Amalfi to Ravello Walking Guide

Walking from town to town is one of the best ways to explore the Amalfi Coast. The walk from Amalfi to Ravello is a beautiful hidden gem, which takes you through winding paths, offering breathtaking views, lemon groves and garden villas.

This walking guide will provide you with all the details to complete this moderate journey.

Amalfi to Ravello Trail Information

• Distance: 10.9km
• Elevation Gain: 688m
• Route: Loop
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Washrooms: scattered throughout Ravello’s restaurants

Best Time to Visit the Amalfi Coast and Ravello

The best time to visit Amalfi and Ravello is in the spring (March to early June) and autumn (September and October). Temperatures are mild and range between 20°C-25°C. The streets are less crowded than in the peak season during July and August.

I visited in the month of March. During my stay, I did not encounter anyone on this route. Ravello is much quieter than neighbouring Amalfi or Positano and more difficult to reach.

As some of the villas and gardens were closed during my visit, I’d recommend visiting anytime past mid April. The ferries, shops and all services along the Amalfi coast will be fully operational by then.

Getting to the Trailhead

This route can be done in either direction starting in the town of Amalfi. Both directions begin and end with stairs. I chose to walk north of Amalfi towards Pontone first, as the hills provided more shade in the early morning.

From the Amalfi Cathedral (Duomodi Amalfi), walk approximately 400 meters north on Via Lorenzo D’Amalfi. There will be a small set of stairs on the right-hand side, which is very easy to miss. This turnoff is the beginning of the trailhead towards Ravello.

Amalfi to Ravello

The stairs will continue for the next 1.2km and gain over 200 meters in elevation. This elevation isn’t awful, but after several days of ascending and descending stairs, your legs will begin to ache.

I would best describe this trail as a neighbourhood walk. Unlike the Path of the Gods along the coast, this walk is very much through small towns, small side streets and along main roads.

While I did not find it as enjoyable or secluded as some of the other hikes along the coast, the walk from Amalfi to Ravello is still beautiful and provides some stunning views of the coastline. It perhaps provides a deeper look into the small quaint neighbourhoods of Ravello and Amalfi.

Once past all the stairs, there will be an optional detour to head south for a lookout point, Belvedere dalla Torre. This route is an out and back trail and provides more views of the coast.

Having achy hips, I decided to skip this section and regretted it immensely. This trail is an additional 1km (2km return) and I would recommend it, as it’s probably one of the more scenic viewpoints on this trail (according to Google images at least).

Continuing along the trail, the path will lead towards the small town of Pontone. This section can be done on a smaller trail that runs parallel to the road. It jumps back and forth between the trail and road, eventually just connecting with the road completely. Take extra caution when walking alongside the road or plan your route early in the morning to avoid lots of traffic.

The Town of Ravello

The trail will veer off the road once again and makes its way up a set of stairs towards the Church of Santa Maria a Gradillo (Chiesa di Santa Maria a Gradillo). This catholic church was built in the 11^th century and marks the entrance to the town of Ravello.

Ditching the main road, the trail will turn into stone foot paths, as it weaves through the small streets of Ravello. Walk through the stone arches and make your way to the main plaza, Piazza Duomo. Here, you can enjoy some coffee or the views of the terraced homes along the hillside.

The pathway will continue towards the impressive Villa Cimbrone and its famous gardens. I visited in March and was sad to see the villa was only opening on April 1^st. Another beautiful viewpoint I missed out on.

If you get a chance to visit Ravello when the gardens are opened, I would highly recommend going to this villa. The entrance fee is 7 euros and provides stunning views of the coast and lush gardens.

The Road back to Amalfi

Looping around Villa Cimbrone, the trail will lead past many lemon groves and terraced hillside views. If you are lucky enough, you may even enjoy some free lemons along the way.

After walking along several paths hugging, the coast, the trail will begin to descend back down towards the town of Amalfi. Once again, the path becomes stone stairs that are rather steep.

Gorgeous views of neighbouring towns Minori and Maiori can be seen in the distance. Descend through the quaint neighborhoods of Amalfi before joining the main road. The walkways run parallel, or you can walk along the road. Seeing how I needed to catch a train, I chose the quicker route and walked along the road.

This road will pass by a few beaches including Spiaggia di Castiglion and Spiaggia di atrane. Following this route will lead you back to the main square of Amalfi and concludes the walk.

Further Exploring in the Amalfi Coast

A visit to the Amalfi Coast would not be complete without hiking the famous Path of the Gods.

But, if you want to ditch the crowds, head over to the Valle delle Ferriere and explore the hillside of Amalfi.