The Path of the Gods

Legend has it that once Gods of “Monti Lattari” used to follow a path across the hillside parallel to the sea, to go and admire the beauty of the Sirens of the gulf of Naples and to enjoy their bewitching songs while bathing in Positano’s waters;  this ancient path was called “The Path of the Gods”. Its name derives probably by its location, the path is in fact situated half way at the foot of Mount St. Angelo a Tre Pizzi you can admire one of the most spectacular landscape in the world, which is the western part of the Amalfi Coast from Praiano to Capri. Along the promenade, you can cover all the typical features of the Mediterranean, from the flora with herbs and aromas of traditional local cuisine, to the fauna characterized by the presence of weasels, foxes and hedgehogs in a place where the clear sky is dominated by peregrine falcons, swallows, owls and crows. The route can be made in both directions but generally, the departure is from Bomerano (you can also enter along the path from Praiano passing the Convent of St. Dominic) and you come up to Montepertuso.

The most striking part of the path is for sure the one that goes from “Grotta Biscotto” to Nocelle, which is exceptionally interesting and scenic from beginning to end. The first one is a natural cave an exemplary site of rare geological effect, full of stories that invigorate the beauty of these places, it treasures in fact, well-preserved ruins of ancient artefacts used as animal shelters and deposits. Nocelle is on the other hand, a characteristic small village, which was once linked to Positano Village only by a long staircase.

Left behind the remains of ancient settlements in the rock of “Grotta Biscotto”, you will soon meet a majestic amphitheatre of horrid crags, and then the spectacular "Pinnacolo”, on which we see what is left of a plaque in memory of Giustino Fortunato, who seems to have given its name to this path. Keep on following the path we reach the fork to Colle Serra, there, in a blue landscape, it will be possible to admire the breathtaking landscape formed by Li Galli Island, the Vetara rock and the ridges of Mount San Costanzo which gently slopes towards Punta Campanella. The vegetation at this point changes quite radically and you pass by a few shrubs and grass at a spot full of dense oaks, arbutus, heather and rosemary. Along the trail are steep some places, there are ravines, abandoned terraces and empty houses. All this brings us back to a bygone world tied to the hard work of the earth, but was relieved by the mild climate and the beauty of the Amalfi.

Following a very tortuous and full of ups and downs path, we finally reach “Vallone Grarelle”, with its caves and deep coves, and later the little village of Nocelle.

From the little village you can get off on Coastal Route making about 1500 steps and arriving in Arienzo, or continue up to Montepertuso reaching Monte Gambera site of the legendary battle between the Virgin Mary and the Devil. Traces of this mystical fight are today visible and are said to be: the imprint in the rock of Lucifer’s tail, traces of the Madonna and the girl, by her lit, footsteps, as well as the highly visible and famous hole, which is said to have been stamped in the mountain by the index finger of the Madonna.

Legend has it that the noise of the controversy was so intense, that the brigands who used to live in the surrounding caves were awakened in their sleep and watched astonished the battle. It is also said that from that moment on, the earthly personification of the Devil, the brigands, stopped to live there and abandoned the caves of Montepertuso. It is right here in Montepertuso that ends the Path of the Gods, and is from this point that you can reach the center of Positano.

Capri - Via Krupp

Marina Piccola is a beautiful bay surrounded by large cliffs and from urban and natural environment. The most attracting thing of this beach it’s its special charm created by the mix of wonderful scenery, sand, crystalline water as well as the spectacular environment that surrounds it. This wonderful corner of paradise is formed by two very small beaches: Marina di Mulo and Marina di Pennauro once used as little hamlets. Between the two beaches, we find what it could be considered one of the main attraction of Capri: “Scoglio delle Sirene”; in ancient times, Romans used it as a pier but there are several theories around its origin. According to the theories of some scholars of the past,the place was in reality the much-vaunted lair of the mermaids narrated by Omero in the Odyssey, it seems in fact, that the rocks of Marina Piccola in Capri matches perfectly those described by Omero in his Odyssey. In this very famous greek poem in fact, Omero tells of a beach covered with bones on which, the hero Ulysses was attracted by the Mermaid’s enchanting chant; in a small cave in Marina Piccola scholars really found numerous ancient bones. It is not surprising that from the 50s of last century, this beach attracts a high level tourism and still can count many celebrities among its visitors, its unique conformation, environment and history make of it one of the “To-do” things in Capri. But just stop for a second and let’s talk about the way to access this wonderful place: “Via Krupp”, a historic switchback path that connects Marina Piccola to Giardini di Augusto and the charterhouse of San Giacomo.

Commissioned by the German Friedrich Alfred Krupp, the path was idealized as a direct connection from his apartment in Quisisana Hotel to Marina Piccola. The magnate in fact, not managing to reach quickly the little beach where his marine biology research vessel used to lay at anchor, bought the entire area comprised between the Charterhouse of San Giacomo and the Castiglione, to build the renowned “Via Krupp”. Since 1976, the path has been closed several times due to numerous landslides occurred during the years forcing the islanders to use the alternative less panoramic “Via Mulo”. “Via Krupp”starts right after the staircase that lead to “Giardini di Augusto” from where it’s possible to see the road, and which after an initial short straight section, proceed with its characteristic numerous bend for a total of 8 curves.

Right after the winding part of the road, begins a long straight path, from where it’s possible to admire the famous Faraglioni, and from where starts one of the two narrow paths that take respectively to: “Grotta del Castiglione”and “Grotta dell’Arsenale”. The first one is the largest cavity of Capri that opens at 250 meters above the sea level and used to be a refuge during the war’s years; the second one instead, was in roman times a depot for naval stores. Right few minute walk after the beginning of the straight path, we find the gate that take to “Grotta di San Felice”; property of the magnate Krupp, who after cleaning and furnishing it up, used it as his usual hangout point; the grotto has many stories related to itself. For sure, the most famous and scandalous is the one related to the sexual activities it was believed to have taken place there; it is in fact known as Krupp had been accused of pederasty during the war years and how serious this was for the German Reich.

It is said that the "well engineered" scandal, born from the envy and the blackmail of the locals, was "the martyrdom of a man." In the cave (soon called "Orgies Cave") Krupp used to gather with his friends, who, with the disappointment of many people (especially from Capri) had nothing to do with British, Germans, Russians and Americans that instead met at the table d 'hôte of the Zum Kater Hiddigeigei Cafè of the Morgano family. The friends with whom he used to entertain in the cave were: two doctors (Ignazio Cerio and Vincenzo Cuomo), two engineers (Edwin Cerio and the German Wiesener), two painters (White and Lovatti), the young barber Adolfo Schiano (believed to be the favorite of Krupp) and the fishermen Antonino Arcucci, equally young and beautiful. It was said that the group used to meet after going hunting for quail or to held philosophical and convivial meetings but, according to local rumors, the cave was "a fragrant Sodom where Capri children were subjected to the most sophisticated tenderness from their host" to the sound of three violins; the orgasm would have been celebrated by' rocket firing.

When the scandal surfaced, Krupp was expelled from Italy in 1902 but the severity of what was retained a crime at that time in Germany (homosexuality), caused so much pressure on him that few time later Krupp was found dead in his german residence. The official cause of the death was said to be a stroke, though probably it was suicide.