The Best Spot To Hike And Dive On Holiday On The Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is a famously lovely coastal area of Italy and a vacation rental on the Amalfi Coast certainly will offer plenty of opportunity to relax by the sea with a cocktail or a good book or both, to cool down in the bluer than blue waters, to enjoy a whole range of different water sports, to hike while taking in some incredible views, and to generally make the most of some spectacularly beautiful natural surroundings. However, if you have found your villa on the Amalfi Coast and you’re looking to get outdoors, get active, and to enjoy the most untouched and lovely of natural settings, then we suggest setting aside some time to explore the Punta Campanella Marine Reserve. An area of unblemished beauty, this is a highly popular diving spot that boasts some truly extraordinary sights, has great hiking routes in the area, has a flourishing and diverse flora and fauna and marine life, and is swathed in ancient myths of sirens and heroes. For adventurers planning on spending time on vacation in Campania and this part of Italy, it is definitely a must!

Part of an eleven square kilometre reserve, the protected waters of the Punta Campanella Marine Reserve can be found along the last strip of the Sorrento Peninsula, looking out across to the famously chic island of Capri. Long considered a sacred beauty, it is said to be where Ulysses met the Sirens and where he had a temple to the goddess Minerva built to honour her for her protection during his famous long journey and adventures from myth. Much later, in the 1300s, this strip of the coast is where the Saracens built watchtowers to protect the area from attacks by pirates. These periods and those in between and since have all left their mark on the landscape and traces can be found here and there, making underwater diving sessions and hikes both more interesting as one gets to admire the work of human hands and nature intermingling beautifully and remaining untouched by more modern interventions.

For those who have found a holiday rental on the Amalfi Coast and are looking to enjoy the underwater delights of the area, the PADI-certified Nettuno Residence Diving offers a range of different underwater excursions for a wide variety of age groups and diving experience levels from beginners to advanced divers. Some of the different types of excursions that one can go on with the company include snorkelling trips, beginner’s introductory courses for scuba-diving, night diving trips, swimming with barracudas, and cave dives at Capri, to name just a few of the options. The instructors at Nettuno Residence Diving are extremely well-regarded and are authorised to actually have access the Punta Campanella protected marine park on designated days. Plus, from their base at the Nettuno Campground, the company and its instructors have easy access to twenty different dive sites within twenty minutes of the centre, allowing them to really offer those diving with them a whole host of different experiences.

If you are more interested in staying above water and admiring the sights of the area, however, then one of the other great options for exploring the Punta Campanella area is by going hiking. The trail that goes out onto this stretch of the peninsula is actually considered a relatively easy hike and is not especially long, with the option to make it a bit longer or shorter depending on your own preferences, but generally is 4km long and takes two hours (following the path to the lighthouse and then returning all the way back to the beginning). The trail begins from the town square at the centre of the village of Termini with clear signs leading you to the path. And it starts off all downhill, giving you a nice little boost as you begin! Following an ancient Greco-Roman mule track that dates all the way back to the 4th century BC and still has sections with some Roman paving remaining called the Via Minerva, the route brings you to the lighthouse of Punta Campanella. This lighthouse is built next to the remains of one of those Saracen towers and supposedly on the site of that temple dedicated to Athena/Minerva. The path the entire way from the beginning to the lighthouse is relatively easy and level, making it a great option for those looking for a less challenging hike, and passes pleasantly through gardens and olive groves while offering charming views over the coast. 

Those, however, who want something a bit more difficult and to get a better and more panoramic view of the area, can take the signposted road leading to, “Monte San Costanzo,” instead of to the lighthouse or, “Saracen Tower,” at the crossroads. This route up San Costanzo extends uphill to the little Chapel of San Costanzo at the top of the peak and boasts extraordinary panoramas over Massa Lubrense, the Gulf of Naples, Salerno, Vesuvius, and the islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida. If you’re in need of a dip to cool off, you can also go swim in the beautiful Bay of Ieranto but this requires an additional 2 hour hike and is a more demanding route, probably not for everyone. Of course, none of these options might be a goer depending on the weather. One must be careful when planning hikes in the summer, in particular, to factor in just how hot it can get along this trail! Be sure you know what to expect on the day by checking the forecast and planning accordingly, consider going earlier or later to avoid the hottest parts of the day, be sure to bring sunscreen and water, and make sure you cover up to avoid sunburn. It might not be possible to undertake the expedition on the hottest days of the summer. However, if you have found a villa on the Amalfi Coast and are planning an off-season getaway in spring or autumn, in particular, it would be an excellent time to check out this truly scenic and delightful hiking trail!

So, if you’re an outdoorsy type looking to make the most of the loveliness of your surroundings while on vacation on the Amalfi Coast or on holiday in Campania, be sure to check out the Punta Campanella Marine Reserve and this incredibly stunning part of Italy.