Cilento Coast

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small picturesque coastal towns of Italy- Pallinuro

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Overview

The Cilento stretch of coastline may lack the sophistication of the Amalfi Coast, but it too has a string of craggy, sun-bleached towns, among them popular Agropoli, gleaming white Palinuro, charming Castellabate and the evocative ruined temples of Paestum. The Cilento can even afford to have a slight air of superiority when it comes to its beaches: a combination of secluded coves and long stretches of golden sand with fewer overpriced ice creams and sunbeds. Yet Campania's southern bookend is about more than its waterside appeal. It's here that you'll find the ancient Greek temples of Paestum and a large coastal tract of the Parco Nazionale del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni, also a Unesco World Heritage site.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Paestum's Temples

    Paestum's Temples

    Paestum

    Very different to Pompeii, Paestum’s ruins are smaller, older, more Greek and – crucially – a lot less overrun. Consequently, it is possible to steal some…

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    Grotta Azzurra

    Cilento Coast

    Although it doesn’t have the hype of its Capri counterpart, Palinuro’s Grotta Azzurra is similarly spectacular, with a brilliant play of light and hue.

  • Museo di Paestum

    Museo di Paestum

    Paestum

    Facing the east side of the ruins, the Museo di Paestum houses a collection of much-weathered metopes (bas-relief friezes). Among these are originals from…

  • Tenuta Vannulo

    Tenuta Vannulo

    Paestum

    The first organic producer of bufala (water-buffalo) milk, Tenuta Vannulo is a 10-minute drive from Paestum. It makes its mozzarella exclusively from…

  • Parco Archeologico di Elea Velia

    Parco Archeologico di Elea Velia

    Cilento Coast

    Founded by the Greeks in the mid-6th century BC, Velia subsequently became a popular resort with wealthy Romans. You can wander around the evocative ruins…

  • Trentova-Tresino

    Trentova-Tresino

    Agropoli

    Those frustrated by the dearth of well-marked hiking trails in the Parco Nazionale del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni should pay a visit to this mini…

  • Il Castello

    Il Castello

    Agropoli

    Built by the Byzantines in the 5th century, the castle was strengthened during the Angevin period, the time of the War of the Vespers, which was initially…

  • Castello dell'Abate

    Castello dell'Abate

    Cilento Coast

    Approached from its coastal sidekick, Santa Maria di Castellabate, the summit of Castellabate is marked by the broad Belvedere di San Costabile, from…

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Two women looking at a little waterfall in Capelli di venere, Casaletto Spartano, Campania

Activities

You’ve probably never been to Cilento. Here’s why you should go

Aug 24, 2023 • 9 min read

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