Costiera Amalfitana

I was eating a home-made pasta with a subtle creamy sauce, accompanied by a glass of the local red wine on a sunny terrace high above the harbour at Sorrento. I was feeling a million dollars, (OK, my nose might have been a bit sunburned) and this was my reward for a morning of walking.

I had just completed one of the most famous hikes in Italy - the Path of the Gods. There is nothing more inspiring than shimmering light combined with an exhilarating landscape - and the Amalfi peninsula offers both, with paths that curve round sheer cliffs offering glorious views in all directions.

The sea far below is a seductive, opal blue, with the beautiful island of Capri clearly visible offshore. Bisected by a dramatic spine of mountains rising to nearly 5,000ft, there are great places to stay in ancient hill towns, tiny ports and there's delicious local cuisine.