Hiking in Campania is certainly not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of this region. Campania is usually associated with the sea, Naples, and the Costiera Amalfitana. Surprisingly, the province also has beautiful mountains, lakes, and rivers. And a lot of impressive and less impressive trails (also along the coast), great for an Easter hiking trip in Italy.
A Hiking Weekend in Campania: Our Base in Bosco
This time we decided to spend 3 days in the mountains of Campania, choosing Bosco, a small town with a great sea view, as our base. The apartment (we tend to rent apartments), Il Vicoletto, was well-equipped and comfy; we could also see the mountains from the window.
Bosco itself is not a particularly interesting place, as most mini-villages are, but it’s quite pretty, charming, and ‘photo-worthy’. And this panoramic view of the Tyrrhenian coast…
The weather was great, so we decided to go to Sapri to do our first trail and then some Easter shopping.
To kick off our active weekend with hiking in Campania, we chose Sentiero ‘Apprezzami l’Asino’ – loosely translated as ‘I appreciate my donkey’ path.
Sentiero Apprezzami l’Asino: The Unusual Donkey Trail of Sapri
The name suggests that people walking this route loved, or at least appreciated their donkeys, but it has nothing to do with these feelings. The name comes from a not-so-nice local practice/legend. Originally called “Apprezzamm u’ Ciucc’i,” the route hundred years ago used to be the only coastal connection between Sapri and Maratea. T
he narrow and sometimes steep path was used for transporting goods on donkeys. So when two donkeys met at one of these points, their owners evaluated both the animals and their loads. Then, in exchange for half the value of the cheaper donkey, the other one was thrown into the sea. It was an awful of ‘apprecation’ practice, but the people living there were extremely poor, and it’s hard to judge them according to modern morals. But I think it would be nice if the locals erected a nice monument on the route to remember the poor animals.
Hikinig in Campania: Sentiero Apprezzami l’Asino Trail Overview
Distance: 10 km (round trip)
Difficulty: easy–moderate
Elevation gain: about 150 m
Trail type: coastal path
Start: port of Sapri
End: Canale di Mezzanotte
Time needed: 3–5 hours depending on your speed
The trail ends close to the Mezzanotte Canal, i.e the border between Campania and Basilicata.
Hiking the Apprezzami l’Asino Trail from Sapri
The first two sections are very easy, then the path becomes more demanding; it includes several descents to the sea and very narrow sections, but in general it’s not complicated.
The path of the dead donkeys starts from the stairs right at the entrance to the port of Sapri, where you can also leave your car in a large parking lot. At the beginning the route is beaten, so you can walk even in sandals. Once you reach the street, continue straight ahead; the next part is similar – very easy.
From the Port of Sapri to the Broken Fountain
After reaching the broken fountain, you can go back or continue walking, but in this case sandals won’t be a good option. The path changes: it is much narrower, more rocky, and not as comfortable (better to wear trekking shoes), but with great views of the coastline. And since the fountain was broken, there is no water on the trail; fortunately I always carry about two litres with me.
We decided to keep going until we reached the ruins of the Capobianco Tower (passing weird sculptures/installations turn right), one of the many built by the Kingdom of Naples. We actually saw it by accident – we were just looking at the trees. We climbed the ruins of the tower and … oh, the view and the colour of the sea were simply amazing.
Where the Trail Continues: Torre di Mezzanotte and Spiaggia degli Angeli
It was getting late, though, so we turned back. The route continues, so if you want a bit longer coastal hike in Campania you can reach Scoglio dello Scialandro and the blue Spiaggia degli Angeli. If you keep walking, you get to the end of the route, ie Torre di Mezzanotte (Tower of the North) and il Canale di Mezzanotte (Canal of the North).
The Maratea Sky Walk: A Glass Terrace Above the Sea
Before shopping, we decided to see the Sky Walk – a free attraction in Maratea. Easy said than done. This Tyrrhenian coast hiking route is not easy to find, or rather to spot. It’s just close to the main road in Cersuta di Maratea, in Basilicata, but the GPS couldn’t decide where exactly it starts. Just looking at the roadside while driving along Strada Statale 18, we found it. It is a kind of hanging terrace/path, or even like a brownish pavement behind the road barriers.
Parking at the Sky Walk
Next to the entrance to the Sky Walk, there’s a car park. I’d love to meet the person who designed it. Anyway, if you come from the left side of the road, to park, you have to take a sharp left turn. Don’t speed up, though, because right after turning, you’ll face a rather steep climb. If you come from the right, I’m guessing it’s easier to park, but it’s more difficult to spot the Sky Walk. Leaving the park, it’s hard to see whether anything is coming from the right.
Standing Above the Gulf of Policastro
Hanging from the cliffs of Maratea and the Gulf of Policastro, the Sky Walk might be the easiest hike in Basilicata, but it might also be a bit difficult – it depends on your choice. It has two entrances: directly onto the brownish ‘walkway’, and a short walk down and up the mountainside – in this case, you’ll also climb the stairs at the end of it.
Whichever you choose, you will reach a terrace from which we admired a lot of blue: the sea mingling with the sky. The terrace is made of thick glass, so under our feet, we had a rocky shore and even more blue. We stayed there until sunset – it was amazing (it’s usually like that at the seaside), and then we ran to do some shopping in order not to starve during Easter.
Day One of Our Hiking Weekend in Campania
The first day of our hiking weekend in Campania was really nice. The donkey’s trail was interesting, and actually, I’m going to do the whole route when I’m there again. The colour of the sea, cliffs overgrown with greenery and colourful flowers, and silence broken by the sound of birds and waves was worth walking through a narrow path.
The Sky Walk is quite a cool attraction, maybe not the path itself, even if it goes along the coast, but standing on the glass, gives a nice ‘blue’ perspective : blue over your head, in front of your eyes, and beneath your feet. So don’t skip it if you are in the vicinity of Maratea.
What we did in the next days in Campania, you can read here.
