Cilento

For time-travellers, foodies and saltwater souls – discover a side to southern Italy that is beautifully beguiling

The land that time forgot – and the travel world is rediscovering – Cilento is a region that moves to its own languid rhythm. Trace the wave-carved coastline of Palinuro, or slow the pace at the beaches of Punta Licosa and Marina di Camerota, where sands are immaculate and the azure ocean just as flawless. Go grotto-hopping by boat, docking at Castellabate. Or venture inland to a place of myths, monasteries and museums – across more than 80 towns. Cilento’s entire landscape (and seascape) is UNESCO listed, and its temple-peppered shores are as historically rich as they are breath-catchingly beautiful. 

Things to do

HISTORY
To immerse in the region’s natural history, dip into Cilento National Park where sky-skimming mountains are criss-crossed with ancient mule tracks and the shores promise isolated beaches. Myths and legends still swirl through the waves here – listen for the Sirens’ call at Punta Licosa, and recall the tale of Palinurus, the coxswain who met his fate at Cilento in The Aenid. The ancient wonders of Velia come high up on most archaeology buffs’ must-visit lists, too. Press your ears to the golden stones of these Magna-Grecian ruins where you can almost hear the debate of ancient philosophers and early medical scientists.           

LANDMARKS
An archaeological wonderland, marvel at the ancient Greek ruins of Paestum. With each step, go further back in time, picturing the Romans who later bathed in the thermal waters here and the crowds who roared at the amphitheatre. Meanwhile, nature has carved her own arena at the Grotte dell’Angelo. Enter by sailing the underground river into a dreamworld of Neolithic caverns, twisting stalactites and hidden waterfalls. Also worth your while is Grotta Azzurra at Palinuro, that glimmers with an intense blue light. Diving tours take you deeper, beneath the dancing surface of the water.

FOOD
Food culture in Cilento is deliciously paced. Nonne take their time hand-rolling pasta. Families linger over shared lunches in the sun, savouring every mouthful and moment. Embrace this tempo at a local Cilento caseificio, seeing cheesemakers layer mozzarella with myrtle, and create velvety cacioricotta from goats’ milk. Enjoy the definitive cheeseboard, studded with white figs. Or visit at Easter to eat Cilento’s hallmark fusilli di felitto. Because this tube-like pasta takes time to shape around slender rods, it’s typically (re)served for major celebrations.

Top Tip from SLH

Pack a copy of Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea for trips to Cilento. Read it while swinging your legs over the ocean at Acciaroli, once home to a fisherman named Antonio – said to have been Ernest’s inspiration