The day 2 hike lived up to its reputation of one of the top 10 walks in the world. We started the hike by heading up through villages above Ravello and we eventually left behind the people, vineyards and sheep with their bells and hiked into the mountains which form a spine along the coastline of the Amalfi.
The sheer cliff faces loom above you as you walk, its quiet and very little bird life except for the crows and the odd falcon. As you walk the lizards scatter into the dry leaves which make for the only sounds.
It’s a long hike; we did about 14 kilometers and also tough going at times as you rise to over 600 meters very quickly. The tiny pink cyclamens were blooming deep in the ravines near the waterfalls.
We stopped at an Osteria in a tiny village with an amazing view and had a sublime bowl of homemade pasta with tomato sauce, aubergines and mozzarella, the joy of good food after a long walk is such a rare pleasure, but less so here in Italy where it is a regular event.
Our hotel here in Amalfi, the Hotel Luna Conventa, was a real treat, feels like we have the presidential suite and once again unbelievable views, best spot for a G&T.
Entertainment along the Amalfi…
The piano concerto at the Villa Rufolo was a gem, the music room has great acoustics and the first piece was Schubert’s La Serenade which is quite beautiful. The evening was memorable, but last night was even more special! Maria, the ATG Route Manager kindly gave us a lift to have dinner with Martie and Marina at their hotel; they are 2 days ahead of us on the walk and were in Vettica Maggiore last night. I loved catching up with Martie, comparing sore knees and feet and just generally reveling in another shared experience, what a wonderful friendship to have. Baci.
Time for a Fred chirp....man this walking is something else , especially with an army rationed backpack weighing 30 Kgrms containing everything from suntan lotion to all the binoculars to every camera lens that I ever owned, Oh then, there is also the 2 litres of water in case we don't find water along the way. The first day for me was all about steps, a real killer on the knees. The second day was all about a seriouss hike. I'm sure no Italians do this and if they do they are sure to bring along their vespa scooters.
