The coastline is undoubtedly the jewel in the crown of our territory: the clarity of its seabed, the long beaches of fine sand, the splendid inlets and the scents of the Mediterranean maquis can only be understood by experiencing them. The scenery of the so-called "mythical coast", from Punta Licosa to the Gulf of Policastro, offers a spectacle of breathtaking beauty: Castellabate, a typical medieval village, winds its way through alleys, churches and noble palaces and dominates the seaside villages of San Marco and Santa Maria di Castellabate. After the success of 'Benvenuti al Sud', Castellabate has become the emblem of our territory. Agropoli and its fishing village is dominated by the Byzantine Castle. Punta Licosa with its Underwater Marine Park is a true paradise for divers who love archaeology. The magnificent seaside village of Acciaroli is known as Hemingway's village. Legend has it that the American writer drew the inspiration for his famous novel "The Old Man and the Sea" from an encounter with an old fisherman from Acciaroli. Pioppi is the place where Ancel Keys discovered the 'Mediterranean Diet' in the early 1950s. All he had to do was observe the healthy diet of the so-called 'poor dishes' of our peasant tradition linked to the natural rhythms of work to discover the secret of our grandparents' longevity. Cilento cuisine is still today the cuisine of the peasant world that characterises our territory and preserves it. Continuing on, we come to Marina di Ascea with its long beach of fine sand and its characteristic cliff behind which lie the limpid seabed of the Baia d'Argento and the Baia della Rondinella, overlooked by the monumental Saracen Tower. Soon afterwards we reach Pisciotta, a charming village of medieval origin overlooking the sea. As far as the mythical promontory of Palinuro, there is a succession of panoramas that captivate us with their poignant beauty. The name Palinuro derives from the unfortunate helmsman of Aeneas who, as Virgil tells us in the Aeneid, fell into the sea here and lost his life. Palinuro's pride and joy are the beautiful sea caves, the most famous being the Blue Grotto, which are visited by thousands of tourists every year. Impressive cliffs and coves accessible only by boat can also be found in Marina di Camerota, which has become one of the most popular resorts on the Cilento coast. The Baia degli Infreschi together with the Cala Bianca inlet can be considered the most romantic beaches on the coast, and it is no coincidence that for several years they have been ranked as the most beautiful beaches in Italy. The Cilento coastline ends at the Gulf of Policastro, where you will be fascinated by the beautiful Scario, known as the 'Pearl of Cilento', with its colourful buildings, elegant houses and palaces with wrought iron balconies and stone portals that follow the inlet of the harbour and are reflected in the water. At the centre of the gulf to which it gives its name, Policastro Bussentino has interesting remains of the castle and medieval walls. A fascinating excursion is to the Grotta del Bussento, an impressive phenomenon created by the river, one of the most suggestive in Campania. Cilento is rich in paths immersed in extraordinary natural scenery. The mild climate makes trekking possible in all seasons. Walking in the Cilento means crossing hills covered with majestic centuries-old olive trees at a leisurely pace, inebriating yourself with the scents of the Mediterranean scrub, climbing towards the mountains through beech and chestnut woods, stopping to enjoy a glass of wine and the ancient flavours in a typical farmhouse. Dear traveller, we conclude this short story with the hope of having conveyed to you the image of a territory to be discovered and, above all, to be savoured slowly. This is the only way to capture the soul of a land that is thousands of years old and in many ways still authentic.
Explore CILENTO, a place to visit at least once in your life./2
