Valle delle Ferriere (Valley of the Iron Mills)

The Valle delle Ferriere is the Amalfi Coast's hidden rainforest — a deep, shaded gorge where waterfalls cascade over moss-covered rocks and Woodwardia radicans, a giant fern from the Tertiary period, survives as a living fossil. The name refers to medieval iron forges that once used the valley's water power, and you pass their ruins along the way. Starting from the hamlet of Pontone above Scala, the trail descends through chestnut and oak forest into the heart of the nature reserve. The microclimate is astonishingly cool even in August: constant mist from the waterfalls keeps temperatures 10 degrees below the coast. Midway down, you reach the main waterfall — a 20-meter curtain of water that fills the gorge with rainbows on sunny mornings. The lower section follows the stream through the ruins of an ancient paper mill, a reminder that Amalfi was medieval Europe's paper capital. The trail emerges in Amalfi town near Piazza Duomo. This hike is the antidote to the coast's heat and crowds.

Start: from Amalfi, walk or drive up to Pontone (30 min on foot via steps, or taxi). Alternatively start from Amalfi and hike up the valley (harder). End: Amalfi center, all buses and ferries.