Scala's Chestnut Festival 2026: Dates and How to Reach the Amalfi Coast's Oldest Village

Scala has a real claim to being the Amalfi Coast's oldest settlement — local tradition dates its founding to 330 BC, before Amalfi itself grew into a maritime power — and it stays noticeably quieter than its neighbours because it sits up in the hills rather than on the water. From Amalfi, drive or ride the SITA bus on the Amalfi–Scala–Ravello line, about 20 minutes; the same bus links Scala with Ravello, just 3km away along the SS373. Drivers coming from Naples or Salerno can also cut inland via the Valico di Chiunzi rather than following the coast road the whole way. For anyone staying in Ravello, Scala's hamlet of Pontone is the start of a walking path back up to Ravello, so a festival afternoon and a return hike pair easily.

Stalls typically run from late afternoon into the evening on all four festival days; there's no entry ticket, so budget a few euros per snack the way you would at any Italian sagra. The lanes in Scala's centro storico are stepped and narrow, so wear flat, closed shoes — the same advice that applies to any hill town on this stretch of coast. October evenings up in the hills above Amalfi run noticeably cooler than the coast road itself, so bring a layer even if the day was warm by the water.