Ciao, Bella!
Take a stair walk through Pacific Palisades’ Castellammare neighborhood
Experience the beauty of Italy without getting on an airplane, by taking a scenic stair walk through Castellammare. Originally developed in the 1920s to resemble Italy’s Amalfi Coast, this neighborhood perched high on the bluffs of Pacific Palisades features historic Mediterranean-style villas built into cliffside walls, narrow serpentine streets with Italian names, original concrete staircases adorning the hillside, and sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.
Take it all in on a 1.8-mile stair walk and get a taste of la dolce vita.
Head south on Tramonto Dr. (see italics, below, for directions), and bear right on Revello Dr. After 0.2 mile, you’ll find the first and longest staircase of the walk. With 124 steps, the open staircase delivers gorgeous views of the ocean and sounds of crashing waves as it descends down to Posetano Road. (The surrounding beauty will ease any heartburn you may feel at seeing the street sign spelled incorrectly. Ah, Positano!)
Take a right on Posetano Rd., pausing at Castillo Del Mar (17531 Posetano Rd.), known as the spot where 1930s actress Therma Todd lived and mysteriously died of carbon monoxide poisoning. (Was it a suicide or a murder? No one knows for sure.) Turn left onto Stretto Way and follow the road down to Castellammare Dr. The lovely peach villa at the corner (17501 Castlemmare Dr.) is the former home of actor John Barrymore.
Keep right on Castellammare Dr. Take the dirt path, and rejoin the paved road at the other side. On the left (around 17567 Castellammare Dr.), you will find a staircase and pedestrian bridge that connects to the beach. Retrace your steps back to Castellammare and take the 69-step staircase flanked with bougainvillea almost directly across the street, which will take you back up to Posetano.
Turn left on Posetano Rd., and another left on Revello Dr. The next staircase on your left (near 17712 Revello Dr.) will take you back down to Castellammare Dr.
Turn right on Castellammare and descend the final staircase (near 17740 Castellammare Dr.) down to Porto Marina Way. Turn right and follow the road, which winds up to Villa de Leon (17948 Porto Marina Way), a 35-room, 10,277-square-foot Italian mansion designed for wool magnate Leon Kauffman in 1928.
Porto Marina Way turns into Tramonto Drive. See a modern array of prime real estate as you make your way back to your car.
BONUS: After your Italian-inspired walk, cool off at Dolcenero Gelato (2400 Main St., Santa Monica), an Italian ice cream shop featuring gelati and sorbetti with a So-Cal vibe. The dulce de leche flavor hits the spot.
From Santa Monica, take the CA-1/Pacific Coast Hwy. north. Make a right onto Sunset Blvd. In about .30 mile, turn left on Los Liones Dr. Make the first left onto Tramonto Dr. Go up the hill for about half a mile until you reach the intersection of Tramonto Dr. and Quadro Vecchio Dr. Park on either street, paying close attention to street parking signs. This hike is dog-friendly as long as your pup can handle staircases.
Story and photos by Yvonne Pasquini, @yvonne_pasquini
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