Everything you need to know about Cilento
27 Oct 2022
In the south of the Campania region, the Cilento area offers a still wild and unspoilt landscape with crystal-clear lakes, impressive limestone cliffs, small islands and bays, while in the north it has been intensively exploited agriculturally in the past.
This area offers a magnificent mix of wild nature and the traditions of ancient civilisations, which have settled here.
The Cilento region is an area that is still little exploited economically but has great potential for tourists and also for businesses.
The wealth of this territory is represented not only by very few towns or villages, but precisely by the beauty of the unspoilt wilderness.
What is there to see in Cilento?
It is rather difficult to give you a definite answer, considering that everyone has their own preferences. Some love the sea, others the mountains, someone else the more famous thermal resorts.
There are no precise rules, but we would like to give you some advice so that you don't miss out on anything.
If you like fun and nightlife, including the summer, which is even better here, you can rest easy... and even extend your visit to September.
Temperatures average something between 20/25 degrees and never more than 30/35 degrees, reaching highs of no more than 40 degrees.
It is the perfect season to go on holiday...
As for the months to be preferred, I certainly think that the month that best suits the region is June.
You read that right: the hottest month of the year is the most suitable for visiting Cilento.
The reason is very simple and has to do with the altitude at which some of the most active and lively communities such as Agropoli, Palinuro, Acciaroli, Castellabate, Sapri
The sea is cooler and less rough, there are plenty of village festivals to attend and it is in this season that medieval festivals are held, all devoted to healthy eating with traditional local products.
In Castellabate, UNESCO has said it is a world heritage site. The archaeological park of Paestum is the best place to see the temples of Magna Graecia. If you love history, then you should also visit Palinuro and Camerota - they have caves just like Capri.
Inland Cilento and Vallo di Diano area: the whole of the inland Cilento area, including San Mauro Cilento with its world-renowned extra virgin olive oil, Rocca Cilento with its magnificent medieval castle that has just been restored, the WWF Oasis of Morigerati, the Hair of Venus, the most romantic waterfall in southern Italy, Palazzo Vargas in Vatolla, where Giambattista Vico stayed for a few years.
Peastum Archaeological Park
The history of Magna Graecia can be retraced through the ancient Greek foundation (western sector of the Temple of Neptune), the Roman foundation (Piazza della Minerva) and the Christian foundation (Piazza della Chiesa).
Paestum is world-famous for its history, but also for the ancient Greek centre founded in 689 B.C.by Athenian colonists and defeated by the Romans in 283 B.C.During its heyday it reached a population of over 17,000, but in the 10th century the Normans destroyed it.
To think that at the time of Christ Paestum was a flourishing city is incredible, whereas for the first half of the last century it was 'dormant'.Paestum was rediscovered by the Swiss archaeologist F.Rutili in 1834, who first had the intuition to search for the ruins of Magna Graecia by digging among farmland
The tower of Velia
is one of the most important cities of Magna Graecia the tower of velia was discovered in the 19th century by archaeologists such as Giuseppe Fiorelli from the tower of velia you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the cilento coast and the islands of capri Procida and Ischia.
There is a museum containing artefacts from the Magna Grecia period.
The Charterhouse Of Padula
The Charterhouse of San Lorenzo in Padula is a museum and architectural complex describing the history of monastic life in the Cilento region.
After the construction of a chapel dedicated to Saint Lucy, which stood on the island of Procida, the Camaldolese monks moved to what is now the territory of the municipality of Padula to build the Charterhouse of San Lorenzo, still today an oasis of peace and silence.
The Chapel of the initiation of the Blessed Giannelli depicts an astonishing scene, depicted on the vault.The Charterhouse of San Lorenzo still houses the Camaldolese monks, who live a serene life dedicated to teaching.
Calore Gorge
In this basin, created by tectonic movements since the Cretaceous period, is the Calore waterfall.23 metres high and 24 metres wide, it is a jewel of unspoilt nature immersed in a forest of beech and alder trees, where you can admire numerous protected species such as the local cuckoo (cuculus philomelos) and the marten (martes martes).
However, much more impressive is the hilly environment surrounding the waterfall. Here you can enjoy breathtaking views, ranging from the Calabrian hills to Ischia and Capri, through the Calore Gorges to the ancient Etruscan city of Velia and the Certosa di San Lorenzo.
The best restaurants, bars and trattorias with Cilento specialities can be found in the Calore Valley, particularly in the hamlets of Sasso and Isca on the provincial road to Maiori.
Nature lovers and hikers have numerous trekking opportunities at their disposal.
The Calore Valley is also an area of wine and food tradition, as evidenced by numerous agritourisms and restaurants.
Caves of Pertosa
Grotta Auletta is the name of one of the caves, and Grotte di Pertosa is the name of the locality.
Film and TV scenes are filmed here, as well as fairs and cultural events. However, visitors can discover the 'grotto' of the place at their own leisure, with a guided tour at the G.Pennacchiò Visitors' Centre.
Along the underground pathways of the cave is also the Grotta delle Muse, whose characteristic is a red colour found in the ceilings, caused by the presence of iron ore.Once you reach the first cylindrical room, you can descend by stairs until you reach the 'red nature'.
Grotta Auletta is traversed by a river that takes on colourful hues, and is located within a karstic complex called auletta.The river stretches for over 300 metres, and is used by both cave divers and tourists.The Pertosa area is one of the most active in terms of caves and karstic cavities in Cilento.
Grotta Auletta has been the subject of much research, as the observation of its environment suggests that it is the place where the Cilento people lived, who were called auletta.
Sea Caves Of Palinuro
The sea caves of Capo Palinuro are the main attraction of the area. They can be visited by boats departing from the port of Palinuro. These caves, in which both stalactites and stalagmites are found, were formed by limestone deposits dating back some 200 million years. It is a must for anyone visiting Cilento
This area offers a magnificent mix of wild nature and the traditions of ancient civilisations, which have settled here.
The Cilento region is an area that is still little exploited economically but has great potential for tourists and also for businesses.
The wealth of this territory is represented not only by very few towns or villages, but precisely by the beauty of the unspoilt wilderness.
What is there to see in Cilento?
It is rather difficult to give you a definite answer, considering that everyone has their own preferences. Some love the sea, others the mountains, someone else the more famous thermal resorts.
There are no precise rules, but we would like to give you some advice so that you don't miss out on anything.
If you like fun and nightlife, including the summer, which is even better here, you can rest easy... and even extend your visit to September.
Temperatures average something between 20/25 degrees and never more than 30/35 degrees, reaching highs of no more than 40 degrees.
It is the perfect season to go on holiday...
As for the months to be preferred, I certainly think that the month that best suits the region is June.
You read that right: the hottest month of the year is the most suitable for visiting Cilento.
The reason is very simple and has to do with the altitude at which some of the most active and lively communities such as Agropoli, Palinuro, Acciaroli, Castellabate, Sapri
The sea is cooler and less rough, there are plenty of village festivals to attend and it is in this season that medieval festivals are held, all devoted to healthy eating with traditional local products.
In Castellabate, UNESCO has said it is a world heritage site. The archaeological park of Paestum is the best place to see the temples of Magna Graecia. If you love history, then you should also visit Palinuro and Camerota - they have caves just like Capri.
Inland Cilento and Vallo di Diano area: the whole of the inland Cilento area, including San Mauro Cilento with its world-renowned extra virgin olive oil, Rocca Cilento with its magnificent medieval castle that has just been restored, the WWF Oasis of Morigerati, the Hair of Venus, the most romantic waterfall in southern Italy, Palazzo Vargas in Vatolla, where Giambattista Vico stayed for a few years.
Peastum Archaeological Park
The history of Magna Graecia can be retraced through the ancient Greek foundation (western sector of the Temple of Neptune), the Roman foundation (Piazza della Minerva) and the Christian foundation (Piazza della Chiesa).
Paestum is world-famous for its history, but also for the ancient Greek centre founded in 689 B.C.by Athenian colonists and defeated by the Romans in 283 B.C.During its heyday it reached a population of over 17,000, but in the 10th century the Normans destroyed it.
To think that at the time of Christ Paestum was a flourishing city is incredible, whereas for the first half of the last century it was 'dormant'.Paestum was rediscovered by the Swiss archaeologist F.Rutili in 1834, who first had the intuition to search for the ruins of Magna Graecia by digging among farmland
The tower of Velia
is one of the most important cities of Magna Graecia the tower of velia was discovered in the 19th century by archaeologists such as Giuseppe Fiorelli from the tower of velia you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the cilento coast and the islands of capri Procida and Ischia.
There is a museum containing artefacts from the Magna Grecia period.
The Charterhouse Of Padula
The Charterhouse of San Lorenzo in Padula is a museum and architectural complex describing the history of monastic life in the Cilento region.
After the construction of a chapel dedicated to Saint Lucy, which stood on the island of Procida, the Camaldolese monks moved to what is now the territory of the municipality of Padula to build the Charterhouse of San Lorenzo, still today an oasis of peace and silence.
The Chapel of the initiation of the Blessed Giannelli depicts an astonishing scene, depicted on the vault.The Charterhouse of San Lorenzo still houses the Camaldolese monks, who live a serene life dedicated to teaching.
Calore Gorge
In this basin, created by tectonic movements since the Cretaceous period, is the Calore waterfall.23 metres high and 24 metres wide, it is a jewel of unspoilt nature immersed in a forest of beech and alder trees, where you can admire numerous protected species such as the local cuckoo (cuculus philomelos) and the marten (martes martes).
However, much more impressive is the hilly environment surrounding the waterfall. Here you can enjoy breathtaking views, ranging from the Calabrian hills to Ischia and Capri, through the Calore Gorges to the ancient Etruscan city of Velia and the Certosa di San Lorenzo.
The best restaurants, bars and trattorias with Cilento specialities can be found in the Calore Valley, particularly in the hamlets of Sasso and Isca on the provincial road to Maiori.
Nature lovers and hikers have numerous trekking opportunities at their disposal.
The Calore Valley is also an area of wine and food tradition, as evidenced by numerous agritourisms and restaurants.
Caves of Pertosa
Grotta Auletta is the name of one of the caves, and Grotte di Pertosa is the name of the locality.
Film and TV scenes are filmed here, as well as fairs and cultural events. However, visitors can discover the 'grotto' of the place at their own leisure, with a guided tour at the G.Pennacchiò Visitors' Centre.
Along the underground pathways of the cave is also the Grotta delle Muse, whose characteristic is a red colour found in the ceilings, caused by the presence of iron ore.Once you reach the first cylindrical room, you can descend by stairs until you reach the 'red nature'.
Grotta Auletta is traversed by a river that takes on colourful hues, and is located within a karstic complex called auletta.The river stretches for over 300 metres, and is used by both cave divers and tourists.The Pertosa area is one of the most active in terms of caves and karstic cavities in Cilento.
Grotta Auletta has been the subject of much research, as the observation of its environment suggests that it is the place where the Cilento people lived, who were called auletta.
Sea Caves Of Palinuro
The sea caves of Capo Palinuro are the main attraction of the area. They can be visited by boats departing from the port of Palinuro. These caves, in which both stalactites and stalagmites are found, were formed by limestone deposits dating back some 200 million years. It is a must for anyone visiting Cilento