Cilento Coast itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days on the Cilento Coast, by car, day by day: the hilltop village of Castellabate, the Greek city of Velia with its Porta Rosa, an afternoon boat to the Grotta Azzurra of Palinuro and the walk on Cape Palinuro; then, over two days, the south first, with the olive-grove village of Pisciotta, the boat from Palinuro, the cape, the Arco Naturale beach and the harbour of Marina di Camerota, and the north on day two, with Agropoli's old town and castle, Castellabate, the seafront of Santa Maria di Castellabate and Velia. Paestum's Greek temples, just north, have their own page. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Cilento Coast in 1 day
Day 1
Historic centre of Castellabate and the Abbot's Castle
Hilltop medieval village of lanes and arches round a castle built by the abbots of Cava, with a belvedere over the sea.
Velia (Elea) and Porta Rosa
Ruins of the Greek city of Elea, home of the philosophers Parmenides and Zeno, with the arched Porta Rosa on the ridge.
Boat trip to the Grotta Azzurra, Palinuro
Boat tour from Palinuro harbour round the cape to the Grotta Azzurra and other sea caves, with time to swim in calm sea.
Cape Palinuro
Rocky headland with a lighthouse and paths through the maquis, looking over sea caves and clear water on both sides.
Cilento Coast in 2 days
Day 1
Historic centre of Pisciotta
Village of steep stone lanes high above the sea, surrounded by centuries-old olive groves, quiet and very local.
Boat trip to the Grotta Azzurra, Palinuro
Boat tour from Palinuro harbour round the cape to the Grotta Azzurra and other sea caves, with time to swim in calm sea.
Cape Palinuro
Rocky headland with a lighthouse and paths through the maquis, looking over sea caves and clear water on both sides.
Arco Naturale beach
Sandy beach near Palinuro with a great natural rock arch at the mouth of the Mingardo river, lovely late in the day.
Marina di Camerota harbour
Lively fishing and boat harbour of the southern Cilento, with boats to coves and beaches reachable only from the sea.
Day 2
Agropoli old town and Aragonese castle
Old town on a headland reached by a stepped street, with a castle on top and views over the bay towards Paestum.
Historic centre of Castellabate and the Abbot's Castle
Hilltop medieval village of lanes and arches round a castle built by the abbots of Cava, with a belvedere over the sea.
Santa Maria di Castellabate seafront (Piazza Lucia)
The seaside part of Castellabate, with a small harbour square, a sandy beach and old palazzi along the water.
Velia (Elea) and Porta Rosa
Ruins of the Greek city of Elea, home of the philosophers Parmenides and Zeno, with the arched Porta Rosa on the ridge.
Watch: Cilento Coast
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Cilento Coast
June and September are the best months, with warm sea, boats running and fewer people. July and August are hot and busy with Italian holidaymakers, and the beaches fill. In spring the coast is green and good for walking; in winter many beach places and boats are closed.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Cilento Coast on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Cilento Coast on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Cilento Coast on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Cilento Coast
- A car is needed on the Cilento coast: the towns are far apart on winding roads, so allow more time than the distances suggest.
- Boats to the Grotta Azzurra and the sea caves leave from Palinuro harbour from about spring to autumn and only in calm sea; check at the harbour when you arrive.
- Bring water and good shoes for Velia: the path up to Porta Rosa and the acropolis climbs with little shade.
- Agropoli's castle is closed on Mondays; check the opening days of the Velia archaeological park before you go.
- Try mozzarella and the local white figs, and stay for the sunset from Santa Maria di Castellabate or the cape at Palinuro.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Agropoli old town and Aragonese castle: RealNordyNed, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Boat trip to the Grotta Azzurra, Palinuro: Andrew, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cape Palinuro: Mboesch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Historic centre of Castellabate and the Abbot's Castle: No machine-readable author provided. GabrielePinto assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain
- Historic centre of Pisciotta: Heinz-Josef Lücking, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Velia (Elea) and Porta Rosa: AlMare, CC BY-SA 2.5
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
