The Sirenuse Path - hiking tour in Sorrento Coast

Private hike to The Sirenuse Path

This loop hiking excursion is mostly developed on the southern side of the Sorrento Peninsula, between Sant’Agata and Colli di Fontanelle, with the view of the Sirenuse (Li Galli Islands) along all the path. The Sirenuse Path is so called because it leads you to the coast’s nearest point to the Sirenuse. Reaching the top of the small promontory called Pizzetiello (489m), just up to Punta Sant’Elia, you will be about 3 km from the Sirenuse.  This is also one of the path with the most wide panorama which ranges from Capo Sottile (Praiano) to the Faraglioni rocks of Capri. In the best weather condition, in days of good visibility, you will be able to see also Punta Licosa, located at the other end of the Gulf of Salerno.

During your walk you could find the diversity of the environments traversed extremely interesting; these all characteristic of the Sorrento Peninsula: vegetable gardens, olive groves, Mediterranean vegetation, garrigue, oak, chestnut, pine forest.

The Sirenuses provide endless possibilities for classical, mythological, cultural and historical references. According to old legends, these three rocky and lonely islands were inhabited by the Sirenes who seduced sailors with their melodious voice: they lost control of their ships that inevitably crashed on the rocks of the islands (this is a clear transposition in a mythological key of the dangers during the navigation).

Periodically visited by Tiberius, protected by the Angevins with the Tower for dissuading raiders to take refuge on it, the last popular inhabitants have been the choreographer Leonide Massine (who built here a wonderful villa, on the ruins of an ancient Roman villa, subsequently decorated by the architect Le Corbusier) and the ballet dancer Rudolph Nureyev. The excursion starts and ends in the same point.

The Sirenuse hike is not suitable for those suffering from heart or knees problems. We recommend being prepared with sportswear and trekking shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses and a bottle of water.