A lovely place with a killer view. Oh, and the tree is very much real – it seems like the bar was built around it!
The old man’s wife was clearly the waitress of the two, ushering us to a small table overlooking the water. Vines and little plants were everywhere, and the picnic-style chairs sometimes fell between the paving stones and into the soft dirt underneath.

What a picturesque spot for a well-earned rest and a frosty beer!
The nonna asked if we wanted anything, and beer was the first thing that came to mind. What better way to celebrate a successful walk and jaw-dropping views than relaxing with a frosty birra.
Lauren translated for me since this adorable old couple had figured that the best way to deal with the multicultural flock of tourists that come through here on a regular basis was to clearly pronounce simple Italian words combined with hand gestures. Genius plan! A tip of the wrist with a clearly spoken ‘bevete?” and I knew she was asking if we wanted a drink. An open mouth and pinched fingers, along with the word ‘mangiate?” made me immediately realise how hungry I was. Lauren asked what was available, and the old nonna took us over to her husband, who was sitting at an old table, chopping fresh tomatoes and basil for bruschetta. The smell was absolutely divine! We ordered two pieces each and went back to our quaint little table.
In these parts of Italy, mozzarella is a speciality, and comes so gloriously fresh and delicate that it seems like no other flavour in the world will ever compare. Our favourite nonna came and explained that they also serve bruschetta with some local mozzarella on top, and we knew we had to try it. After the first bite, I was hooked. This was literally the best food I’d had in my entire time in Italy!

An absolutely perfect end to a successful hike
Nothing could compare to that burst of sweetness from vine-ripened tomatoes, mixed with fresh basil from the plants I could smell just over the balcony, and the delicate creaminess of the fresh mozzarella. Served on a garlicky slice of ciabatta, I was in heaven.
I kept ordering piece after piece of bruschetta, long after Lauren had stopped and switched to focussing on her beer. I asked her to tell the woman that this was the most delicious food I’ve ever had in Italy, but she left off the ‘in Italy’ part of the statement, and the nonna interpreted it as the best food in the entire world! Oops, translation fail, but not too far off the truth to be honest. She immediately beamed and fussed over me, kissing me on the cheek and exclaiming how dear and kind I was. It was just so lovely, I felt like I could stay here forever.

Standing next to my favourite Italian nonna, while holding the best bruschetta in the entire world. Life doesn’t get better than this.
When I asked for a couple more pieces, the old man that was constructing all of these delicious morsels started complaining to the nonna. But she shut him down with a few brief words and he trudged off out the door to pick more tomatoes and basil. I glanced at Lauren and saw that she was barely keeping a straight face. “He’s complaining that bruschette are not a main meal, you’re only meant to have a couple of pieces at most” she explained. “I think he’s tired of chopping tomatoes” she added, laughing while she sipped her beer.
Afterwards we were full and happy, and ready to head back for a rest. The adorable old couple pointed the way to the bus stop, which was a short 10 minutes walk following the path through the town of Nocelle.

The path continues toward the town of Nocelle
The bus that arrived was one of those shortened ones that are perfectly suited for navigating the narrow winding roads of the Amalfi coast. Even though it was compact, we still had quite a few stops along the road to Positano – in many places only one car or bus can turn the corner, and there was quite a bit of nerve-wracking manoeuvring before we got all the way back home.
Public transport home from Nocelle: Head to the local bus junction, which seems to be located in the far corner of a carpark. Tickets can be purchased on the bus.
Every time I think back to that walk, I get transported back to those wild hilltops. I feel the sun beating down on my shoulders and taste the salty sea air, and I revel in the memory of the hike and the feeling of being completely and utterly free.
Extra links that are worth a look before you hike:
One page summary of some of the route options and height: http://www.giovis.com/sentdei.htm
Another great website with helpful walking tips and photos with captions of the sites along the walk: http://www.sorrentoamalfiwalkwithus.com/#!the-path-of-the-gods/c1a3e