One of the most beautiful and wild areas of Campania, Cilento, in the province of Salerno. Here, the sea, the coast and an incredibly unspoiled nature get together to create a breath-taking natural masterpiece. It’s not only a pleasure for the eyes, though. In fact, Cilento also offers a fully “green” experience: let’s find out together what this place has in store for you!
Ever heard of Cilento? People who have had the chance to visit it know it’s a real paradise for sustainable tourism. Among strolls along the coast, unique beaches, km-0 delicacies and eco-friendly accommodation, it’s impossible to resist! Let’s discover what this Italian piece of heaven has to offer, starting from Marina di Camerota, where a lovely eco-friendly villa is waiting for you.
Here we are in the National park of Cilento and Vallo di Daino, UNESCO heritage, among gems of priceless historical and natural value. In the heart of the Natural Park lies Marina di Camerota, a seaside town with white sand beaches and suggestive caves. It is the ideal starting point to get to know the real essence and nature of Cilento.
Marina di Camerota, among idyllic beaches and historical finds
Not for nothing, Marina di Camerota is mainly known for its beach tourism, given the amount of breath-taking beaches (certified by Legambiente and Touring in 2001 and 2015) present there. Some of the most peculiar beaches are accessible via water only, whereas the largest ones can be reached on foot, walking through amazing paths surrounded by olive trees and by the Mediterranean forest.
Among the most beautiful beaches you can find Calanca beach, just a few minutes from the historic centre, located between two promontuori rocciosi. The sea-bottom is pretty shallow, so it is perfect for little children as well adults.
Moving forward we can find Cala Bianca, named by Legambiente the most beautiful beach in Italy in 2013. Cala Bianca gets its name from its characteristic white pebbles, as the Italian “bianca” literally means “white”.
Nevertheless, the most amazing part of Marina di Camerota is Punta degli Infreschi, with its famous bay, which in 2014 was named most beautiful beach in Italy by Legambiente. The place is still untouched, it hasn’t suffered any damage caused by men and sometimes, even dolphins like to play and swim in those waters.
Marina di Camerota is not only famous for its beaches. In fact, there are also many monuments and archaeological finds in the city, among them, the Marquis’ Castle, summer residence of Marquis Sanseverino. The residential area is built around the remains of the ancient castle and it is perfect for taking afternoon strolls surrounded by an atmosphere that feels like home. Among the other things we can find the Leone di Caprera, a schooner, which crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Montevideo to Livorno at the end of the 19th century and it is now preserved in one of the Lentiscelle’s caves.
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- Some goats grazing on a path, Cilento’s National Park
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- Sand beach surrounded by Cilento’s wild nature
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- A cave which resembles a skull, Cilentos’ coast
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- Leone di Caprera, Marina di Camerota, photo via Wikimedia Commons
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- Cave, Marina di Camerota, photo via flickr
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- Marina di Camerota, beach, via wikimedia
That’s right, caves are also one of the natural assets of this incredible place. During the fifties, many important findings from the Stone Age were found in these caves.
And only a few minutes from the sea, an eco-friendly villa for you
Marina di Camerota is the perfect place to sleep sustainably. Villa Andrea is a super green residence near the sea and jagged coasts of Cilento, with a lovely swimming pool surrounded by olive trees, a spa and a huge garden.
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- Terrace, Villa Andrea, Marina di Camerota
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- Swimming pool, Villa Andrea, Marina di Camerota
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- Swimming pool at night, Villa Andrea, Marina di Camerota
You can choose among comfortable 2 or 3 rooms apartments, with both kitchen and bathroom. The owners are very careful not to waste energy and water and want to promote slow mobility. Villa Andrea is quite the place to start your itineraries on foot or by bike in the inland of Cilento, through which you can reach all the amazing beaches we talked about and visit the historic centre, old town of fishermen, full of stories and traditions to be discovered.
We interviewed Sandro, co-owner of Villa Andrea with his wife Iolanda. Here’s what he told us:
Sandro, how were the idea and the project for a green hospitality born?
The idea of creating a circuit where eco-sustainability is one of the main point was born from the consciousness regarding the situation in Cilento, which is still extremely real and wild. We are convinced that there is no hospitality other than a sustainable one, in order to make sure that Cilento will remain Cilento as long as possible, for our own sake.
Which sustainable practices did you take on?
- Recycling over 80%;
- Collection of 100% waste vegetable oil;
- 100% biodegradable Cleaning products;
- Laundry is washed using plant-based and 100% biodegradable products;
- Toilet paper 100% biodegradable;
- Low-power lightbulbs;
- Water-flow reducers;
- Reuse of rainwater;
- Free MTB;
- E-bike rent service;
- We are bike-friendly and we are also part of the FIAB’S national circuit albergabici;
- Change of towels on request;
- Lights based on motion-detectors;
- Viable without car;
- Special promotions for those who come to Cilento to practice outdoor activities.
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- Buffet with local products on the pool deck
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- Bedroom. Laundry is done with eco-products
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- Bathroom. Consumption is minimised thanks to water-flow reducers
Which itinerary or green experience would you recommend the most?
One of the most renowned itineraries is the trekking and MTB path which starts from Lentiscelle beach and ends in the amazing Baia Infreschi. This bay was recognized by Legambiente as the most beautiful beach in Italy in 2013, followed by Cala Bianca in 2014 (they’re on the same path).
Some other things you cannot miss:
- An excursion on a sailing boat to enjoy the coast of Cilento, also known as coast of the Myths.
- A visit to Pioppi’s ecomuseum of the Mediterranean Diet in memory of the American scientist Ancel Keys, who was the first to discover the benefits of Cilento’s diet and lifestyle for the health. More info: www.ecomuseodietamediterranea.it
What are you waiting for then? Start your adventure in green now!
In these places, where the fauna and flora are so rich and unspoiled, it is particularly important to have the minimum impact on the environment, in order to preserve its beauty just as it is and make it last over the years, so that in the future it could work as a testimony of one of the greatest artist of all times: our nature.
Cover photo via Wikimedia Commons