Amalfi Coast: Tufa Sport Climbing above Positano, a Winter Crag | Italy Climbing Crags

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The Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana) is the string of seaside towns along the southern side of the Sorrento peninsula, in the province of Salerno in Campania. Its climbing is concentrated around Positano: Climbing Spot Factory says the crags are "all accessible on foot from a parking spot in the middle of the small town of Montepertuso". Montepertuso is a hamlet on the hillside above Positano, and the walls sit behind it around Monte Gambera; Planetmountain notes that from the Paretone you look down on Positano's tiers of houses and lanes.

These are not sea cliffs at the waterline but hillside limestone walls overlooking the coast. This post covers what to decide before you go: which walls suit your level, why to go in winter, how to get there without a car, and what to know about parking. For the Cilento coast further south, see Palinuro; for a season-and-region comparison of Italian crags, see the series overview.

What kind of crag is it

A project finished in 2008. Planetmountain's 2008 report says the local La Selva association and the Positano town council launched the project in 2004, bolting with money from the coast's mountain-area development fund (EU-backed); it was finished in March 2008, giving access to about ten walls and some 200 routes from the square in Montepertuso, with particular attention to easy routes for teaching.

Two styles. The La Selva association splits the walls into two kinds:

• Steep tufa (canne): Cannabis, U' Piscione and the Paretone. The association says the first two "look almost like twin sisters", and the Paretone is a huge wall covered in concretions.
• Technical slab: the Falesia della Selva next to the association's house, and Brigante Mirabella a few minutes away (overhangs as well as technical slab).

Above the village is Monte Gambera, with a big hole through the middle (locally "il buco"). Alpinisti d'Appennino says its east side is very rough technical slab and its west side steep tufa.

The walls at a glance (Planetmountain crag pages, by Cristiano Bacci).

Scale. theCrag lists Positano at 254 routes in 14 sectors (Monte Gambera the largest at 66); 8a.nu has 742 routes in its Positano/Amalfi area; Climb Europe says there are 7 main crags around Positano, mostly single-pitch sport in the 6a–7c range (checked October 2026).

Who it suits. Intermediate to advanced sport climbers looking for a warm winter crag who like athletic tufa routes. The Paretone's teaching sector and the east side of Monte Gambera have grade-5 routes for less experienced partners.

Other crags nearby. The La Selva association mentions driving to Capo d'Orso, Punta d'Aglio and Punta Campanella, which faces Capri and also has deep-water soloing.

When to go

Bottom line: October to April. The west-facing tufa walls only get sun in the afternoon in winter, so head up after midday; in spring and autumn, start on Mirabella and switch to a shaded face later. Most walls stay dry in rain, which makes them a winter wet-day fallback. Alpinisti d'Appennino says Monte Gambera suits every season except the hottest, and Planetmountain's Mirabella page lists only spring, autumn and winter, so don't plan summer here.

Getting there

Public transport

Coastal buses are run by SITA SUD. Taking the timetable for 5 October to 1 November 2026 as an example, line 5070 Amalfi–Positano–Sorrento runs about 40 buses each way, with Positano stops including Sponda and Chiesa Nuova. Timetables change with the season, so download the current one from SITA's site before you go.

From Positano to Montepertuso you can change to Mobility Amalfi Coast's minibuses, which run Positano's internal line (a 2021 Positanonews report says it added runs to Montepertuso) and routes to Nocelle and Praiano; tickets are sold in authorised shops or on board at a small surcharge (secondary: Positanonews 2024 report; we couldn't open the operator's site in October 2026, so check times locally or with your accommodation).

For Brigante Mirabella you don't need Montepertuso: Planetmountain says to leave the SS163 coast road through Positano 50 m past the "la sponda" junction towards Amalfi, turn left and follow the La Selva association's wooden signs, 25 minutes on foot to La Selva and 3 more to the wall. SITA's Positano (Sponda) stop is close by.

Driving

Climbing Spot Factory: from the Naples direction take the A3 motorway to the Castellammare di Stabia exit, the SS145 towards Sorrento, then at Piano di Sorrento the SS163 towards Positano; on the edge of Positano turn left uphill onto Via Monsignor Saverio Cinque to Montepertuso ("molto stretta", very narrow) and drive through the village to the large tourist car park on the right.

Parking

Climbing Spot Factory says roadside parking in Montepertuso "è vietato durante tutto l'anno" (is banned all year), usually tolerated in the colder months, though they can't promise it. Alpinisti d'Appennino adds that you can use the car park by the village sports ground. Approaches on foot:

• Monte Gambera: from the square past the "Il Ritrovo" restaurant, up the long stairway until it becomes a path, 10–15 minutes (Alpinisti d'Appennino).
• Cannabis: from the Montepertuso square take the stairs towards the hole; just before it, take the path right around Monte Gambera's amphitheatre, 20 minutes (Planetmountain).
• U' Piscione: from the square walk 400 m along the road to Nocelle, take the stairs on the left after a hairpin (CAI signpost), and after the last houses take the path by the cableway footing, 25 minutes (Planetmountain).
• Paretone: 500 m before Montepertuso, park at the "Valle Pozzo" sign and follow the mule track; Planetmountain says 20 minutes, while Climbook says at least 35, with few parking spaces and an often wet, slippery first section; you can also come round from Piazza Cappella via Via Gradoni.
• Brigante Mirabella: 15 minutes downhill from Montepertuso to La Selva, then 3 more (Planetmountain).

Rules to know before you go

No closure or ban found. In October 2026 we saw no closure notice on Planetmountain, theCrag, Climbook or Alpinisti d'Appennino, and found no climbing order from Positano town council or the mountain park. That doesn't prove there isn't one, so watch for signs on site.

Keep off the terraces. Planetmountain's Cannabis page specifically says "Attenzione a non passare sui terrazzamenti coltivati" (take care not to walk on the cultivated terraces). The approach paths pass these terraces; stick to the existing paths.

Bolts. Alpinisti d'Appennino wrote in 2024 that the bolting on Monte Gambera is "abbastanza buona" (fairly good), with stainless glue-ins and chains, though a few routes still have older gear. Climbook's Paretone data is maintained by the local non-profit Direzione Verticale, most recently in October 2025.

Rescue. italia.it says to call 112 in an emergency; 118 is the medical emergency number and also covers mountain rescue; at seaside crags such as Punta Campanella, sea rescue is 1530.

Routes by level

YDS and V-grade conversions follow the Mountain Project international grade comparison chart and are approximate; "approx." marks grades the sources give without a/b/c (such as 4 or 5+). The original grade is the one that counts.

Stars come from Planetmountain's crag pages (out of 3), repeat counts from Climbook's Paretone page, and Monte Gambera routes from Alpinisti d'Appennino's route list.

Beginner: up to 6a (YDS 5.10a and below)

Concentrated in the Paretone's teaching sector on the right and on the east side of Monte Gambera.

Intermediate: 6a+ to 6c+ (YDS 5.10b–5.11c)

Advanced: 7a to 7c+ (YDS 5.11d–5.13a)

The core range on Cannabis, U' Piscione and the Paretone.

Expert: 8a and up (YDS 5.13b and up)

Where to look things up

• Planetmountain crag pages: Paretone, Cannabis, U' Piscione, Brigante Mirabella: approaches, sun and route lists.
• theCrag: Positano: 14 sectors, 254 routes.
• Climbook: Paretone: repeat counts and a detailed approach with coordinates.
• Alpinisti d'Appennino: Monte Gambera: full route list for every sector and bolt condition.
• Direzione Verticale maps: volunteer-run interactive map of crags in Campania and southern Italy.
• Associazione La Selva: the local base for accommodation and climbing information.
• SITA SUD timetables: PDFs for every coastal bus line.
• Guidebooks: Grades and route counts here come mainly from online databases; the guidebook is the authority.
  • Malopasso – Arrampicate e vie ferrate in Campania e dintorni (Oreste Bottiglieri, Versante Sud, 4th edition, 2023, Italian with a separate German edition, ISBN 978-88-55471-55-8; also in the iClimbing app): nearly 60 crags across the Amalfi Coast, Positano, the Cilento National Park, Palinuro and Maratea, now with via ferratas; listed as "Disponibile" in October 2026. It replaces the 2008 edition (UKC listing).
  • Sportclimbing on the Costa d'Amalfi (Manuel Senettin and Thomas Hofer, Vertical-Life, 2014, ISBN 978-88-98495-05-4): a selection covering Amalfi, Positano, Sperlonga and Palinuro; the publisher's shop page now redirects, only retailers still list it, and the data is over ten years old.

References

• Planetmountain: Positano Il Paretone
• Planetmountain: Positano Cannabis
• Planetmountain: Positano U' Piscione
• Planetmountain: Positano Brigante Mirabella
• Planetmountain: Arrampicare a Positano (2008)
• Associazione La Selva: Climbing and walking
• Climbing Spot Factory: Something about Positano
• Alpinisti d'Appennino: Falesia Monte Gambera – Positano
• theCrag: Positano
• theCrag: Palinuro (guidebook panel)
• Climbook: Positano - Montepertuso (Paretone)
• 8a.nu: Positano / Amalfi
• Climb Europe: Rock climbing around Napoli
• Versante Sud: Malopasso
• UKClimbing: Malopasso (2008)
• 9c Climbing: Costa d'Amalfi sportclimbing (2014)
• SITA SUD: Orari Campania
• SITA SUD: lines 5120/5110/5070 timetable (5 Oct–1 Nov 2026)
• Positanonews: Mobility Amalfi Coast adds runs to Montepertuso (2021)
• Positanonews: Mobility Amalfi Coast timetable (2024)
• Direzione Verticale: Mappe
• italia.it: Numeri di emergenza e assistenza