Located in southern Campania, Cilento has all the ingredients that visitors to Italy look for: beaches, a national park, spectacular coastal and inland panoramas, history, traditions, culture and great food.

The Coast

Cilento`s coastline has long, sandy beaches as well as a rugged coast with a protected sea fauna zone; its waters are consistently voted among the cleanest in Italy. Several resorts dot the coastline from Agropoli to Castellabate and, a little farther along, to Capo Palinuro with its mythical grottoes.

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Tours In Campania-Cilento Campania Tour in Vintage Cars Book the Countess Culinary Tour Today! Campania: The Insider`s Tour Pompeii Paestum and Cilento Capri Sorrento Cilento Amalfi Coast Boat Tours Ecotour 2 - La Tammuriata: Music, Singing and Folk Dance Ecotour 4 - WWF Oasis in Diecimare Natural Park - Cava de’ Tirreni

Environment

The Cilento National Park, which stretches over 180,000 hectares, has recently been inserted in the UNESCO list of humanity`s natural beauties. It is a genuine living habitat where natural species, geographical environment and man have lived for centuries in harmonious symbiosis.

Pivotal cradle of naturalistic and anthropological interchange in the Mediterranean basin, it houses a great variety of animal and vegetable species, due to the heterogeneity of the territory.

Coastal, hilly, and mountainous landscapes follow each other, often showing vestiges of man`s ancient presence; among many of these are the Pertosa grottoes where shepherds used to shear their flocks, or the sculpture of the warrior of Antece on the Alburni rock.

The Greek colonizers landed along the coasts of Cilento in the 7th century BC where they founded Poseidonia (the Roman Paestum).

We recommend an excursion up Mount Gelbison (1,700 m.) along the pathway the ancient worshippers followed to the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Monte Sacro; or to the old village of Roscigno, abandoned some two centuries ago. An alternative is the small town of Teggiano which overlooks the Vallo di Diano, fiefdom of the Sanseverino family, whose castle can be visited.

Also a visit to the Oasi di Persano, game-preserve of the Bourbons Kings, nowadays under the care of the WWF.

Archeology

The Excavations and the Museum of Paestum, the Excavations of Velia, the Virtual Museum of Hera Argiva at the mouth of the Sele river. Paestum (the ancient Poseidonia of Magna Grecia) is one of the most prominent archeological sites in Italy.

The town is surrounded by well kept Roman walls which are 5 km long. It includes the three famous and imposing Doric temples of the VI and V century BC, and the Archeological Museum which houses the precious fresco of The Diver.

Velia is the Roman name for the ancient Greek town of Helea, founded circa 540 BC. Archeological excavations have gradually unveiled the remains of this town, and just recently the amphitheater and the Porta Rosa (Pink Door).

The sanctuary of Hera Argiva, located at the mouth of the Sele river, is hidden amongst vegetation. In ancient times the foundation of this temple, actually built in the VII century BC, was attributed to Jason (the mythological husband of Medea) and his Argonauts.

The newly built Virtual Museum examines these fascinating aspects of the past.

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Churches

The magnificent Chartreuse of Padula and the Sanctuaries of Getsemani and Madonna del Granato: The Chartreuse San Lorenzo of Padula was founded in 1306 by the feudal landlord of Reggiano and Cilento, Tommaso Sanseverino.

This is one of the most imposing religious sites in Europe; it is 50,000 square meters. It is a harmonious architectural and artistic whole made up of well preserved Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque elements.

Gastronomy

Cilento, home to the Mediterranean diet, includes:

Mozzarella, produced from buffalo milk bred in this area for millennia; it is possible to visit a farm which produces excellent mozzarella and yogurt made from milk produced by its own buffaloes bred in a biological field

Olive Oil produced in ancient oil-mills using the old-style cold process

Wine from Cilento is one of the best in Italy, and it is possible to visit a local firm specialized in its production

Pasta, including fusilli and cavatelli, is still hand made here.

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Other Points of Interest

The grottoes of Pertosa and Castelcivita: The grottoes of Castelcivita, inhabited in prehistoric times, are a few kilometers from Paestum and located along the banks of the Calore river. They are among the most significant spelaeological sites in Italy; the calcareous rocks have, over the centuries, turned into something phantasmagoric and are greatly enhanced by skillful illumination, from a distance of 1,700 meters.

The grottoes of Pertosa are located at the foot of the Alburni mountains, in an unspoiled natural environment; their geological origin is due to Karst-formations. They were inhabited during the stone-age and utilized by the Greeks and Romans as religious venues; more recently they have been used by shepherds for shearing the sheep. The name "Per-tosa" originates from the word "tosa" which means shearing.

Distances from Agropoli, Cilento:

Naples km 110 Sorrento Km 110 Positano km 90 Ercolano km 90 Pompeii km 80 Amalfi km 70	Salerno km 50 Capri 60 minutes by hydrofoil Palinuro km 65 Velia km 35 Paestum km 5 Cilento National Park km 5

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