The Cilento Coast Part 2 - The hidden gem in Italy's crown Teggiano, Castellabate to Palinuro

You will not want to miss the charming medieval village of Teggiano which has a maze of ancient wobbly houses and streets and is, in my opinion, the most beautiful of the park’s villages. It dates from Roman times but the Norman Sanseverino castle dates to medieval times. It’s often called a mini-Rome with six churches, shady cobbled streets and four small museums hidden amid its tangled maze of alleyways. Great for a wander and a gelato!

28km west of Teggiano there is Roscigno Vecchia. There’s an eerie feeling here as it was abandoned early last century following landslides. There are so many deserted villages in Italy. Why go see a deserted village? It’s full of original stone houses untouched by modern day building and its sort of a time machine. Tasteful restoration was started in 2007 so you get a real feel for a traditional stone village. It is definitely worth a visit

I would recommend a visit a little further south down the Cilento Coast to the village of Santa Maria di Castellabate. Not only does the village have a sandy beach steps away from its centre, it also has its very own prince in residence, Angelo di Belmonte, who lives in the 17th-century Palazzo Belmonte.

Glued to the coast and with a glorious 4km-long Blue Flag beach this former fishing village has that ubiquitous southern Italian feel, with dusky pink-and-ochre sun-baked houses blinkered by traditional green shutters. Water sports and boat trips run from here and of course you can hire sunbeds on the beach. It’s another of those just gorgeous towns you probably won’t want to leave. The perfect spot for your seafood lunch with a chilled glass of the local Falanghina or a Greco di Tufo.

Don’t miss Piazza Perrotti, with the 15th century Palazzo Perrotti landmark situated directly on the seafront and recognised as a Cultural Heritage Site 1.

Castellabate village is slightly further inland is only 10km south of Agropoli and is a classic Italian hilltop village and is one of the most endearing and historic towns on the Cilento coast.

Located just half an hour from the resort is the Polito Viticoltori - the Polito Vineyard. For three generations, the Polito family have been supplying quality wine throughout Campania. I recommend a visit to sample their wines and take a few bottles back to the villa with you! Try the Soppressata di Gioi - a locally cured meat, will go down a treat as will the fresh buffalo mozzarella you will find in the Tenuta Vannulo – an organic Buffalo farm with guided tours and tastings some of the dishes may even include Cilento’s famous olives and figs.

Heading south from Castellabate, the next stop is the pretty harbour at San Marco di Castellabate. This was once an important Greek and Roman port, and tombs and other relics are on view in the museum at Paestum. Then heading even further south along the Cilento Coast, you will reach the village of Acciaroli. The tiny fishing village was a favourite of Hemingway, who came here in 1952 after he’d finished writing “The Old Man and the Sea”.

Hemingway would spend hours in the bars along the seaside promenade. The village is small and there isn’t much to do but wander the little shops like the shoemaker who makes custom shoes for you or the handcrafted pottery shop. It is charming though and worth a few hours to explore, perhaps relaxing on the seaside promenade with a spritz Aperol or having a lunch of fresh fish.

Founded by the Greeks in the mid-6th century BC, Velia became a popular resort with wealthy Romans where you can wander around the thought provoking ruins, including parts of the city walls as you imagine how this all looked way back then – with traces of one gate and several towers – as well as the remains of thermal baths, an Ionic temple, a theatre and parts of the original Greek streets, paved in limestone blocks and with the gutters intact. The site's most visible landmarks are a 12th-century tower, built over a Greek temple, and an 11th-century Palatine chapel. Both are perched on an 'acropolis' overlooking the sea. The Porta Rosa is a rare example of an intact Greek arch.

Your trip to Cilento wouldn’t be complete with a Blue Flag beach day in Palinuro, which, like Capri, lays claim to a dazzling Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto).

Palinuro is a low-key picturesque village known only by those in the know, and boasts crystal-clear waters and bay sheltered by a promontory, and with superb beaches (considered to be among the cleanest and best-kept in Italy), it is very popular with Italians in August, and they aren’t the quietest of holiday makers.

But the prime reason for me suggesting this location is Grotta Azzurra. This is an awesome karst cave, formed by limestone dissolution over thousands of years. Sunlight refracts through the cave’s turquoise waters presenting spectacular blue illuminations that are often compared to those of Capri’s Blue Grotto. Book onto a local boat tour, most of which take you around numerous caves along the spectacular Cilento coast and usually offer snorkelling opportunities.

It's a magical party of Italy I hope you will agree, and I hope I can assist you in planning your next trip to Bella Italia.