VALLE DELLE FERRIERE

The Valle delle Ferriere nature reserve has particularly favourable geographical conditions and is home to a rich ecosystem, including some survivors of the pre-glacial period in Italy such as the Woodwardia Radicans, an exotic fern, thanks to the rocky cirque which spares it from the north winds and its southern orientation. The name of the valley derives from the ruins of an ancient forge(ferriera in Italian) where iron imported from the island of Elba was worked. The hike of the Valle delle Ferriere follows the course of the Canneto river which joins the coast forming scenic waterfalls. Some fabulous viewpoints allow you to see Amalfi, Atrani and the Punta d'Aglio, which is the promontory separating the two towns. You can also see the gardens of Villa Cimbrone and the ruins of the Torre dello Ziro, the ancient keep of a medieval castle. In this tower, in 1510, Joan of Aragon, Duchess of Amalfi, was imprisoned for secretly marrying her secretary. Her brother, Cardinal Louis of Aragon, disapproved of this union for reasons of social rank and had his sister, the unfortunate husband and their sons murdered. Starting from Minuta, we walk along the imposing remains of the Basilica of Sant'Eustachio, a Romanesque building consecrated in 1244. Along the way, some local producers offer squeezed orange and lemon juice. It is possible to extend the joys of the hike by joining the Valle dei Mulini which leads to Amalfi.