Ravello
Scala to Ravello via Pontone
- Distance
- 3 km
- Elevation Gain
- 80 m
- Duration
- 1-1.5 hours
This walk connects two of the Amalfi Coast’s oldest settlements through a landscape that has barely changed in a thousand years. Scala was the first inhabited center of the entire coast, predating Amalfi itself, and the walk to Ravello passes through Pontone — a hamlet so quiet you can hear church bells echoing across the valley. The path is paved with ancient stone steps and runs through terraces of olive and chestnut trees. You pass the 12th-century Church of San Giovanni in Pontone with its crumbling bell tower, and several abandoned noble villas slowly being reclaimed by vegetation. The route follows the rim of the Dragone Valley, offering constant views into the gorge below and toward the sea beyond Atrani. Arriving in Ravello from this direction feels earned — you enter through the medieval gate rather than the tourist bus drop-off, emerging directly onto the piazza beside the cathedral. This is how people have traveled between these villages for a millennium.
What you see
- Walking through a thousand-year-old route between medieval settlements
- 12th-century Church of San Giovanni in Pontone
- Arriving in Ravello through the medieval gate, not the bus stop
- Views into the Dragone Valley gorge
Where to take pictures
- Pontone overlook
- The hamlet with its bell tower framed against the valley — feels like stepping into the Middle Ages
- Dragone Valley viewpoint
- Look down into the deep gorge with terraced gardens clinging to the walls
- Ravello gate entrance
- The medieval stone archway leading into Ravello — atmospheric and historic
Seasonal Notes
Year-round. Any season works well. Spring flowers on the terraces are beautiful. Summer mornings or late afternoons are best. A lovely option on winter days when higher trails are too cold.
Getting There
Start: SITA bus from Amalfi to Scala (20 min). End: Ravello center, with buses back to Amalfi (25 min). Can also walk Amalfi-Pontone-Scala to start.
The tip
Do this walk in the late afternoon and time your arrival in Ravello for sunset at Villa Cimbrone’s Terrace of Infinity.