Naples Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast 4 - Contents - Lonely Planet

11
PLAN YOUR TRIP Welcome to Naples, Pompeii & the AmalCoast.................. 2 Map .................................. 4 10 Top Experiences ........ 6 Need to Know ................. 12 First Time ........................ 14 If You Like ........................ 16 Month by Month ............. 18 Itineraries ........................ 20 Eat & Drink Like a Local..................... 23 Outdoor Activities .......... 25 Travel with Children ....... 28 Regions at a Glance ....... 30 YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip UNDERSTAND NAPLES, POMPEII & THE AMALFI COAST Naples, Pompeii & the AmalCoast Today ...... 216 History ............................. 218 The Arts........................... 227 Neopolitan Way of Life... 231 Saints & Superstitions... 235 The Campanian Table .... 239 Architecture .................... 246 The Subterranean City .. 251 The Camorra................... 255 elief systems % of population) 5 4.5 2.5 Roman Catholic Other Christians Muslim Other religions 88 if Naple 100 peo 98 would be Ita 2 would be othe 8th century BC Greeks establish a colony at Cuma in the Campi Flegrei. The area becomes the most important Greek settlement on the Italian mainland and a strategic part of Magna Graecia. 680 B The Cuman Greeks tablish Parthenop the island of Meg naming it in hono a suicidal siren wh song fails to sed the cunning Ulys torico (historic centre stands. Despite the Cumaeans resilience, the Etrus and in 421 BC the Greeks fell to the Samnite match for the Romans who took Nea olis in 273 BC, they added Paestum to their list; a G 5th century BC. Togas, Triumph & Terror Under the Romans, the Bay of Naples spark mal spas and cashed-up out-of-towners. Far Anfiteatro Flavio (p###), Pozzuoli ÀÀMonumentale di San Lorenzo Maggiore to the outrageous rococo of its Chiesa di San Gregorio Armeno. From frescoes to marble carvings, the region’s glut of artistic marvels will satiate the greediest cultural appetites. Culinary Riches Naples and its region are the country’s culi- nary soul, home to Italy’s best pizza, pasta, mozzarella, vegetables, citrus and seafood. It’s like one never-ending feast; wood-Àred pizza and potent espresso in Naples, long, lazy lunches at Cilento agriturismi (farm stays), alici fritte(fried sardines) on weath- ered Tyrrhenian islands and lavish pastries in chintzy Salerno pasticcerie(pastry shops). Even the simplest bite can be a revelation, welcome to Naples, Pompeii & the AmalÀ Coast All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go! TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET PAGE 2 PAGE 215 GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP Learn about the big picture, so you can make sense of what you see Need to Know Currency »Euro (€) Language »Italian High Season (Jul–Aug) »Queues and crowds at big sights, beaches and on the road, especially August. »Manyrestaurants Shoulder (Apr–Jun & Sep– Oct) »Good deals on accommodation. »Spring is best for festivals, flowers and Low Season (Nov–Mar) »Prices up to 30% lower than high season. »Many sights, hotels and restaurants When to Go Naples GOSep–Jul Capri GOApr–Jun; Sep–Oct Positano GOApr–Jun; Sep–Oct Salerno GOApr–Jun; Sep–Oct Sorrento GOApr–Jun; Sep–Oct Warm to hot summers, mild winters Your Daily Budget Budget less than €100 »Dorm bed: €15–25 »Double room in a budget hotel: €50–100 »Lunch and dinner of pizza and pasta: €15 »Excellent markets and delis for self- catering Midrange €100– 200 »Double room in a hotel: €80–180 »Lunch and dinner in local restaurants: €25–50 Top end over €200 »Double room in a four- or five-star hotel: €150–450 February Short and accursed is ow Italians describe ebruary. It might still be hilly, but almond trees re starting to blossom nd Carnevale season rightens things up with onfetti, costumes and ugar-dusted treats. z Carnevale In the period lead- ng up to Ash Wednesday, many southern Italian owns stage pre-Lenten arnivals. Kids don fancy ostumes and throw cori- ndoli (coloured confetti), laborate carri (floats) are araded down the street, nd everyone indulges one March The weather in March is capricious: sunny, rainy and windy all at once. The official start of Spring is 21 March, but things only really start to open up for the main season during Easter week. z Settimana Santa Processions and passion plays mark Easter Holy Week across the Campania region. On Good Friday and the Thursday preceding it, hooded penitents walk through the streets of Sor- rento. On Procida, Good Friday sees wooden statues and life-size tableaux carted z Fe G Naples’ pa sees the fa the Duom naro’s bloo does, the c from volca Repeat pe place on 1 16 Decemb z M M As the wea Naples pu month-lon art exhibit performan Naples. M and histor ally off-lim are open a ISBN 978-1-74179-917-0 9 781741 799170 9 9 1 2 5 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Transcript of Naples Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast 4 - Contents - Lonely Planet

Page 1: Naples Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast 4 - Contents - Lonely Planet

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to Naples, Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast.................. 2Map .................................. 410 Top Experiences ........ 6Need to Know ................. 12First Time ........................ 14If You Like ........................ 16Month by Month ............. 18Itineraries ........................ 20Eat & Drink Like a Local..................... 23Outdoor Activities .......... 25Travel with Children ....... 28Regions at a Glance ....... 30

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTANDNAPLES, POMPEII & THE AMALFI COAST

Naples, Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast Today ...... 216History ............................. 218The Arts........................... 227Neopolitan Way of Life ... 231Saints & Superstitions ... 235The Campanian Table .... 239Architecture .................... 246The Subterranean City .. 251The Camorra................... 255

elief systems% of population)

5

4.52.5

Roman Catholic Other Christians

Muslim Other religions

88

if Naple100 peo

98 would be Ita2 would be othe

8th century BC

Greeks establish a colony at Cuma in the Campi Flegrei. The area becomes

the most important Greek settlement on the Italian mainland

and a strategic part of Magna Graecia.

680 B The Cuman Greekstablish Parthenopthe island of Megnaming it in honoa suicidal siren wh

song fails to sedthe cunning Ulys

torico (historic centre stands. Despite the Cumaeans resilience, the Etrus

and in 421 BC the Greeks fell to the Samnitematch for the Romans who took Nea olis in273 BC, they added Paestum to their list; a G5th century BC.

Togas, Triumph & Terror Under the Romans, the Bay of Naples sparkmal spas and cashed-up out-of-towners. Far

Anfiteatro Flavio (p ### ), Pozzuoli

History & Art Few parts of Europe would dare compare their cultural riches to those of Naples and its fabled surrounds. A former royal capital, Naples has been home to countless cultural deities, from painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio to sculptor Cosimo Fanzago and composer Alessandro Scarlatti. The region lays claim to Italy’s largest opera house and royal palace, many of the country’s nest paintings, sculptures and frescoes, and not to mention a large share of Graeco-Roman ruins. Let your imagination run wild at the temples at Paestum, on the chariot-grooved streets of Pompeii, or in the frescoed mag-ni cence of Villa Oplontis. Compare the Gothic minimalism of Naples’ Complesso

Monumentale di San Lorenzo Maggiore to the outrageous rococo of its Chiesa di San Gregorio Armeno. From frescoes to marble carvings, the region’s glut of artistic marvels will satiate the greediest cultural appetites.

Culinary Riches Naples and its region are the country’s culi-nary soul, home to Italy’s best pizza, pasta, mozzarella, vegetables, citrus and seafood. It’s like one never-ending feast; wood- red pizza and potent espresso in Naples, long, lazy lunches at Cilento agriturismi (farm stays), alici fritte (fried sardines) on weath-ered Tyrrhenian islands and lavish pastries in chintzy Salerno pasticcerie (pastry shops). Even the simplest bite can be a revelation,

welcome toNaples,Pompeii & the Amal Coast

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

2

PAGE

215GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so youcan make sense of what you see

Need to Know

Currency » Euro (€)

Language » Italian

High Season(Jul–Aug)

» Queues and crowds at big sights, beaches and on the road, especially August.

» Many restaurants

Shoulder (Apr–Jun & Sep–Oct)

» Good deals on accommodation.

» Spring is best for festivals, flowers and

Low Season(Nov–Mar)

» Prices up to 30% lower than high season.

» Many sights, hotels and restaurants

When to Go

NaplesGO Sep–Jul

CapriGO Apr–Jun;

Sep–Oct

PositanoGO Apr–Jun;Sep–Oct

SalernoGO Apr–Jun;Sep–Oct

SorrentoGO Apr–Jun;

Sep–Oct

Warm to hot summers,mild winters

#

#

#

##

Your Daily Budget Budget less than

€100 » Dorm bed: €15–25 » Double room in a

budget hotel: €50–100 » Lunch and dinner of

pizza and pasta: €15 » Excellent markets

and delis for self-catering

Midrange

€100–200

» Double room in a hotel: €80–180

» Lunch and dinner in local restaurants: €25–50

Top end over

€200 » Double room in a

four- or five-star hotel: €150–450

FebruaryShort and accursed is

ow Italians describe ebruary. It might still be hilly, but almond trees re starting to blossom nd Carnevale season rightens things up with onfetti, costumes and ugar-dusted treats.

z Carnevale In the period lead-

ng up to Ash Wednesday, many southern Italian owns stage pre-Lenten arnivals. Kids don fancy ostumes and throw cori-ndoli (coloured confetti), laborate carri (floats) are araded down the street, nd everyone indulges one

March The weather in March is capricious: sunny, rainy and windy all at once. The official start of Spring is 21 March, but things only really start to open up for the main season during Easter week.

z Settimana Santa

Processions and passion plays mark Easter Holy Week across the Campania region. On Good Friday and the Thursday preceding it, hooded penitents walk through the streets of Sor-rento. On Procida, Good Friday sees wooden statues and life-size tableaux carted

z FeG

Naples’ pasees the fathe Duomnaro’s bloodoes, the cfrom volcaRepeat peplace on 116 Decemb

z MM As the weaNaples pumonth-lonart exhibitperformanNaples. Mand historally off-limare open a

I SBN 978 -1 -74179 -917 -0

9 781741 799170

99125

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The Islands

Salerno &the Cilento

The AmalfiCoast

Naples

p106

p34

p175

p140

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Cristian BonettoJosephine Quintero

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A-Z .................. 258Transport ........................ 265Language ........................ 271Index ................................ 282Map Legend .................... 287

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO

HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

ON THE ROAD

TRANSPO

RT ENT

ERIN

G T

HE R

EGIO

N

265

GETTING THERE & AWAY A plethora of airlines link Italy to the rest of the world, and numerous airlines fly directly to Naples’ international air-port, better known as Capod-ichino. Naples is southern Italy’s main transport hub, with excellent rail and bus connections to other parts of Campania and beyond. Na-ples is also a main port, host-ing international cruise ships and operating car and passen-ger ferries to ports throughout the Mediterranean. Flights, tours and rail tickets can be booked online at lonelyplanet.com/bookings.

Entering the Region EU and Swiss citizens can travel to Italy with their na-tional identity card alone. All other nationalities must have a valid passport and may be required to fill out a landing card (at airports).

By law you should have your passport or ID card with you at all times. You’ll need one of these documents for police registration every time you check into a hotel.

Air Airports Capodichino airport (NAP; %081 751 54 71; www.gesac.it), 7km northeast of central Naples, is southern Italy’s main airport, linking Naples with most Italian and several major European cities, as well as New York.

The Alibus (%800 639525; www.unicocampania.it) airport shuttle (€3, 45 minutes, every 20 to 30 minutes) con-nects the airport to Piazza Garibaldi (Stazione Centrale) and Molo Beverello (main ferry terminal).

Set taxi fares to the airport are as follows: €23 from

a seafront hotel or from Mergellina hydrofoil terminal, €19 from Piazza Municipio and €15.50 from Stazione Centrale.

Curreri (%081 801 54 20; www.curreriviaggi.it) runs seven services daily between the airport and Sorrento. Journey time is 75 minutes and tickets (available on board) cost €10.

Tickets The internet is the easiest way of locating and booking reasonably priced seats. Full-time students and those under 26 years may qualify for discounted fares at agen-cies such as STA Travel (www.statravel.com). Many of these fares require a valid International Student Iden-tity Card (ISIC).

Land Reaching Campania overland involves traversing three-quarters of the entire length of Italy, which can either be an enormous drain on your time or, if you have plenty to spare, a wonderful way of seeing the country. Buses are usually the cheapest option, but services are less frequent and considerably less com-fortable than the train.

Bus Buses are the cheapest over-land option to Italy, but serv-ices are less frequent, less comfortable and significantly slower than the train.

Transport

ONLINE TICKETS For reasonably priced airfares, check the following on-line booking websites:

» Cheap Flights (www.cheapflights.com) » Ebookers.com (www.ebookers.com) » Expedia (www.expedia.com) » Kayak (www.kayak.com) » Last minute (www.lastminute.com) » Orbitz (www.orbitz.com) » Priceline (www.priceline.com)

PAGE

32

PAGE

257

p1944Accommodation

Page 3: Naples Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast 4 - Contents - Lonely Planet

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Page 4: Naples Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast 4 - Contents - Lonely Planet

On the Road

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

NAPLES . . . . . . . . . . . .34BAY OF NAPLES . . . . . . . . . . . 90

THE ISLANDS . . . . . . 106Capri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110Ischia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122Procida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

THE AMALFI COAST . . . . . . . . . . . .140SORRENTO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144West of Sorrento . . . . . . . 152East of Sorrento . . . . . . . . 154AMALFI COAST TOWNS . . 156Positano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156Praiano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Amalfi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164Ravello . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168Minori . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Cetara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Vietri sul Mare . . . . . . . . . 173

SALERNO & THE CILENTO . . . . . . . . . . 175Salerno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178Paestum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Parco Nazionale del Cilento e Vallo di Diano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Agropoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188Cilento Coast . . . . . . . . . . 190Palinuro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

ACCOMMODATION 194NAPLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Centro Storico & Mercato . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Toledo & Quartieri Spagnoli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197Santa Lucia & Chiaia . . . . . . . . . . . .198Vomero, Capodimonte & La Sanità . . . . . . . . . . . . 198Mergellina & Posillipo . . . 199THE ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . 200Capri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200Ischia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202Procida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203THE AMALFI COAST . . . . . 203Sorrento . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203Massa Lubrense . . . . . . . . 205Sant’Agata sui due Golfi . . 205Marina del Cantone . . . . . 206Positano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206Positano to Amalfi . . . . . . 207Amalfi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208Ravello . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209SALERNO & THE CILENTO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210Salerno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210Paestum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210Agropoli & the Cilento Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211Parco Nazionale del Cilento . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

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#–Gulf of Gaeta

(Golfo di Gaeta)

Bay of Naples(Golfo di Napoli)

Gulf of Salerno(Golfo di Salerno)

Tyrrhenian Sea

Capri

Lagod'Averno

Ischia

Procida

Mt Solaro(589m)

Mt Vesuvius(Vesuvio; 1281m)

Mt Sant'Angelo aTre Pizzi(1443m)

Mt SanCostanzo

(497m)

Mt dell'Avvocata(1014m)

Mt Epomeo(786m)

Procida

Lido diLicola

Monte diProcida

Qualiano

Giuglianoin Campania

Marano diNapoli

CasavatorePomigliano

d'Arco

AcerraSant'Arpino

Caivano

Gaudello

Marigliano

Avella

Terzigno

San GennaroVesuviano

Maiori

Gaudi

Ercolano

Caserta

Pompeii

Quindici

Marina delCantone

SommaVesuviana

Vico Equense

Sant'Agata

Naples

Castellammaredi Stabia

Sarno

Sorrento

NoceraTorre Annunziata

Torre del Greco

Amalfi

Pozzuoli

Positano

Portici

Nola

Capri Town

Ravello

Ischia

Bacoli

Lucrino

VillaggioCoppola

VillaLiterno

Cancello

Grazzanise Capua

Santa MariaCapua Vetere

MarcianiseMaddaloni

SantaMaria aVicolo

Montesárchio

Naples Airport(Capodichino)

0 40 km0 20 miles#e

PositanoOne of Italy's

Mediterranean jewels (p156)CapriBe dazzled by the fabled

Grotta Azzurra (p118)

ProcidaA soothing,

citrus-scented island (p134)

NaplesSuperlative food, art& architecture (p34)

600m

900m

1200m

1500m

300m

0

ELEVATION

› Naples, Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast

Page 6: Naples Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast 4 - Contents - Lonely Planet

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\Parco Nazionale del Cilento

e Vallo di Diano(Cilento National Park & the

Valley of Diano)

Sele

Castelcivita

Controne

Postiglione

Sicignanodegli

AlburniPetina

Sant'Angeloa Fasanella

Paestum

AltavillaSilentina

Acerno

Capaccio

Montecorvino

Cilento

Cava

Avellino

Salerno

Battipaglia

Eboli

Roccadaspide

Agropoli

Santa Maria diCastellabate

Sapri

Marina diCamerota

Melfi

MontellaBagnoli

Monticchio

Polla

Teggiano

SalaConsilina

Laureana

PerdifumoSan Marco diCastellabate

Sanza

San Giovannia Piro

Acciaroli

Marinadi CasalVelino Ceraso

AVelia

scea

Pisciotta

Palinuro Camerota

Ogliastro

Mt VesuviusClimb a slumbering

menace (p102)

RavelloHeavenly views and a

summer arts festival (p168)

PompeiiStep back in time in

ghostly Pompeii (p93)

Top Experiences ›

Page 7: Naples Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast 4 - Contents - Lonely Planet

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9834th edition – Jan 2013ISBN 978 1 74179 917 0© Lonely Planet 2013 Photographs © as indicated 201310 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in ChinaAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

Cristian BonettoCoordinating Author, Naples As an ex-writer of farce and TV soap, it’s not surprising that Cristian clicks with Campania. The Italo-Australian scribe has been hooked on the region for years, returning regularly to compromise his waistline and take his favourite ride in the world – the chairlift from Anacapri to Monte Solaro. According to Cristian, few cities are as richly layered as Naples, and his musings on the city’s complexities have appeared in print

(and on screen) from London to Sydney. His Naples-based play Il Cortile (The Courtyard) toured a number of Italian cities in 2003 with the support of the prestigious Australia Council. To date, Cristian has contributed to over a dozen Lonely Planet guides, including Italy, New York City, Denmark and Singapore.

Josephine QuinteroThe Islands, the Amalfi Coast, Salerno & the Cilento Originally from England and a UC Berkeley graduate, Josephine’s first encounters with Italy were visiting her daughter who lived and worked there for several years. The country contin-ues to impress and inspire and she has contributed to several Italy guidebooks, including two editions of Naples & the Amalfi Coast. Josephine considers this a job made in heaven, such is the beauty, culture and, of course, the cuisine

in this deservedly famous region. Highlights during this trip included discovering a Roman villa concealed under an Amalfi ceramics shop and managing to perfect her limoncello (lemon liquer) recipe – with plenty of tasting opportunities along the way.

Read more about Josephine at: lonelyplanet.com/members/josephinequintero

OUR WRITERS

Read more about Cristian at: lonelyplanet.com/members/cristianbonetto

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

Page 8: Naples Pompeii & the Amalfi Coast 4 - Contents - Lonely Planet

Itiner-aries

Whatever your time frame, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.

T YRRHEN IANSEA

CAMPANIA

Campi Flegrei

Bay of Naples(Golfo di Napoli)

Gulf of Gaeta(Golfo di Gaeta)

Procida

Baia

Lucrino

Ischia

Pozzuoli

Caserta

NaplesCuma#•

É

É

ÉÉ

É

ÉÉ

É

#•

#•

#•

#•

#•

#•

#•

Twelve DaysPalazzi, Ruins & Islands

Start with four action-packed days in Naples, taste-testing its famous pizza and es-presso and swooning over its frescoed churches and palazzi (large buildings). On one of these days, consider a day trip to Caserta, home to a Unesco-lauded palace that upstages Versailles. From Naples, head west for two days in the Campi Flegrei, home

to some of Italy’s finest Graeco-Roman sights. In Pozzuoli, check out Italy’s third-largest Roman amphitheatre, ancient market ruins, and the geological freakshow better known as the Solfatara Crater. Bathe like the Romans in Lucrino, see where Roman emperors soaked in Baia, and snoop around ancient Greek ruins in Cuma. On day seven, slow down the pace by catching a ferry across to Procida, where you can lose yourself in its stuck-in-time fish-ing villages, sleepy backstreets and secret beaches. Day nine sees you catching a ferry across to Ischia, the largest island in the Bay of Naples. Give yourself three days to explore its archaeology, botanical gardens, castle and wineries, and treat yourself at one of its thermal spas. Refreshed and restored, it’s an easy ferry ride back to Naples on day 12.

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CAMPANIA

Bay of Naples(Golfo di Napoli)

Gulf of Salerno(Golfo di Salerno)

Vietrisul Mare

Cetara

Pompeii

Ravello

Capri

Amalfi

Positano

Sorrento

Salerno

Naples

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Two WeeksA Coastal Affair

Start your sojourn with three days in Naples, indulging in its artistic, architectural and culinary riches. Make time for at least two of the city’s impressive museums, explore its markets and catacombs, swoon over the Christo velato (Veiled Christ) sculpture in the Cappella Sansevero, and catch an aria at the majestic Teatro San

Carlo. Spend day four turning back time at Pompeii, before evening cocktails in laid-back Sorrento. Spend the next day ambling Sorrento’s streets, getting a crash course in crafts-manship at the Museo Correale and Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea, and finding peace in the cloisters of the Chiesa di San Francesco. Crank up the magic on day six by sailing across to Capri, giving yourself three days to fall madly in love with this fabled island. Glide into the dazzling Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto), ride up to Monte Solaro, and lose the hordes on side streets and bucolic walking trails.

On day nine, sail back to Sorrento and hit the hairpin turns and heavenly vistas of the Amalfi Coast. First stop: Positano. Check in for three nights, slipping on your Prada sandals and getting lost in its labyrinth of chic laneways. Sup on fresh seafood, hire your own boat, or tie up your hiking boots and get a natural high on the Sentiero degli Dei (Walk of the Gods). Spend day 12 in deeply historic Amalfi, exploring its sublime cathedral and cloisters before continuing to lofty Ravello, a long-time favourite haunt for composers, writers and Hollywood stars. Stay the night to soak up the town’s understated elegance, and spend the following day swooning over its villas and uber-romantic gardens. If you can pull yourself away, continue east to upbeat Salerno, your final stop. On the way, drop into Cetara to sample its famous tuna and anchovies and into Vietri sul Mare to shop for local ceram-ics. Spend a full day in Salerno, diving into its medieval core to savour the city’s fabulous seafood, pastries and street life. Come evening, join the locals for a spot of bar-hopping bonhomie – the perfetto end to your coastal affair.

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CALABRIA

CAMPANIA

BASILICATA

Parco Nazionaledel Cilento e Vallo di Diano

(Cilento National Park& the Valley of Diano)

Gulf of Salerno(Golfo di Salerno)

Velia

Padula

Palinuro

Castellabate

Paestum

Agropoli

Salerno

Santa Mariadi Castellabate

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Nine DaysThe Cilento Trail

Start your adventure in the underrated city of Salerno. Its cathedral is widely laud-ed as Italy’s most beautiful medieval church, and its engrossing multimedia Scuola Medica Salernitana Museo Virtuale tells the story of the city’s medieval medical school, once one of Europe’s most important. Head up to the Castello di Arechi for

sweeping views, and to the revamped waterfront for a late-afternoon passeggiata (stroll). After dark, join the locals in the city’s vibrant medieval heart for a little bar-hopping and movida (partying). On day two, bid Salerno arrivederci and head inland for three days in the rugged beauty of the Parco Nazionale del Cilento e Vallo di Diano, Italy’s second largest national park and a Unesco World Heritage site. Base yourself at one of the park’s agriturismi (farm stays) and explore the area’s famous grottoes, namely the Grotta di Cas-telcivita and Grotta dell’Angelo. Make sure to spend a few hours in the medieval town of Postiglione – home to an 11th-century Norman castle – and a morning or afternoon in Pad-ula, famous for its mammoth Carthusian monastery, the Certosa di San Lorenzo. Not far from the Certosa is the fabled Valle delle Orchidee (Valley of the Orchids), whose 70-plus va-rieties of springtime orchids create a spectacular blaze of colour. One of the national park’s more curious sites is Roscigno Vecchia, a veritable ghost town abandoned early last century.

On day five, head back towards the coast to gasp at the mighty Greek temples of Paes-tum, the oldest of which dates back to the 6th century BC. Spend the evening and the following morning in Agropoli, wandering its atmospheric centro storico (historic centre) before heading south to Santa Maria di Castellabate for superlative seafood noshing. On day seven, head up to the beautiful medieval town of Castellabate and lose yourself in its shamelessly charming laneways, then spend the afternoon exploring the ancient ruins of Velia. End your Cilento adventure with a couple of lazy beach days in Palinuro, which, like Capri, lays claim to a dazzling Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto).

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