Legend says that the Gods used this ancient footpath from Amalfi to Positano to walk down to the coast where the Sirens beguiled sailors over the centuries. Whatever the reason for the path, it is certainly very spectacular. We are staying at a village called Montepertuso, which is halfway along the path of the gods. On our first day on the Amalfi, we decided to walk the section from Monterpertuso to Amalfi before the weather turned to rain.
Words cannot adequately describe the walk, which follows ancient paths which linked remote villages. Many areas of this region can still only be reached by steep paths of many steps. How on earth they manage to deliver a new refrigerator to some of these houses I have no idea.
We saw very few people on this path (unlike the Cinque Terre walk in northern Italy). In fact, there were more goats than people!!
Every inch was intensively cultivated with vines, herbs, vegies, or lemons and olives. I saw many familiar herbs including rosemary (this seemed to be a favourite of the goats – rosemary flavoured goat anyone), thyme, sage, fennel and borage growing wild. Along the way we passed ruined towers, huge chasms with stalactites and stalagmites, fast flowing streams, shady beech forests, vineyards on rustic trellis, and the ever present view out sea from the path – just a long drop down to the coast mind you!! The houses and villages were built into the cliffs themselves and even the cemeteries were built like multi story blocks of apartments, each burial in a separate compartment stacked one on another.
A very satisfying day. Home on the bus via Amalfi.
No comments:
Post a Comment