Around
Cilento
Cilento is an environment where the boundaries
between myth, history and landscape melt and blend. Those
who arrive by boat experience the beach, cliffs, crags and
caves merging with the olive trees and scrub, those who instead
arrive by car or bus wind through the small villages wedged
in the narrow river valleys or alongside the beaches of the
ancient Greek town of Paestum. Even today myths are intermingled
with historical fact lending a certain soul and nobility to
an exceptional, varied and exciting landscape: Palinuro and
Aeneas, Hercules and the Vastasi (giants from “il Monte
della Stella” Star Mountain), the Archangel Michael
and the dolmens of San Mauro Cilento and the mermaid Leucosia,
who, so the story goes, is buried in Castellabate.
 With
the exception of the small coastal areas and Vallo di Diano,
the National Park’s great inland plain, once home to
a long since gone lake, Cilento is predominantly hills and
mountains.
Jagged mountains form the continuous ridges, some with impossibly
steep slopes and cliffs, others which are more like rolling
hills are scored by a dense network of streams and rivers.
A land full of contrasts, where sandy beaches are overlooked
by mountains almost two thousand metres high, (Monte Cervati
stands at 1,899m, Monte Alburno 1,742m, Monte Gelbison 1,705m,
Monte Bulgheria !, 224m and Monte Stella only 1,130m which
still makes it the highest mountain on the coastline in the
whole of Italy. |
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Cilento’s water system includes the Alento
dam and rivers including the Lambro and the Mingardo, the
Solofrone, the Testene, the Fiumarella, the Bussento flowing
to the Tirreno and the Calore, the Sammaro and the Tanagro
towards the Sele.
Eighty kilometres of coastline offer long stretches of spectacular
beaches, some at the mouths of major rivers like those of
the Alento and the Mingardo, others tucked under the protection
of cliffs and crags like the stunning Punta Tresino near Agropoli.
Others still are accessible only by boat in areas of the sea
which are now also protected to conserve the exceptional marine
life around Punta licosa, the Ripe Rosse di Montecorice and
above all the Costa degli Infreschi.
Glamorous and
fashionable Acciaroli
Over the last few years Acciaroli has become one of
the most glamorous and fashionable towns in the region for
holidaymakers.
Bars and clubs like the lounge bar “Jazzy Club”,
is a must for an evening out in the town, with cutting-edge
music and cocktails in the historic port; the “Deseo”,
with sofas and lounge-style rooms on the beach for aperitifs
and unforgettable parties and “Blue Moon” timeless
disco club with the best national and international DJs.
There are also a whole host of local cafés and restaurants
huddled in the ancient alleyways and along the seafront waiting
to be discovered and play their part in unique holiday memories.
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