Agerola is a splendid terrace on the Amalfi Coast, a destination for hikers and lovers of good food. From here, in fact, many trekking routes start, including, from the hamlet of Bomerano, the now very famous “Sentiero degli dei” (Path of the Gods), which, through a spectacular and evocative walk on the Lattari Mountains overlooking the coastal sea, leads to Positano.
But the Path of the Gods is not the only reason to visit this less-traveled location far from mass tourism: there are many places of interest, especially for fans of experiences in contact with nature,who appreciate the philosophy of slow and eco-sustainable tourism, more meditative and self-reflective.
📣 On this page you will find everything you need to know about visiting Agerola and not missing a single one of its specialties.
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How to get to Agerola
Agerola is the only town located in the coastal territory, but belonging to the province of Naples. Reaching it is not difficult, thanks to the excellent connections it has that allow it to be easily reached either by public transportation or by private car.
✅ If you prefer to travel by car, starting from the north take the Autostrada del Sole highway to Naples. Arriving in Naples (from which it is about 45 km away), take the A3 Naples-Salerno highway, and continue to San Giovanni. At the Castellammare di Stabia exit, exit the highway and take the SS145, continuing in the direction of Gragnano, until you reach Agerola.
✅ If, on the other hand, you are departing from the South, you can continue on the A3 Salerno – Reggio Calabria highway until the Castellammare di Stabia exit, and then continue, as described before.
✅ If you prefer to rely on public transportation, the nearest train station is Castellammare di Stabia (about 15 km from Agerola), from which there are numerous direct daily connections of the SITA SUD bus lines to Agerola.
✅ If you are leaving from Naples, we recommend using the circumvesuviana train service to get to Sorrento, and from there take a SITA bus. There are also numerous daily SITA bus routes to Amalfi, Salerno, Naples and Castellammare di Stabia.
📣 The nearest airport is Naples Capodichino.
During your stay in Agerola or other locations on the Amalfi Coast you may need information to organize your travel arrangements. Getting around along the winding State Road 163 Amalfitana is not the easiest, whether you are traveling by car or by public transportation. For this reason, we have created for you “How to move around the Amalfi Coast without stress,” a handy free guide with all the strategic information for getting around the Amalfi Coast, including the valuable parking guide.
Where to sleep in Agerola
📣 Choosing between many solutions can be stressful.
To help you, we have selected for you the best accommodations in and around Agerola!
What to See in Agerola: Tours and Excursions
Agerola is the ideal place for lovers of nature, trekking and good food. A number of hiking trails start from here, from the most challenging to the easiest, all of which can provide evocative and exciting experiences. Home of taste and offspring of a long agricultural and dairy tradition, Agerola has several agritourisms and restaurants where you can delight in typical Agerola products. Also numerous are the churches and places of archaeological cultural interest.
What to see in Agerola
Agerola, in addition to guarding an important landscape and food and wine heritage, also holds valuable works of architectural and cultural interest.
📍 The remains of the Lauritano Castle, a stronghold made of limestone and surrounded by greenery. It is located in the hamlet of San Lazzaro at a vantage point from which there is a spectacular view of the Amalfi Coast.
📍 The Sanctuary of Maria SS. del Rosario, which houses a statue considered miraculous.
📍 The Church of Santa Maria la Manna, on the other hand, where the Madonna della Manna, made in the 13th century by Nicola Monteforte, is kept. The cult of the Madonna della Manna is linked to a curious religious tradition: in memory of the miracle performed by the Madonna, who exuded a heavenly liquid, during the month of August the Madonna’s face is washed.
📍 The Church of St. Matthew the Apostle: the monumental church of 16th-century origin is located in the hamlet of Bomerano. Inside you can admire the canvas depicting the martyrdom of St. Matthew, which covers the imposing 18th-century ceiling by Paolo de Maio. Also splendid is the Madonna between Saints Matthew and Andrew, placed to the left of the altar, the work of Giovan Angelo and Giovan Antonio D’Amato. Valuable is the 15th-century crucifix, the work of Pietro and Giovanni Alamanno.
📍 Also a must-see is the Ethnoanthropological Museum, which collects and preserves all the ancient history of the area, and among its most valuable works is the Processional Cross, a double-sided cross, with medieval decorative motifs, dating from the 15th century.
What to do in Agerola
Trekking and walking
📍 The Path of the Gods
First and foremost is the Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods), so called precisely because of the fabulous landscapes that frame the entire route, with breathtaking views overlooking the sea and scenery of incomparable beauty that have made it the most coveted path on the Amalfi Coast.
This is a very evocative itinerary that, starting from Bomerano (hamlet of Agerola) reaches Nocelle (hamlet of Positano), winding along a path of about 8 km of pleasant walking among nature, sky and sea.
Almost entirely downhill, it is not very strenuous to walk, but certainly challenging for its duration of about 4 hours. Walking about 500 meters above the sea, you cross a rocky landscape with beautiful views and panoramas.
Numerous ruins you will encounter along the walk, among which you can admire centuries-old rock houses carved into the rock. A unique path that gives strong emotions.
You can learn more about it and better organize your hike by reading our article dedicated to the Path of the Gods.
📍 The Vallone delle Ferriere
An equally suggestive route, immersed in the green woods and ferns of the Lattari Mountains, is the one that crosses the Vallone delle Ferriere, which takes its name from the ruins of the ironworks of medieval origin.
Starting from Piazza Avitabile, you will be able to follow an evocative path through the green woods and bordered by streams. You will walk along a path of about 4 km that, bypassing the scenic Mount Murillo at 850 meters above sea level and crossing the Vallone Nocito, descends a wooded slope rich in waterfalls and wildlife rarities.
Follow the valley to Amalfi, in the enchanting Vallone dei Mulini where you can admire the ruins of the ancient water mills that powered Amalfi’s ancient paper mills. The route lasts about 3 to 4 hours.
📍 The Three Corners Trail
The Three Calli Trail, on the other hand, gives you a pleasant climb up the Tre Calli Massif, so called because of the typical conformation of the rocky ridge placed on the valley, composed of three cimals. The route has a length of about 2 kilometers, with a duration of about 2 hours, and requires a considerable physical effort by arranging mainly uphill.
However, the breathtaking views that you will be able to appreciate once you reach 1100 meters of altitude will repay all the effort. From here, you will have a 360-degree view of the entire Amalfi Coast.
📍 Towards the remains of the Convent of the Cospiti the locality of San Lorenzo
This walk leads toward one of the nacosti treasures of the Amalfi Coast: the remains of the Convent of the Cospiti. The ruins are in a very special location, on a cliff of Mount Murillo, overlooking the Vallone Nocito, which separates Conca dei Marini and Vettica di Amalfi. From this point there is a marvelous panorama from which the view sweeps as far as the Gulf of Salerno and Amalfi, Ravello, Capo d’Orso, and the Demanio mountains can be contemplated.
The starting point is the gallery of the Agerola statatale: you will recognize it by the commemorative plaques dedicated to the inauguration of the first gallery in 1880. From here take the Scalinata Longobarda stairway until you reach the fork at Imbarrata. At the fork proceed in the direction of Croce di Scupolo; then take the path to Pontichino locality to Sella di Monte Murillo. From here you will slowly and very carefully reach the rock overlooking Vallone Nocito. At this point, you just have to reach the remains and walls overlooking the Coast. A deep breath and a contemplative pause are a must.
These are the most evocative and renowned trails, but there are many others of comparable beauty that you can choose to explore.
Among them: Sentiero dell’Orrido di Pino (length 5 km), Sentiero delle Fonti (length 5 km), Sentiero della Praia (length 4 km), Sentiero Denti del Gigante ( length 7 km) and Sentiero dell’Alba (length 4 km).
Unforgettable moments on the Amalfi Coast?
📣 We have selected for you the best local experiences!
Experiences you can only have in Agerola
The beautiful landscape of this mountain village is combined with excellent local products.
Agerola has been famous for centuries for its fiordilatte, smoked provola, ricotta (used by the best pastry chefs to make the well-known Neapolitan pastiera), and the inimitable “provolone del monaco d.o.p.”; all produced with milk from the Agerolese breed of cattle.
In addition to cattle breeding, the Agerola area has for centuries also been devoted to raising pigs, which allow the production of cured meats of remarkable quality, including the typical “soppressata,” pancetta and capicollo.
The town also boasts the title of “Bread City.”
Agerola bakeries churn out excellent varieties of bread, including rye and wheat bread, from which, thanks to a special baking process, biscuit bread is obtained. Another typical baked product is tarallo,a type of Italian snack or biscuit, typically in the shape of a small ring. In addition, the fertile land and excellent climate allow the production of valuable vegetables.
The special feature of Agerola, however, are its orchards. The area, in fact, preserves some particular species of fruits that are now increasingly rare, such as the apple varieties “limoncella” and “tubbiona,” and the pear “pennata” and “mastantuono.” There are also numerous liqueurs and preserves made from the many local products and herbs.
📣 Do not miss, therefore, a gastronomic tour to discover the local delicacies: among trattorias, restaurants, pizzerias and agritourisms you will be spoiled for choice!
Take advantage of your stay in Agerola to discover other destinations on the Amalfi Coast and enjoy unforgettable experiences: treat yourself to a day at the sea, a boat trip, a visit to a lemon grove or a vineyard. In short, try to include in your travel itinerary at least one experience that allows you to get in deep contact with the essence of the area, its traditions and authenticity!
Events in Agerola
✅ Agerola on the Paths of the Gods – Upper Amalfi Coast Festival: an event held from the second half of July until early September. A rich program of musical and cultural events on the top of the Lattari Mountains. The climax is reached in the week of Ferragosto with “L’alba magica” (The magic sunrise) at high altitude, where people wait for the sunrise while listening to music and live concerts.
✅ Summer is enlivened by festivals and folklore events that aim to enhance the many typical products and bring a little joy and fun to the streets of the villages. Among the most important are the Fiordilatte Festival, which usually takes place in the first half of August.
✅ The patronal festival is celebrated on January 17, the day dedicated to St. Anthony Abbot. In the section dedicated to curiosities we will tell you about an ancient tradition related to this festival.
Why choose Agerola as your travel destination
Far from the coas and mundane coastal life, Agerola, surrounded by greenery and overlooking the Amalfi Coast, is the ideal destination for lovers of trekking and hiking, for those seeking tranquility and silence.
📣 Choose Agerola if:
🔹 You prefer the mountains to the sea. Here you are far from the main beaches of the Amalfi Coast, but very close to the most beautiful trails in the area, including the most famous “Path of the Gods.” If your ideal vacation is walking, backpacking, discovering wonderful sights, here you are definitely in the right place.
🔹 Look for a destination close to the Amalfi Coast that offers lower prices for overnight stays.
The best time to visit Agerola
The period that brings the most satisfaction is definitely spring, when the weather makes outdoor walks very pleasant and the awakening nature reaches the height of its splendor.
The months of September and October also offer unique emotions: the more intense autumn colors, the pleasant temperatures and that vague sense of melancholy that pervades nature at sunset are excellent reasons to choose autumn as the time to set out to discover Agerola and the Amalfi Coast.
📣 We do not recommend summer, especially the months of July and August, because in addition to the higher temperatures that are less suitable for excursions, you will find greater difficulties in moving from Agerola to the other locations on the Amalfi Coast, due to the greater tourist influx at that time: difficulties in finding a parking space and the possibility of traffic jams along the State Road 163 Amalfitana are always to be taken into account when planning your trip to the Amalfi Coast.
Interesting facts about Agerola
✅ On the occasion of the feast dedicated to St. Anthony the Abbot, January 17, the tradition of delivering tortani (a traditional Italian bread originating from Naples, often prepared during the Easter period) has been passed down over the years. These are small round-shaped loaves of woven bread, which in ancient times were stacked on a stick and delivered, in the days preceding the feast, to the inhabitants of the community, in exchange for a voluntary offering to be used for the organization of religious celebrations.
The custom is still alive: each year, groups of volunteers begin the tour of homes to deliver this pieces of special bread. A simple and genuine tradition that unites the community in a spontaneous and authentic way.
The History of Agerola
Its name comes from “ager,” a Latin term meaning field. A name that encapsulates the origins and vocation of this typical mountain town. The first inhabitants of Agerola, in fact, cleared small fields among the thick forests that covered the entire territory, thus obtaining a small area on which the urban center would rise. Even today the town retains this typical landscape conformation, with a territory divided into small fields arranged on terraces carved out of the slopes of the Lattari Mountains.
The first inhabited nucleus dates back to the 11th century B.C., as evidenced by the discovery of an Iron Age necropolis, brought to light with its amphorae, oil lamps, vases and coins of the Roman imperial age. Tombs, habitations, tunnels and roads tell of a very flourishing era and of a territory dotted with rustic villas, dedicated above all to livestock farming and dairy production of the already famous “lactarii montis” (today’s Monti Lattari). A dairy tradition that is still alive today and has its roots in the distant past.
Consisting of five hamlets, Campulo, Memoranum, Planillum, Ponte and San Lazzaro, in the Middle Ages, Agerola was part of the territory of the Republic of Amalfi, playing an important role in the development of the naval fleet. In fact, extending from Ravello to Positano and having vast forested territories, Agerola supplied the Republic’s arsenals with timber for shipbuilding. In the seventeenth century, Agerola’s mountains offered refuge to many brigands, who found a safe hiding place among its dense woods.
In the eighteenth century Agerola experienced a very prosperous period attested by the exponential growth in the number of inhabitants. As a result of the Bourbon reforms, economic conditions improved, with the reduction of taxation also due to the scant attention placed by the treasury on the mountain inhabitants, but, above all, brigandage almost completely disappeared. In the centuries that followed, the municipality became part of the Kingdom of Naples, whose ups and downs it followed until the unification of Italy.
Moreover, the inspiring ideas of the French Revolution were embraced by the Agerola scholars who lived in Naples, and Agerola was the first town in the province to adhere to the democratic constitution of the Parthenopean Republic. After the restoration of 1815, the town followed the historical events of the kingdom until the unification of Italy.
Agerola continued to develop animal husbandry and agriculture, producing agricultural and dairy products that soon became highly renowned and sought after on the tables of the capital Naples.
Today Agerola is a typical mountain village, with an ancient history and a valuable dairy tradition, guarded in the heart of the Amalfi Coast. A destination not to be missed, for its evocative landscapes that offer unusual perspectives on the immense coastline, and a rich wine and food heritage.
