Itinerary to discover Ravello, Amalfi and its hamlets by retracing the Via Maestra dei Villaggi.
Maximum number of participants: 20
Availability: year-round (except Amalfi Lemon Experience and Hostaria Acquolina open from 01/03 to 31/10).
Recommended mode of transport:
SITA South Bus (overland).
Itinerary
The proposal combines a tour in Amalfi with a visit to the Paper Museum and Salvatore Aceto’s farm, a medium-difficulty trek that follows the Via Maestra dei Villaggi, and finally a tour in Ravello combined with a downhill trek that passes through Atrani and arrives back in Amalfi.
Day 1 - Amalfi City Tour
Amalfi is among the most visited tourist destinations in Italy: its unmistakable historic center and, all around it, terraces planted with lemon trees, watchtowers and bell towers, and then the convent-hotels with their Moorish cloisters, still hold special surprises in store at the beginning of the 21st century.
A short walk from the bustling Piazza Duomo, a network of narrow alleys and steep steps lead to unique and quiet corners where art, culture and nature express the spirit and history of Amalfi and Southern Italy.
It all starts with a unique guided tour, from Bussola Square and then continuing through the narrow alleys of the ancient Amalfi “qasba” to the monumental heart of the city and visiting its Cathedral of St. Andrew, the Paradise Cloister, the nearby Diocesan Museum and the Crypt, which is the spiritual heart of Amalfi. But it’s not over! We will reach the Handmade Paper Museum in Amalfi and the Aceto family farm to live an authentic lemon experience, in contact with the history and techniques of production and processing of the typical “sfusato amalfitano”: you cannot miss the tasting of a lemonade, lemon cake and a taste of artisanal limoncello!
Meeting point: Compass Square
Tourincludes: tour guide service
Entrance fees: extra
Duration: 2/3 hours
Day 2 - Via Maestra dei Villaggi
Today the Via Maestra dei Villaggi is a scenic urban trekking route, but since the Middle Ages it represented the main ‘road’ connecting the urban center of Amalfi and the farmhouses located westward, all the way up to Agerola.
The guided tour departs from Piazza Flavio Gioia and through the steps of the Vagliendola district, reaches the Cieco locality, and then continues, among lemon-growing terraces and breathtaking mid-Coast views, between the villages of Pastena, Lone until reaching Pogerola.
The church of Our Lady of the Pine, “o mur avet,” the widening of Apotheca Street, the belvedere of F. R. Unterberger, and then the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, Palavena Street at the foot of Mount Gaudio, are just some of the authentically beautiful places on this route.
All around, often white-colored “houses” preserve ancient extradosed vaults, terraces with pergolas and steps peeking out from lemon groves or vegetable gardens that are still cultivated.
A stop at a typical restaurant in the Pogerola valley, under the shade of a cool pergola, will be an opportunity to savor specialties of the local gastronomy, to make one’s mouth water! Hostaria Acquolina in Pogerola is a taste atelier where you can enjoy an authentic culinary experience characterized by typical and genuine flavors accompanied by a fusion touch and innovative techniques.
The tour concludes with a descent to Amalfi amid the scents of the Mediterranean scrub, via Via Nova, or via Pietralata and Via dello Spinale.
The tour involves quite a bit of uphill stairs, and yet it can be modified and adapted to any need.
Meeting point: Flavio Gioia Square
Tourincludes: tour guide service
Entrance fees: extra
Duration: 7/8 hours (including lunch break)
Day 3 - Ravello City Tour
Ravello is among the most famous resorts on the Amalfi Coast and certainly deserves a guided tour for its enchanting villas, ancient palaces, and historic center surrounded by hanging gardens overlooking the sea. From the central Bishop’s Square, one will enter the Cathedral of St. Pantaleon (11th cent.), which captivates visitors with its bronze doors, mosaic ambos and much more. Just a short walk away is the Villa Rufolo, where strolling through the Moorish cloisters and its exotic gardens provides a medieval and romantic atmosphere. Stories, tales, and anecdotes will accompany visitors to Villa Cimbrone, which American writer Gore Vidal called the most beautiful belvedere in the world!
The guided tour continues by mule tracks and steps through lemon and olive groves all the way down to Atrani the smallest town in Italy! Then on to the historic center of Amalfi.
Meeting point: Largo G. Boccaccio
Tourincludes: tour guide service
Entrance fees: extra
Duration: 4/5 hours
Gallery
Useful Information
What to bring:
- Water bottle
- Snack
- Comfortable shoes
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
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Organizers
Partners
hostariaacquolina.it
info@hostariaacquolina.it
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