For a break from beaches, one of the unique things to do in the Amalfi coast is to hike through the deep valley named for the medieval foundries, whose ruins you can see here.
The trail into the valley begins in Pontone and ends six kilometers later in Amalfi. As you approach the town, you'll pass water mills that once powered Amalfi's paper-making industry.
The trail, which is quite easy, descends through forests of chestnuts and past stands of rare ferns, alongside a stream that drops in several waterfalls.
The steep ridges at each side protect the valley from the worst winter winds and from the intense summer heat, creating a temperate and humid microclimate where rare plants flourish, some dating from the pre-glacial era. The central part of the trail runs through a protected nature reserve
