Cilento is the part of Campania that always makes us slow down. In five days you can combine Greek temples, seaside villages, caves and inland villages where time seems to stand still. Here is the itinerary we recommend, starting in the north and returning through the Vallo di Diano.
Day 1: Paestum and Agropoli
Start at Capaccio Paestum, with its three great Doric temples and the archaeological museum, home to the famous Tomb of the Diver. Arrive early in the morning, when the light is soft and visitors are few. In the afternoon move on to Agropoli, the "gateway to Cilento": walk up through the old town to the castle, with views over the gulf. Before dinner, taste the Paestum artichokes if they are in season.
Day 2: Castellabate, Pioppi and Velia
The morning is for the village of Castellabate, perched above the coast, and its seaside hamlets. Then on to Pollica: in Pioppi the American scientist Ancel Keys studied the local diet for years and helped make the Mediterranean diet known, today UNESCO intangible heritage. In the afternoon visit the ruins of Elea-Velia at Ascea, the city of the philosophers Parmenides and Zeno, with its Porta Rosa.
Day 3: Palinuro and the wildest coast
The third day is for the sea. At Palinuro, in the municipality of Centola, take a boat tour of the sea caves and see the Natural Arch. Further south, from Camerota you can reach the Bay of Infreschi by boat or on foot along the coastal path, one of the most beautiful coves in Italy.
Day 4: Vallo di Diano, caves and charterhouses
We leave the coast for the interior. In the morning visit the caves of Pertosa, where the first stretch is by boat on an underground river. Then on to Padula and the Charterhouse of San Lorenzo, one of the largest monastic complexes in Europe, with a vast cloister. End the day in Teggiano, among the stone portals of the old town.
Day 5: inland villages and gorges
The last day is for the most intimate Cilento. At Roscigno visit Roscigno Vecchia, the village abandoned in the early twentieth century because of landslides, with its square and fountain intact. Then move to Felitto for the Calore gorges, with the medieval bridge and paths along the river. Alternatively, the caves of Castelcivita.
What to eat
Cilento is a land of unique products: the PDO white fig of Cilento, goat's cacioricotta, menaica anchovies and buffalo mozzarella from the plain. For wine, Cilento DOC.
Getting there and when to go
The most convenient way to explore Cilento is by car: distances between coast and interior are not great, but public transport is infrequent. Regional trains link Salerno with Paestum, Agropoli, Ascea and Pisciotta-Palinuro. The best period is May to October; in August the coast is very crowded. Check opening times and tickets for caves and archaeological sites on official channels before you go.
With more days, add our Amalfi Coast itinerary.
Photo: Fiore S. Barbato, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
