Borgo Antico di Campagna – 10 km away
The first settlements were in IV century b.C. when the local settlements and Greek colonizers mixed. In 1518 Pope Leone X gave the settlement the “City” title. In 1525 Clement VII established the Diocese of Campagna and later arose various religious buildings and monuments.
To visit in the ancient village: the church and convent of St. Bartolomeo, Gerione Castle, Church of the Immaculate Conception, church of Ss. Filippo e Giacomo, the Cathedral, St. Spirito, La Maddalena, Town Hall, Palace Pironti, Bishop's Palace, S. Antonio.
It has numerour folkloristic manifestations and of food and wine.
“I Fucanoli” e “A Chiena” are two of the most important events for the vitality of the Old Town, they are in january and august.
“I Fucanoli” is the celebration of S. Antonio, patron of Campagna, with a religious procession and bon fires, there are food stalls around the town with local specialities.
“A Chiena” is a festivity dedicated to water. It is held in August and it consists in deviating the course of the river Tenza so that it flows through the city and it allows locals and tourists to cool down from the summer heat with water games.
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Cave of San Michele in Olevano sul Tusciano – 15 km away
The first settlements were in IV century b.C. when the local settlements and Greek colonizers mixed. In 1518 Pope Leone X gave the settlement the “City” title. In 1525 Clement VII established the Diocese of Campagna and later arose various religious buildings and monuments.
To visit in the ancient village: ex convent of S. Bartolomeo, Gerione Castle, Church of Concezione, church of Ss. Filippo and Giacomo, the Cathedral, S. Spirito, La Maddalena, Palace of the city, Palace Pironti, Bishop's Palace, S.Antonio. The Cave of San Michele Arcangelo, know as “Angel's Cave” is a natural cavity on Monte Raione in the municipality of Olevano sul Tusciano.
Within the cave there is a religious complex from the ninth and thenth century. It is made up of 5 buildings, the martyrion, a basilica with frescoes, two shrines a church and an oratory.
The cave has beautiful natral features such as stalactites and stalagmites. The World Monument Funds has added this site to the list of 100 most important places int the world to save.
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WWF Oasis in Persano – 20 km away
The WWF Oasis is a protected area within the Natural Reserve of Foce Sele-Tanagro. It is 110 hectares within the plains and opens towards the sea and Picentini and Alburni Mounts.
Its most important inhabitant is the otter, a rare a splendind mammal which is at risk in Italy.The Oasis and the neighbouring Military area of Persano make a wonderful green island with diverse habitats.
The entire area is inhabited by many animal species, however the Oasis is an important spot for birds and migratory birds traveling from Africa to northern Europe. Among the birds, in spring, there are the little egret, purple heron and the gray heron, night heron, Squacco, the diving ducks, moorhens, water rail and the coot, birds of prey there are kestrels, sparrow hawks, black kites and buzzards, while in winter the peregrine falcon.
The Oasis is open all year long and it has a visitors centre and a Paleolithic Village. It as two nature-trails: the first of about 1km and the second 400m.There are observation huts along the way.
Archaeological area of Paestum – 25 km away
The first settlements were in IV century b.C. when the local settlements and Greek colonizers mixed. In 1518 Pope Leone X gave the settlement the “City” title. In 1525 Clement VII established the Diocese of Campagna and later arose various religious buildings and monuments.
To visit in the ancient village: ex convent of S. Bartolomeo, Gerione Castle, Church of Concezione, church of Ss. Filippo and Giacomo, the Cathedral, S. Spirito, La Maddalena, Palace of the city, Palace Pironti, Bishop's Palace, S.Antonio.
Paestum, or Poseidonia as it was called during greek times, was founded in the VI century before Christ. It was founded at the beginning of the sixth century. B.C. by Achaeans from Sybaris who settled in the fertile plains south of the River Sele; in the late fifth century. B.C. the city was conquered by the Lucani and in 273 BC It became a Latin colony. Today you can visit a wide area of enchanted atmosphere, divided into three areas: two sacred shrine north and south, and a public center, first a greek Agora and then Roman Forum. In the two shrines are visible three Doric temples, beautifully preserved: the north of Ceres temple, dedicated to Athena, to the south the Basilica, the Temple of Hera and the Temple of Neptune perhaps sacred to Apollo. The ancient city is surrounded by walls with four gates at the cardinal points (north Porta Aurea, Porta Giustizia south, Sirena Gate to the east, west Porta Marina), dated between the end of IV BC and the era of the Latin colony (third century BC).
Inside the imposing walls that surround the entire complex is the Nationa Archaeological Museum of Paestum which collects the exceptional finds from the city and from the territory of Poseidonia-Paestum: from the furnishings to the prehistoric funerary work of the city, the architectural remains and sculptures to pottery. Part of the museum is dedicated to the archaic sculptures related to the famous metope cycles of the Heraion of Foce Sele, where today stands the Museum of Hera Narrante Argiva. Of great interest are the painted tombstones, including the most famous one Tomb of the Diver 480 BC, with the addition of the cycle of painted tombs dating Luke. The Tomb of the Diver (Tomba del Tuffatore, discovered in 1968) includes five frescoed plates. Four of those a funeral banquet. The masterpiece is the fifth plate, in which the Diver is represented. The paintings, made by a refined greek artist in 480 BC, are currently the only example of Greek painting in Magna Grecia. A new section of the museum houses artifacts from the Roman period, including a hoard of silver coins and important inscriptions.
Hot springs of Contursi – 25 km away
The first settlements were in IV century b.C. when the local settlements and Greek colonizers mixed. In 1518 Pope Leone X gave the settlement the “City” title. In 1525 Clement VII established the Diocese of Campagna and later arose various religious buildings and monuments.
To visit in the ancient village: ex convent of S. Bartolomeo, Gerione Castle, Church of Concezione, church of Ss. Filippo and Giacomo, the Cathedral, S. Spirito, La Maddalena, Palace of the city, Palace Pironti, Bishop's Palace, S.Antonio.
The hot springs of Contursi have been known since Roman times for its thermal waters still today between the best in the world. The are talked about in writings by Strabone, Plinio and Silvio Italico. The waters come from the prehistoric volcano on Mount Pruno. The waters are used fo the treatment of arthritis, rheumatism, skin conditions and respiratory problems.
The cold waters treat digestion problems and treat blood pressure irregularities. The springs are divided into three groups: salso-bromine iodine, sulfur, and bicarbonate – alkaline.
The most famous hot spring is the one of Contursi that springs at about 42C and is the most carbonic acid rich in Europe. Muds that rise along with the water are also used for treatments. They are white and different from darker muds used in other springs.
Old Picentia in Pontecagnano – 25 km away
The Archaeological Park of the ancient urban Picentia currently extends over an area of about 10 hectares, in the area where once stood the old town. Designed according to a non-traditional setting which provides for the progressive, future expansion on the whole old urban area (about 85 acres), it is proposed as the center of many activities and interests. The vast unexplored area, destined to green, has the typical function of a park-garden, where you can spend your leisure time, in an outdoor setting recovered to fruition. The archaeological visit, however, covers an area of about 500 square meters: the excavations have brought to light an area of town that is identified for this phase of the Roman period, with the center of Picentia, born in 268 BC and the visible part of a larger road axis (m. 9,00 wide) oriented towards East-West, to which are connected at least two road axes perpendicular to a smaller width; these define two blocks (insulae) of homes, where have been identified building phases dating from the third century. B.C. and the V-VI sec. AD, a period that marks the final abandonment of the city.
Very limited are the remains of their pre-Roman settlement on the remains of which Picentia was built. The material recovered from the excavations of the ancient Picentia is kept at the National Archaeological Museum of Pontecagnano entitled to "Etruscan Frontier" and also that preserves the remains of setting Villanova, perhaps called "Amina", on which arose Picentia, as well as funeral kits of approximately 9000 graves of the necropolis discovered in the area, dating from 3000 BC to the third century BC. The visit follows an exhibition, winding chronologically, with sections dedicated to illustration of different eras, from the Eneolithic period to Roman times, trying to offer the visitor moments of depth on the city and on its urban development, the necropolis, the sanctuaries and the handicraft production.
Arechi Castle, Cathedral of San Matteo and Diocesan Museum of Salerno – 30 km away
The first settlements were in IV century b.C. when the local settlements and Greek colonizers mixed. In 1518 Pope Leone X gave the settlement the “City” title. In 1525 Clement VII established the Diocese of Campagna and later arose various religious buildings and monuments.
To visit in the ancient village: ex convent of S. Bartolomeo, Gerione Castle, Church of Concezione, church of Ss. Filippo and Giacomo, the Cathedral, S. Spirito, La Maddalena, Palace of the city, Palace Pironti, Bishop's Palace, S.Antonio.
The Arechi castle is medieval, it is about 300m above sea level and dominates the city and gulf of Salerno. It is named Arechi because its construction is linked to Duke Arechi II. Its most antique construction phase dates back to the sixth century and it was by the goto-bizantine at the time of Narsete.
The castle gained its military importance during the eighth century with the Lombard Prince Arechi II who, although he did not introduce specific changes to the fort, he made it the cornerstone of the defense system of the city. In 774 this prince considered the strategic position of the city of Salerno and made it the residence of the court of the Duchy of Benevento. In fact the city was a bridgehead for trade and to control trade with other regions of the Mediterranean. Castle Arechi offers an overview of the city and the entire Gulf of Salerno and is surrounded by a park with nature trails surrounded by the Mediterranean.
The Cathedral of Salerno was built around 1080 at the behest of Roberto Guiscardo and dedicated to St. Matthew the Apostle. It is located in a very stratified area, on an early Christian church built on ruins of a Roman temple. It has undergone over the centuries several renovations and the current appearance reflects the reconstruction of the Baroque period. It is surrounded by a portico supported by 28 columns with arches and it contains Roman and medieval sarcophagus. The church has a Latin cross with three naves, transept and apse. Decorated with remains of frescoes, Roman remains and pulpits of the twelfth century with Byzantine mosaics and sculptures, the cathedral is a real Pantheon of Salerno. From the apse it descends into the crypt where the relics of the patron saint of the city are kept.
The Diocesan Museum, which since 1991 has its headquarters in the building of the former archbishop seminary, adjacent to the Cathedral, was founded in the 30s of last century by Mons. Arturo Capone, a distinguished scholar of Salerno who picked up a large part of the material which are heritage of the current institution. The exhibition, which illustrates important examples of regional culture from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century, has four rooms, each dedicated to a century of history. The core of exposure is the so-called cycle of ivories, a collection of ivory tablets of the Christian Middle Ages, dating to the first decades of the twelfth century, depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament. Equally noteworthy is the “Exultet”, a scroll of parchment of the thirteenth century, covered with fine miniatures illustrating the Exultet prayer that was recited during the liturgies of Holy Week. Of great interest in the numismatic section, which collects coins dating back to Ancient Greece, and a collection of papal medals of the XV century.
“Antica Volcei” at Buccino - 35 km away
The first settlements were in IV century b.C. when the local settlements and Greek colonizers mixed. In 1518 Pope Leone X gave the settlement the “City” title. In 1525 Clement VII established the Diocese of Campagna and later arose various religious buildings and monuments.
To visit in the ancient village: ex convent of S. Bartolomeo, Gerione Castle, Church of Concezione, church of Ss. Filippo and Giacomo, the Cathedral, S. Spirito, La Maddalena, Palace of the city, Palace Pironti, Bishop's Palace, S.Antonio.
The historical significance of the ancient Volcei is summarized in the position of control over the lower valley of Tanagro on Sele's plain and the gulf, in a territory which was a crossroad of people and cultures, natural union of ancient roads and river routes. Here, from the middle of the fourth century. BC, begin to emerge a number of settlements and in the late fourth century. C. the city is born on the hilly part of the territory defended by high turreted walls. At the end of the third century. C. there is a clash with Rome. At the end of the war against Hannibal the process of Romanization of the city begins, visible in the remains of the great monumental buildings, and the realization of the old street that linked Reggio Calabria to Capua, where the Appian Way to Rome started. Much of the route of the ancient road has been preserved in the plots of a secondary road network still in use. Inside the identified lots are many Roman villas built in the territory of Volcei; some have been brought to light and witness productive activities and mosaics of fine workmanship. With the arrival of the Normans and the construction of the castle tower, the remains of old buildings became inescapable reference point and basis for the new city of Buccino. Today you can visit the archaeological park, located in the current historical center of Buccino, and The National Archaeological Museum of Volcei, located inside the convent of Augustinian Hermits, and dedicated to the memory of Marcello Gigante, a distinguished citizen of Buccino.
Villa Guariglia in Raito di Vietri sul Mare – 40 km away
Villa Guarigli certainly is the most important monument in Rainto, fraction of Vietri sul Mare and door to the Amalfi coast. It is hosts the art of vietrese ceramics, an art which is five centuries old.
The Villa takes its name from the owner, Raffaele Guariglia that donated it to the Provintial Administration of Salerno for it to become a Study Centre. During the second world war it was home of Vittorio Emanuele III of Savoy.
Today the villa is home to the Museum of Vietrese Ceramics. The exposition presents the most important pieces its production. The villa is surrounded by a typical mediterranean park from which you can see the sea and other towns nearby.
Castellabbate – 40 km away
Castellabbate il located on the cilentan coast. Its entire territory lies within the National park of Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburno, declared in 1998 World Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Its sea locations are in the protected area of Santa Maria di Castellabbate. The movie “Benvenuti al Sud” was filmed here.
Archaeological area of Elea – Velia – 50 km away
The ancient city of Elea was founded around 540 BC by a group of people from the greek city of Focea, today in Turkey.The city was known in the fifth century for Paramenide and Zenone. It reaches times of great development in hellenistic times an roman times when its name is changed to Velia. In Medieval times a castle is built. The architectonic structures of the old city are immersed in mediterranean vegetation, for this reason the Archaeological Park of Velia was founded. Most of the buildings are from hellenistic and roman times. The city walls are 5km long. In front of the walls there is an imperial necropolis of which individual burials are visible.
Pollica – 60 km away
Pollice is on the coast of Cilento half way between Castellabate and Velia, it is know for ts tourism in the beaches of Pioppi and Acciaroli. In 2006 it recieved 5 sails from Legambiente and a Blu Flag from FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education) for the quality of the sea and the wonderful scenery, arriving first out of 277 best sea locations in Italy.
Founded by greek refugees in VII – VIII century Pollica develops around San Nicola Church from the XVI century. Its most know quarter is Acciaroli. Among its many visitors Acciarola is famous for having hosted Hemingway for a long period of time and having inspired “The old man and the sea”.
In the other famous part of town, Pioppi, is the Live Museum of Sea which has been open to the public since 1996. It is at the Vinciprova Palace where each room contains pools which represent the different sea habitats of the Cilento coasts. The first floor hosts the Museum of Mediterranean Diet, dedicated to the american doctor and epidemiologist Ancel Kets, who liven in Pioppi for over 40 years, studying the link between alimentation and cardiovascular illnesses and proving the benefits of the mediterranean diet. It is possible to visit the doctor's personal library which he donated to Pollica.
In 2010 Unesco added the mediterranean diet to the cultural heritage of humanity list. The diet is based on respect for the land and its biodiversity and it guarantees the preservation and development of traditional activities and of the jobs linked to fishing and agriculture in the Mediterranean.
Amalfi coast – Amalfi and Positano – 60 km away
The Amalfi coast extends from the Gulf of Salerno to the Sorrentine peninsula and it includes thirteen towns from Vietri sul Mare to Amalfi. It is a place where history, art and culture merge and give life to archaeological sceneries unique in the world. These towns are rich with sun, sea and culture from the greeks, romans, saracens.
The most famous monument in Amalfi is the Cathedral in arabic-sicilian style, but it is full of historical buildings such as the mosaics of Domenico Morelli. A few kilometers from Amalfi is Positano, always a destination for painters, writers and musicians. Its steep stairways are famous, going from the top of the town and down to the beach. Most of the beaches can be reached by water with the “metrò sul mare” or metro on the sea.
Caves of Pertosa – 65 km away
The Pertosa caves are situated beneath the Auletta municipality and about 263m below sea level. They are so big that it is difficult to create a precise map. It is thought that they were created by tectonic plates and waterways.
The artifacts found within the caves by Carucci prove that these were inhabited since the bronze age. The objects found indicate that the people living there were mainly shepherds.
For many years the caves become home of the show called “Dante's inferno in the caves”. The audience is guided by a “Dante” through the ten rings of hell, in which they meet characters along with musicians which together give life to the verses of the poet.
Archaeological areas of Pompei, Ercolano and Torre Annuniata - 65 km away
The remains of the old cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, buried by the Vesuvius in 79 aD, offer an incomparable picture of society and daily life in old times. The excavations in Pompeii have given back the remains of the old city. The city of Pompeii is surrounded by 3220m of walls in which are 7 entryways. Many buildings are still standing from the old city like the Capitolium, the Basilica, public bathrooms and two theaters.
Pompeii was a holiday destination of the rich romans because of its beauty and weather.
The Villa dei Misteri (villa of mysteries) is interesting because of the murals within it of the initiation rites of the cult of Dionysus. An interesting fact about pompeii is the richness of its graffiti as at the time of the eruption political elections were imminent. These are graffiti of political and sexual themes.
From Herculaneum, said to be founded by Hercules, we know less because of the depth in which it was buried. Only four of its twenty hectares have been uncovered. Walls and main buildings have been uncovered yet the Forum is still underground, as are temples, many houses and the necropolis. The baths, the Sacerdotal College of Augustus, a theatre are almost completely intact. As are the House of the Bicentenary and Casa dei Cervi, which have spacious yards and are rich in decorations.
Herculaneum was a rich commercial city and in the food containers remain intact.
The suburban area of Oplontis, currently Torre Annunziata, had the same fate as Pompeii and Herculaneum being just a few kilometers away. It is famous for its salines and thermal waters and the Villa di Poppea and the one of Lucio Crasso the third. In all of its area, which is a world heritage site, it is possible to admire rare murals and mosaics.
Certosa of Padula – 80km away
The Certosa of Padula is one of the most important monastic complexes in Europe, declared World Heritage site by Unesco.
It is divided into two main areas: the “casa bassa”, more in touch with the outside world and the “casa alta” with spaces for the community life of monks. There were also areas of seclusion.
Today the church is house to the Archaeological Museum of Lucania, scenic work in the gardens of the cells for the “Ortus Artis” manifestation and a vast collection of contemporary art with over one hundred pieces created during the “Le opere e i Giorni” and “Fresco Bosco” exhibitions.
Capri and the Flegree Islands – 90km away
The Islands of Ischia, Procida, Vivara and Nisida in the Gulf of Naples are known as the Flegree Islands because of their location within the geological area of the Flegrei Camps.
The island of Capri is not part of these. Together these islands form the “Arcipelago Campano”.
The story of Capri is linked to that of the Mediterranean sea and its population. It is the mediterranean island which has seen intellectuals, artists and authors captivated by its magical beauty. The Faraglioni are three little islands which add to the beautiful scenery of Capri. Its coast is full of caves and cliffs. These caves were used by the romans as nymphs of their beautiful villas. The most famous is Grotta Azzurra.
Emperor Tiberio made of the island a true imperial residence building on it twelve villas. One of which he named Villa Jovis, in one of the most inaccessible parts of the island from which one can observe the entire Gulf of Naples, and all its islands.
Ischia, not far from the islands Procida and Vivara is the biggest of the Flegree Islands. It is thought to be entirely of volcanic origin and its thermal waters have been well known for centuries as the romans built several public baths as demonstrated by the votive tablets found at the source Nitrodi in Barano d'Ischia, on the site of a temple dedicated to Apollo and the Nymphs Nitrodi, guardians of the water.
Costiera Sorrentina – 90 km away
The area is in the stretch of the Campania coast, located north of the Sorrento Peninsula, overlooking the Bay of Naples; it is bordered to the east from Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi, which acts as a common divider between the Sorrento and the Amalfi coast and to the north-west from Castellammare di Stabia. It is a stretch of coastline famous around the world for its natural beauty, landscape and gastronomy, as well as home to major tourist sites. The stretch is named after the city of Sorrento, the most important in the area of core of the coast: its old town still shows the path of orthogonal streets of Roman origin, while the mountain is surrounded by sixteenth century walls. There is the Cathedral, rebuilt in the fifteenth century with neo-Gothic facade, and the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, with a remarkable fourteenth-century cloister with Arabian style arches that are interwoven on orthogonal pillars. In the Correale museumare are exposed collections of Greek and Roman artifacts and Capodimonte porcelain, with a section of paintings of the XVII-XIX century. From the park you can enjoy a magnificent view of the gulf. The Sorrento coast is also known for its traditional products, such as limoncello, a liqueur made from lemons in the area of Sorrento. On the tip of the coast there is the natural area of Ieranto Bay and the natural protected marine area Punta Campanella.
Historical center of Naples – 95 km away
To cross the historical center of Naples means to cross twenty centuries of history. The layout of the streets, squares, churches, monuments, public buildings and castles are a treasure trove of artistic and historical treasures of exceptional value, deserving the inscription, in 1995 as Unesco World Heritage. The historic center of Naples, the largest of Europe, thus collects testimonies of different styles and periods though history.
Little survives today of the Greek city of origin, traceable in the remains of the defensive walls of the city and a few other points of interest, as Via Mezzocannone.
The nineteenth century brought the city a major reorganization of the spaces and the town plan, which made Naples the modern metropolis that we can visit today. A metropolis that, like no other, can fuse the ancient and modern. A city with a soul all its own, with no time nor borders.
Verde Irpinia – 100 km away
Irpinia is a historical – geographic region of Souther Italy. It is part of the vastest historical region of Sannio and part of the province of Avellino.
The main touristic attraction are the skii area of Laceno, with the Laceno lake, mount Terminio and some villages that are some of the most beautiful in Italy.
Also important is the castle in the old town of Gesualdo.
For religious destinations is the Sanctuary of Carpignano a Grottaminarda.
Irpina is famous for its wine production. Its best wines are Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, Aglianico and Taurasi. Horse cheese, known as Caciocavallo, is also a typical product.
Royal Palace of Caserta with its park, aqueduct and St.Leucio Complex – 100 km away
This complex was created by Carlo III of Bourbon in the eighteenth century to rival Versailles and Madrid. It is composed of a palace with a park and a woods area, hunting pavilions and an industrial warehouse for silk production. It is a clear expression of the illuminist period.
The Royal Palace of Caserta has a rectangular layout, it is 36m long, 5 floors high and has an area of about 47,000 square meters. An imposing portico is the ideal connection to the park and the waterfalls. The staircase of honor, invention scenic arts of the eighteenth century, connects the lower and upper vestibule, which leads to the royal apartments. On the upper vestibule, in front of the compartment of the main staircase, opens the Palatine Chapel. Designed by Vanvitelli in all its decorations, it is certainly the environment that more than any other shows a clear analogy with the model of Versailles. The Court Theatre, located in the western side of the Palace, is an admirable example of eighteenth-century theater architecture. The traditional visit to the Royal Palace was enriched recently to fresh trails that offer visitors the opportunity to personalize their visit according to their own interests and cultural curiosities.
Chiesa di Sofia a Benvenuto - 100 km away
The Church of Santa Sofia was founded by the Duke Gisulfo II and completed by Arechi II. It was finished building in 762, possibly as National Church of the Lombard people. Thanks to donations this church became one of most powerful of Southern Italy and reached its peak in the twelfth century not just because of its church but also thanks to the “scriptorium”. Santa Sofia becomes well know outside of Italy, it was discovered by a frenchman which then decided to hold his Kings wedding in it.
Following the fate most monasteries had, it decayed until it was abandoned in 1595.
It is an exceptional example of medieval architecture of early medieval times and it is one of the most complex and better conserved lombard structures, still holding its painting on the walls. The cloister is also very interesting and it is now home to the Museum of Sannio.
