ItalyTraveller experience.

Via dell'Amore, Liguria.
Carved in to the rocks overlooking the sea of Liguria, the Via dell'Amore is one of Italy's most romantic walks. The origins of this superbly panoramic, 1km long, coastal pathway running between the colorful little town of Riomaggiore with that of the equally picturesque Manarola, date back to the early 1900's. It was in this period, that the modernization of the Genoa-La Spezia train line became a prime necessity. In order to construct the railway tunnel between Riomaggiore and Manarola, mines were used to blast there way through the rock and a powder magazine in which to prepare the devices was set up at a safe distance from the towns. So as to reach the magazine, two pathways were made, one from Manarola and one from Riomaggiore. After work on the tunnel had been completed, the locals soon realized that these tracks provided an excellent pedestrian pathway linking the two towns of the Cinque Terre.

Thus the route was perfected and baptized Via dell'Amore, name inspired by the undeniably romantic nature of its panoramas. In the late 1980's, the progressive erosion of the rocks and the increasing risk of landslides led to the closure of the pathway. In 1995, the Via dell'Amore was reopened, following extensive conservation and safety work financed by the European Union. Today the Via dell'Amore is one of the major attractions of the Cinque Terre and has been declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The toll fee, which goes towards funding the maintenance of the pathway, is a small price to pay for an experience which, especially when shared with that special someone, promises to be one of the most romantic ever.

Passeggiata Rilke, Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Uniting the gentle charm of the Mediterranean and wild beauty of the Carso district, the Passeggiata Rilke is one of the most attractive walks in the Trieste area. The 1700m long pathway snakes along the coast, directly above the sea and skirts round the Regional Nature Reserve of the Falesie of Duino. The walk commences at the AIAT station in Sistiana and proceeds along the Karst ridge, so as to afford walkers a breathtaking view of the Bay of Sistiana and its wind beaten white rocks. A section of the path leads visitors deep in to the pine wood before returning to the coast above the Bay of Duino. The walk draws to a close in the town of Duino, just steps away from the Castle and Collegio del Mondo Unito. The route passes by four viewpoints used in the Second World War as shooting platforms, today transformed in panoramic terraces.

Once referred to as the Passeggiata Duinese, the pathway was renamed Passeggiata Rilke, after the Prague-born poet Rainer Maria Rilke who, during his time as guest of the Princes Thurn and Taxis between 1911 and 1912, regularly walked along the path. It would appear that the poet was inspired to write the first two verses of his Duino Elegies during one of his strolls. On clear days the panorama extends as far as the Carnic Prealps, the Dolomites, and the Istrian coast. The path runs close to the ancient Duino Castle, perched on a promontory directly above the sea. A local legend tells of how, in centuries past, the evil owner of the castle threw his wife over the cliff edge and how the gods, feeling pity for the unfortunate lady, transformed her in stone before she hit the water. The resulting white rock - resembling the figure of a veiled female - can still be seen.

Scala Fenicia, island of Capri.
Until 1877, the only way of getting from the port of Capri to the town of Anacapri was provided by the Scala Fenicia: a flight of some 900 steps carved in to the rock face by the industrious ancient Greeks. This incredible work of civil engineering was given the name of Phoenician Steps by 18th century Neapolitan scholars who were convinced of a Phoenician presence in the Mediterranean prior to the arrival of the Greeks and tended to attribute to this population all those constructions which they reputed as having been built antecedent the Greek dominion.

The steps commence in the area of Marina Grande close to the Palazzo a Mare and the Church of San Costanzo, this latter housing the relics of the patron saint of Capri. Step after step, the Scala Fenicia winds its way through the houses, and above the fragrant patches of woodland. Along the route, a series of majolica plaques indicate the seven crosses carved in to the rock so as to protect the traveler from misfortune and injury.

The Scala Fenicia covers a height of some 200meters, becoming more and more panoramic, as walkers gradually climb up the steps. A little more than two thirds of the way up, the little Chapel of S Antonio, patron saint of Anacapri, provides a welcome resting place. The steps come to an end close to the rock of Capodimonte, near to Villa San Michele and the old Porta della Differenza which once marked the boundary between the towns of Capri and Anacapri. The considerable effort required to climb the steps is generously compensated by the immense beauty of the surrounding scenery, any leg strain paling in to insignificance if one thinks of how, centuries ago, the women of Anacapri used to descend the 900 steps so as to collect fresh water from the Truglio spring and climb back up again, balancing the large jugs filled with water on their heads.

Sentiero degli dei, Amalfi Coast.
The deep blue of the sky above, the intense azure of the sea below, the lush green of the surrounding vegetation, and the blocks of white, pink and yellow of the little towns clinging to the rocks: a magnificent display of color which accompanies visitors walking along the Sentiero degli Dei, the Amalfi Coast's most stunning coastal pathway. The walk unites Bomerano, fraction of Agerola, with Nocelle, passing by sweet scented lemon groves and terraced vineyards, through countryside where the air is laced with the pungent Mediterranean aromas of rosemary, myrtle and the sea, surrounded by a silence broken only by the sounds of nature.

The walk commences in Bomerano, in Piazza Capasso from where signs indicate the 7km long route. The pathway is initially protected, if not completely enveloped, by the mountain. Beyond the fork in the road, and in the direction of Nocelle, the panorama suddenly opens up to reveal a spectacular vision of cliffs crashing in to the sea, Punta Campanella, the islets of Li Galli and the island of Capri. At this stage, the walk becomes more strenuous, and the risk of suffering an attack of vertigo considerably higher. During the descent towards Nocelle, glimpses of the picturesque town of Positano continue to appear and disappear, as if by magic.

At the end of this three hour walk it is hard to know whether you're short of breath due to the effort required to complete the route or as a response to the staggeringly beautiful scenery experienced. From May to October the pleasure of the walk is increased further by the opportunity to attend series of classical and contemporary music concerts, held in some of the most attractive places along the route, such as Li Cannati and Colle Serra.