{"id":2077,"date":"2013-12-03T14:10:51","date_gmt":"2013-12-03T14:10:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.italygreentravel.com\/?p=2077"},"modified":"2015-01-28T19:38:18","modified_gmt":"2015-01-28T18:38:18","slug":"2-walking-tours-discover-cilento-south-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/2013\/12\/2-walking-tours-discover-cilento-south-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"2 must-do walking tours to discover Cilento area, between Myth and Nature"},"content":{"rendered":"

A journey in the Coast of Myth<\/strong>, where the ancient Greece embraces a wild nature<\/strong>, rich in perfumes and flavours, as cradle of the Mediterranean diet. You\u2019ll be spoilt for choice, among pure coasts \u2013 where Ulysses\u2019s mermaids used to sing \u2013 caves to discover, scented hills of cedar and olive trees to reach on old mule tracks (either on foot or on a donkey\u2019s back). Not to miss this territory characterized by its ancient and intense charm \u2013 its prices are still modest<\/strong>. We suggest you should do two striking walking tours<\/strong>, and stop at Acciaroli<\/em><\/strong>, the little village above the sea which, thanks to the stories told by its fishermen, enchanted Hemingway.<\/p>\n

The first itinerary, on the traces of Aeneas<\/strong>, is one of the most wonderful paths above the sea in all of Southern Italy. Here, following an old mule track, you go through green terraces, high cliffs, rocky coasts well known by ancient Greeks due to its wuthering waters and more than white beaches. Neither in winter could you prevent from bathing in the sea!<\/p>\n

The second one, the way of the gentle flowers<\/strong>, is a delicate crest track crossing arcane and mythical places, on the discovery of the \u201cStonehenge of Cilento\u201d.<\/p>\n

Among pure mountains and a crystal clear sea, those 1,800 km through the paths of the Parco Nazionale del Cilento e Vallo Diano<\/em><\/strong> (National Park of Cilento<\/strong> and Diano Valley<\/strong>), will tell you the thousand-year old story of a place blessed by Gods. A place which nowadays just attracts anyone who loves green tourism: in fact, such place is the first Italian geo park which, together with the sea areas of Santa Maria di Castellabate<\/em><\/strong> and Baia degli Infreschi<\/em><\/strong>, is safeguarding one of the greatest protected areas in Italy.<\/p>\n

\"caves<\/a>
A glimpse over the caves of Cilento, photo by Emanuele Benigni<\/div><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

On the traces of Aeneas. Walking between the sky and the sea, from Marina di Camerota to Punta Infreschi<\/h3>\n

Palinuro, Aeneas\u2019s helmsman, was the Troyan hero who survived after the destruction of Troy. Landing on the coasts of Cilento, he fell in love with a beautiful girl, named Kam\u00e0raton. Still, for he was not loved back, he tried to capture her reflected image in the sea waters, and drowned. The goddess Venus, as a punishment, transformed the girl into a rock, that is the rocky spur where nowadays is Camerota (it really derives from the ancient Greek kamar\u00f2ton, meaning \u201ccurved\u201d). The ancient buildings of the village have no foundation, as they lay directly on such rocky spur. It overlooks the valleys full of olive trees kneeling over the sea. Quite near to the historic centre of Camerota, you will find Contrada di San Vito<\/strong><\/em>, with its many tiny shops where an ancient knowledge was handed down over the generations, working with clay, which dates back its origins to the ancient Greece. Proceeding more below, you will find Marina di Camerota<\/strong><\/em>, where its luxuriant, Mediterranean greenery meets the sea.<\/p>\n

From this little, wonderful sea village of the XIX century, you won\u2019t miss a great walking itinerary<\/strong> passing through scented terraces, high hills, rocky coasts, more than white beaches and crystal clear water. Walk about 3 km (about 2.5 hours) from the little harbor of Marina di Camerota<\/strong><\/em> until reaching Grotta di<\/strong><\/em> Lentiscelle<\/strong><\/em> along an old mule track which suddenly presents breath-taking views over the sea. Walking along silent bays and clefts, you arrive at Punta Infreschi<\/em><\/strong>, one of the greatest beaches in Italy, which can only be reached on foot or boat.<\/p>\n

\"Cilento\"<\/a>
Salvatore, the tourist leader of the village<\/div><\/div>\n

Salvatore<\/strong>, \u201cThe man beloved by stray dogs, who would rather be loved by a woman\u201d (as he ironically says of himself) is our exceptional tourist leader.<\/p>\n

Provolone<\/strong> and Aeneas, the two stray dogs \u201cadopted\u201d by the community, accompany us throughout the 7 km walking tour from Lentiscelle (Marina di Camerota) to Cala Bianca, then to Punta Infreschi.<\/p>\n

Thousands years ago, this section of land used to be sea. Here, the marks on the rocks tell us about a time when, during the warmest periods in history, the water was able to reach 12 m of height above the current sea level. It\u2019s hard to imagine how, quite different animals lived in that section of coast, long ago: in fact, they were the same animals which can now be found in Africa, as well as the flora in the Red Sea. Can you believe it? In the cave of Poggio<\/strong>, home to Neanderthal groups in pre-historical times, the bones of African animals were found. And yet, there are even traces of the coldest periods in time, which came after the ice ages. According to this, we find out that dears lived on the highest mountain in the park, the massif of Cervati, until 1800. Therefore, the landscape still shows the traces of alternating both warm and cold periods in the millennia, and this fact had an impact on its greenery and fauna.<\/p>\n

You walk along a sandy bay<\/strong> which is a perennial garden, surrounded by yellow flowers, sea salads and agrocasto<\/strong> plants: its bromide based flowers were used in the monasteries to reduce the monks\u2019 sexual appetite, acting as a contrary viagra! Salvatore reminds us that we are in the Oriental monkism area. In the 7th century a.C., Saint Basilius, founding father of monkism, landed right here. He then went up, discovering the peninsula, bringing also some plants with him, from Aleppo pine<\/strong>, which now covers the Palinuro pine forest, to the arbutus<\/strong> (\u201chairy rowanberry\u201d in local dialect), for it is the symbolic plant of Salerno. Even the coat of arms of the municipality of Camerota shows a house placed on wheels, among silver fish which leap onto the blue waves, as to remember the long journey made on the Greek monks\u2019 ships, moving together with the Byzantine generals\u2019 fleet until landing at these coasts. Here and there along the bay, we may find some pieces of pumice stone, as trace of Greek passage, who landed on the continent from Aeolian islands through this coast, stopping for a while at Punta Infreschi<\/strong> (the arrival destination of our itinerary) in order to collect sweet water running down from the mountain.<\/p>\n

Who else more than Salvatore \u2013 a farmer \u201clended to the school\u201d (he worked as a teacher for years), then \u201clended to politics\u201d (he was assessor in the municipality of Camerota and succeeded in interrupting a land speculation over the coast, a horrific project of 6,000 apartments facing the sea, which would have destroyed part of such wonderful, wild landscape which we have just walked through), and last but not least, \u201clended to culture\u201d \u2013 could tell of this wild coastal area rich in history, less renowned than the neighboring Amalfi Coast, still not less gorgeous?<\/p>\n

Surrounded by an intense green which completely attracts your sight, you walk through a scented, colorful nature. A breath-taking view opens up, all of a sudden: only blue, crystal clear sea everywhere. From here, to reach the bay of Cala Fortuna<\/strong>, old naval base of Greeks and Etruscans (then destroyed in 1400 and never recovered afterwards) you walk down gently accompanied by scented olive and cedar trees.<\/p>\n

Beyond the bay, a path covered with wild, saffron flowers will bring you to another great panoramic view over the sea, near an old optical telegraph. Here, you will be able to admire the whole coast of Basilicata<\/strong> and Calabria<\/strong> regions. Then, you walk through a rich, luxuriant greenery: fennel plants, the wood of which has always been used to manufacture stools and light chairs; briar-root, to produce pipes, and carobs, the fruit of which is rich in proteins and was used to feed human beings as well as animals.<\/p>\n

Along the way, you can visit one of the oldest, inhabited caves in Europe<\/strong>. By entering there, you can easily feel protected by the mountain and experience a farmer\u2019s daily routine: from the water collection through amphoras in the great tank, to the bread cooking which left some black, soot marks on the huge walls of the cave.<\/p>\n

Walking down along a rocky path \u2013 characterized by clear, rounded stones \u2013 although red and sandy at times, you get to the white and wild beach of Punta Infreschi. Protected marine riserve<\/strong> and natural heritage of rare beauty, is named after the springs of cold, sweet water running out of the sea bottom \u2013 where you can also enjoy a dive!<\/p>\n

From here, we suggest you go back to Marina di Camerot<\/strong>a by the sea, accompanied by a local fisherman, and you will admire all of the coast, while you are followed by some flock of seagulls in search of food. The hills and high, rocky coasts dominating the sea will get your attention due to their particular shapes: a skull, and then a huge moon.. The hill of Moon\u2019s mouth<\/strong> is so called not only for its shape, but also because the moon in the village of Camerota rises right behind this high rock.<\/p>\n

Along this rocky coast, accompanied by Ulysses\u2019s mermaids, in Summer nights you can take part in a night fishing<\/strong> called \u201cLamp<\/strong>\u201d. A big lamp set on a small wooden boat enlightens the waves, attracting the fish, which is then collected by fishermen as they jump directly onto the boats, as if it was a dance in the moonlight\u2026 after that, fish is fried and eaten together, in a small bay.<\/p>\n

Useful information:<\/strong> Walking itinerary:<\/strong> Lentiscelle (Marina di Camerota) \u2013 Cala Bianca \u2013 Punta Infreschi<\/em>. Walking time: 2.30 hours, 100 m.a.s.l. altitude gap. Tourist Leader in the Park:<\/strong> Associazione Posidoni<\/em>a, info@posidonia-cilento.it, Salvatore Calicchio, mobile +39 333 5953513.<\/p>\n\n\t\t