ after the hike.
- Stairs. There are about 1500 stairs from Nocelle to Arienzo, which is a village just next to Positano. Then, you’ll have to walk about 1 km next to the main road to Positano. This is the option we took – and boy, those stairs were steep! I still feel my knees tremble… It was actually the most challenging part of the hike for us.
- Via a higher route via Montepertuso. This is a somewhat easier trail to get to (the upper part of) Positano. According to our guide, it will likely take you 1.5-2 hours depending on where exactly you have to be in Positano.
Some practical information
Here is some additional practical information that you may want to know when planning to hike the Path of the Gods:
Gear: You need good hiking shoes for this hike. I wore low hiking shoes like this and my husband similar shoes like this. They were just perfect for this trail. When it’s dry, you should be ok with sporty sneakers (our kids wore this type of sneakers and didn’t have any issues at all).
If it’s wet, hiking poles can be helpful as well, especially if you are also planning to walk down to Positano after the hike.
Facilities: There are cafes/ restaurants in Bomerano and in Nocelle. There is also one (seasonal) café on the Path of the Gods trail itself. There is also one water fountain where you can refill your water bottles. You can find it where the lower section of the Path of Gods hike meets the staircase to Praiano.
There are no bathrooms on the trail (unless maybe at the seasonal café). So be sure to use a bathroom in Bomerano before you start.
What to pack: Take a backpack with some small snacks or a picnic lunch and lots of drinking water. Depending on the season and the weather, it might be a good idea to pack a rain jacket or at least a light sweater. It’s much cooler on the trail than by the sea. In summer, sun protection is a must since there is almost no shade along this hike, and it can get really hot.
Hiking the Path of the Gods with kids
The Path of the Gods is a rather easy hike. IF you start in Bomerano and end in Nocelle, I think you could do this hike with kids from about 4-5 years (if they are avid hikers) or otherwise, from about 5-6 years. As already mentioned before, you may also want to take the upper path to avoid the steepest narrow sections.
Also, keep in mind that you’ll need to get down to Positano at the end of the hike. If you decide to do this via the stairs or the longer upper trail, you have to consider that it will be significantly more tiring than the hike itself. With younger kids, I’d opt for a bus/taxi at the end of the hike.
Also, keep in mind that a lot will depend on the weather on the day when you hike. It’s really not a hike to do with young kids in the middle of a hot summer’s day.
Our experience: We hiked the Path of the Gods with our three kids age 11-13 and they had no issues at all. For them, it was an easy and enjoyable hike. It was made even more pleasant by a small dog that joined us in Bomerano and stayed with us through the entire hike (I sure hope he got back home safely afterward). The only part our kids didn’t like is walking next to the main road from Arienzo to our accommodation in Positano. It felt more tiring than the hike itself.
Is Path of the Gods worth it?
With all the trouble of getting to the start/ end of the trail, you may wonder if the Path of the Gods is actually worth all the trouble. My answer is – it depends.
If you are visiting the Amalfi Coast in the spring or in the fall and have half a day to spare, yes, the Path of the Gods is absolutely worth it. The scenery is amazing and you get to experience a more local side of the Amalfi Coast that you wouldn’t see otherwise.
If, however, you are visiting in the summer when it’s very hot and busy and can’t get to the trail before 9-10 am, I think I’d skip it. It’s crazy busy and it’s not the best hike to do when temperatures are over 30°C.
Where to Stay
Path of the Gods hike is a rather short hike that you can do in half a day, so you don’t absolutely have to stay nearby in order to do it. Here are a few things to consider:
- If you don’t want to worry about transportation and want to come here with a tour, then stay in Sorrento. Overall, it’s the best place to stay in the area if you are planning on doing lots of sightseeing not just on the Amalfi Coast, but also to Capri, Pompeii, Mt Vesuvius, etc.
- If you are planning on using public transportation to get to the Path of the Gods hike trailhead, then stay in Amalfi town. There’s a direct bus between Amalfi and Agerola/Bomerano. Of course, you can also use public transport to get to Amalfi from other towns in the area as well.
- If you have a car or are planning on booking a taxi to bring you to the trailhead, then you can just stay anywhere along the Amalfi Coast. We stayed in Positano. From there, you can book a private transfer to the Path of the Gods trailhead, and you can easily walk back to Positano at the end of the hike.
Path of the Gods FAQ
How long does it take to hike the Path of Gods?
The Path of the Gods hike from Bomerano to Nocelle takes about 2 hours. However, if you have to get back down to Positano on foot, you’ll need at least an extra hour. All in all, count 3.5 – 4 hours for the entire hike.
Is the Path of the Gods a difficult hike?
No, the Path of the Gods is not a difficult hike. In fact, the trail is rather easy with some moderate steeper sections. A lot also depends on which trail you choose exactly. But if you hike the official trail from Bomerano to Nocelle, it’s something most people in reasonable condition should be able to do without any issues.
Where does Path of the Gods start and end?
The Path of the Gods starts in Bomerano in Agerola municipality. The hike ends in the hilltop village of Nocelle, just above Positano on the Amalfi Coast.
Is the Path of the Gods worth it?
The Path of the Gods is well worth it and the scenery is amazing. That being said, it’s not something I’d do if you only have a day on the Amalfi Coast. But if you have at least 2 days in the area, it’s definitely something to put on your bucket list.
Can you start the Path of the Gods hike in Praiano or Positano?
While it is possible to start the Path of the Gods hike in Praiano or Positano, you would have to climb thousands of stairs on a very steep hill that and it would leave you exhausted before you even start the hike. Furthermore, the trail in the direction of Bomerano goes a bit uphill too. So we do not recommend doing this.
So, this is our guide to hiking the Path of the Gods on the Amalfi Coast.
I hope that it answers all your questions and helps you plan your trip. If you have any additional questions that we might have forgotten to cover, feel free to leave a reply below, and we’ll try to help. But please read all the information in the article first.
Have a great trip!
More inspiration and travel tips for the Amalfi Coast and the surroundings:
Amalfi Coast:
- Travel Tips for Visiting the Amalfi Coast
- Amalfi Coast Itinerary(1 to 5 days)
- Where to Stay on the Amalfi Coast
- How to Get to the Amalfi Coast from Naples
Naples:
- Best Things to Do in Naples
- 1 Day in Naples
- Where to Stay in Naples
- Best Day Trips from Naples
- Mt Vesuvius (complete guide on how to visit)
Capri Island:
- Best Things to Do on Capri Island
- Where to Stay in Capri
- Anacapri
- How to Visit Capri from Sorrento
For many more destinations, please see our Italy travel guide.
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