Scala is situated half way up the hill, roughly at an equal short distance from the sea and the mountains, therefore it offers visitors ample opportunities for enjoying breathtaking views of unique beauty. There are numerous fascinating itineraries to choose from. Some of the best walks are to: Punta d'Aglio, the Monte di Pontone, with the Ziro Tower above Amalfi and the San Salvatore de Ciro rocky settlement, the Valle delle Ferriere, with its unique ferns, the hermitage of Santa Maria dei Monti, the Grotta del Dragone, next to the river with the same name.
Valle delle Ferriere. The footpath winds through a striking woodland along a lush valley which, since 1972, is a protected national park. Thisi is the only place in a vast area where the sub-glacian fern Woodvardia Radicans grows wild and where carnivorous plants, such as the Pinguicola hirtiflora, thrives naturally. The local fauna also vaunts some rare species, such as the salamandrina dagli occhiali (a small salamander seemingly with spectacles), a slow worm Anguis fragilis, a kestrel or winhover Falco innunculus, a buzzard Buteo buteo and an otter Enhydra lutris. Inthe lower reaches of the valley there are some derelict factories, once used for the extraction of the iron, some abandoned watermills for the production of handmade paper and the ruins of a small water power station which used to supply electricity locally.
Grotta del Dragone. This is an interesting cave well worth a visit. It contains astonoshing stalactites and stalagmites with features going back to the Inferior Cretaceous period (about 70 million years ago).
Santa Maria dei Monti. The footpath that winds up to the top of this mountain, which is at over 1000 metres above sea level, is a sequence of spectacular views and woodlands apt to reinvigorate the body and the spirit. Once one gets to the top, the scenery is just breathtaking.
Castello Maggiore. This site offers views equally fascinating as well as ruins of what once was a great castle and remains of the defence fortification of the Amalfitan Republic. It is about at 900 metres above sea level.
The unique landscape of Scala, therefore, has a lot to offer to nature lovers. Carriageways are few, but footpaths are innumerable and all attractive. Visitors can choose walks from sea level right up to mountain tops as hisg as over 1300 metres above sea level.