SOUTHERN ITALY
EXCURSIONS
Where would you like to Explore?
Apulia
Basilicata
Calabria
Campania
Sardinia
Sicily
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...fascinating
part of the world set in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea...
a sea that
varies from shades of deep blue to crystal azure that hosts
fabulous caverns, grottoes and different kinds of fauna and flora...
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...wealthy
in
historical and architectural remains, findings & buildings to please
everybody's and anybody's explorer soul... |
...a land that has been historical
setting for so many adventures, discoveries and romance ... find
their traces in each town's alleyways, piazzas & terraces...
...rich with
Traditions and Folklore each town shows it's unique character in
typical food &
wines... |
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Southern Italy - APULIA
Southern Italy - BASILICATA
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MARATEA
Town with very ancient origins overlooking one of the
most breathtaking parts of the Gulf of Policastro. Visit the
turistic port of Maratea, the S.Biagio Sanctuary, the remains of "Old
Maratea" and the Monumental statue of Christ made out of marble, 22 metres
tall, second only to the one of Corvocado in Rio de Janeiro.
Look out for the Liqueur Shops you might want to bring an unusual souvenir
back home with you, Maratea's local liqueurs.
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VIGGIANELLO
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ROTONDA
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Southern Italy - CALABRIA
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ASPROMONTE
(Natural Park)
The Aspromonte is one of Calabria's
extreme beauties that can offer a great 360 degrees
view of both the seas that surround this region, the Ionian and the
Tyrrhenian. It features a great variety of wilderness, deep
valleys, rocky ridges as well as sunny rivers and
breathtaking water falls. The very little population has helped
to preserve the ecological balance throughout the years, however
the mounts of the Aspromonte are very visited and targeted for
natural excursions.
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PARCO DEL POLLINO
(Natural Park)
The natural park "Parco del Pollino"
is featured by a distinguishing variety of natural environment that spans
from the Mediterranean bushes to great forests of Oaks and Beeches; here
you can find the rare "Loricate Pine", the last of these
magnificent twisted and sturdy pines and a great variety of rivers and
lakes. 56 are the towns that are part of this natural park and all feature
a great amount of traditions and costumes, that can be seen
in their everyday life.
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RIVIERA DEI CEDRI
(Riviera)
This Riviera
is one of the few if not the only place on earth where a rare fruit grows
and manages to live, thanks to the particular conditions of it's soil, the
"Cedro". The inhabitants of the towns that are part of the "Riviera
dei Cedri", are very proud of this fruit and use it in many dishes,
nowadays the sweet specialists have made fantastic recipes to make
Cedro cakes. The Cedro is also used to make a typical liqueur
that takes the same name of the fruit and that is best drunk ice cold.
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PRAIA A MARE
The first
town you meet on the Calabrian Tyrrhenian Coast coming from North is Praia
a Mare. It sits by a long sandy beach and a most beautiful clear
blue sea just opposite the "Isle of Dino". This Island is rich with
natural caves, each with it's own enchanting characteristic. Praia's
Sanctuary hosts remains from the 14th and 17th centuries.
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SCALEA
Scalea is a picturesque, little town which takes its name
from its terraced lay-out on the hillside, at the bottom of the Capo Scalea
promontory.
With its medieval structures and characteristic houses, almost built one on
top of the other, is one of the few resorts on the Calabrian coast to have
such a well preserved historical centre with its Byzantine churches, antique
castle ruins, medieval buildings, and breathtaking view of the coastline
with its long beaches of dark volcanic sand, and steep rocky inlets.
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This small
town of the north of Calabria lays between the rocks. It is particular in twisted
alleyways that intercept each other and hosts the ancient Mother Church.
The town's piazza houses a recently built Gazebo where you
can admire a breathtaking view of the high green mountains that
cross each other creating a natural frame for the Tyrrhenian that can be
spotted in the distance.
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CIRELLA
Located in the
North of Calabria between the
mountains of the "Parco del Pollino" and the blue Tyrrhenian,
Cirella used to be a very small town but is today hamlet of Diamante.
Visit the remains of "Cirella Vecchia",
with it's church and castle that still show frescoes of the 15th
century and the Mausoleum that is said to date back to the
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DIAMANTE
A small town
of the Calabrian Coast that hosts an ancient "Mother Church", whose
inhabitants built their homes around creating today's Historic Centre.
Visit the over 130 murales painted on the walls of "Old Diamante" from
painters coming from all over Europe, the wooden statues of the 18th
century and the Mother church.
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GRISOLIA & MAIERA'
Two
Medieval boroughs that lie silently on the mountains. Even though at
only few hundreds of metres of distance, from each other, they are
dramatically separated by a deep ravine where the Valley of the Torrent
Vaccuta is situated.
Maierà hosts a
feudal manor positioned at the top of the town in mysterious
silence and Grisolia the "Madonna delle Grazie" church, where
various objects of the 15th and 18th century can be admired.
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VERBICARO
Lying
surrounded by Pine Woods, Oaks and Beeches, Verbicaro is situated in the
Calabrian hinterland, among the heights of the natural park " Parco del Pollino". The historical centre still shows shapes and forms
of the medieval architecture and the mother church preserves
sacred objects and statues of the 17th and 18th
century as well as frescoes dating back to the Byzantine era.
Verbicaro produces a world wide known D.O.C. Wine that take the
same name of the town.
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PAPASIDERO
Lying in a wild and coarse
scenery between the mountains thickly overgrown with woods, this small
town of Calabria's hinterland hosts a
Monastery built in the rocks and
a prehistoric site where animal
remains, and crockery and skeletons of Palaeolithic period have been
found. This site also hosts the "Grotta del Romito", a grotto whose
wall keeps an art engraving of 10 thousand years B.C.: the profile of a
bull. This engravement has been defined as "the most majestic and
successful achievement of Mediterranean
Palaeolithic Realism".
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REGGIO CALABRIA
Visit Reggio's
National Museum that hosts archaeological collections of Basilicata and
Calabria, "Apollo's Head" and the Bronzi di Riace, human size
statues made out of bronze.
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Southern Italy - CAMPANIA
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AMALFI COAST (Picturesque Area & Coastline)
The Amalfi Coast is one of the
most beautiful areas of southern italy, that features just about everything
nature has to offer, with a wonderful stretch of the Mediterranean sea
that enjoys the most incredible shades of blue and green, attractive rugged
coastline, imposing high mountains with all their wonderful
specimens of Mediterranean flora and typical villages just
clinging off them, history, art...
This very well known peace of
heaven, comprises of various typical towns of the Campanian coast, starting
from Amalfi going to the attractive Isle of Capri, the romantic
Sorrento, Positano, and many others.
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VESUVIUS (Still Active Volcano)
The Vesuvio (Vesuvius), a dominating feature of the Neapolitan landscape, is known throughout
the world. It's circumference is about 50
km, and is in fact formed by Two volcanoes.
The top of the volcano enjoys
two fantastic views, one is the most breathtaking panorama on the
coast and the sea, and the other, a "once in a lifetime" view that can't be
missed: its impressive chasm by the falling sides that sink towards the heart
of the earth.
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CILENTO (National Park)
Cilento is the treasure chest that holds the ancient heart of Campania,
and the atmosphere of a land untouched by time; even today the many
little villages, now within easy reach by means of fast trunk roads, still
maintain their original charm based on old stone building and unspoilt scenery.
It's no coincidence that Cilento possesses historic memories of extraordinary
value, such as Paestum, Veli and the "Certosa di Padula"
(Charterhouse of Padula), and nature oases such as the national park and the
marine park. Its mantle of woodland thins out as it approaches the sea with its
sparking colours, with countless villages along its shores. Although the tourist
industry has only recently reached The Cilento, it can count on modern
facilities and excellent services.
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AMALFI
Set like an
incomparable gem in a precious diadem, Amalfi gently overlooks the sea with its
villages scattered along the coast and the typical houses clinging to the rocks bewitching every visitor.
Nowhere do
colours shine with such different, clear tones as on the Amalfi Coast,
attracting thousands of visitors even of the greatest prestige. Another
great characteristic of this town hosts is the traditional art of hospitality
and warmth it's people, the "Amalfitans", have with everybody.
This quiet and picturesque seaside
resort enjoys a temperate climate and some of the oldest hotels in Italy
as well as many modern ones.
The art and
architectonic value of its monuments, the indescribable beauty of the
landscape and the folklore of its traditions made and still make it an
incomparable resort.
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SORRENTO
Mediterranean
land that has been depicted, described and
immortalised in song by
artists, poets and travellers from every period of history.
Its rugged coast, with inaccessible cliffs that soar upwards between
beautiful beaches, hidden caves, enchanting bays and sheltered coves. Its
inland, with the high plains, rolling hills and lofty mountains
are seared by deep valleys to create a truly unique landscape.
Rich of monuments and natural beauties, do not miss
the innumerable archaeology treasure of this town.
The mild climate and predominantly fine weather all year round make the "Penisola di
Sorrento" an ideal destination in any season. In a well-ordered and secure environment, every tourist can have
an ideal holiday and be spoilt for choice with the never ending combinations of
countryside and tranquillity, health and culture, sea beauties, spa baths, boat day trip
and country walks.
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The beautiful Isle of Capri, is located at the mouth
of the Gulf of Naples facing the breath of the Tyrrhenian Sea and
boasting natural beauties that bewitch any visitor even of the highest
prestige. Its innumerable sea caverns, rugged terrain of terraces
and precipices, the unspoilt beauty of Monte Solaro, all enhance the enchantment
that this Isle has upon everybody who visits it. With its
characteristic arcades that merge into a labyrinth of narrow alleys
and streets, and the sea that can be heard, seen and even it's
perfume is perceptible from every part of this island, Capri works its own
special charm on every visitor and allows an unofficial rendezvous for a
colourful congregation of guests from all over the world, who can admire the
most breathtaking view from its typical "Piazzetta".
The world's most famous
writers were enchanted by it's charm, favouring it's rediscovery and
popularity with international tourism.
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NAPLES
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POSITANO
The Beauty of
this picturesque town set in a splendid panoramic position on
the most famous and world known
Amalfi Coast, is
stunning and fascinates each visitor.
Made up of three outlying wards, its greatest attractions
remain the Town and the Sea-suburb. The town
features the typical "piazzetta"
and cafe ideal for meeting up with friends and family or
even just to get to know other people in a friendly, calm and relaxed
atmosphere. Steep steps descend towards the bay in the heart of the
Mediterranean. Find great architectural buildings in Positano like the
S.Maria Assunta Church with its splendid majolica dome.
The town also hosts other works of art from the 16th and 13th century.
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ATRANI
This is one of the most picturesque small towns on the
Amalfi Coast and
probably the only town of this most beautiful rugged coast
that kept in time it's antique character of a small fisherman's village. It features a town square "La Piazzetta", meeting point for it's inhabitants and tourists,
isolated from traffic and surrounded by the flowery balconies of the town's old
houses that only communicates with the beach
and the azure blue sea through a passage originally created to bring the
boats back in when the tide was high and stormy.
Atrani hosts hystorical buildings dating back to the tenth,
eleventh and thirteenth centuries like the church
of "Santa Maria Maddalena", built at the end of the thirteenth
century and then reconstructed in baroque style.
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RAVELLO
Ravello, exceptional theatre stalls in a breathtaking posture
for a natural spectacle. Located
on a rocky spur astride the Dragon's and Regina's Valleys
it offers to all it's visitors the relaxing panoramas from it's
natural terraces and gardens. It
is situated in a more elevated position than the other pearls of the
Amalfi Coast and boasts exceptional landscapes full of
green and colourful flowers that embrace one's soul.
This is the location that many
famous ones have chosen in past and still in present to visit and
stay like painters, musicians, writers who have passed on their vision of this stunning
town. Villa Rufolo a natural terrace, surrounded by the colourful
shades of the flowers, that overlooks the blue Mediterranean and
exhibits such a breathtaking scenery and view, also becomes theatre
for artistic performances like the Wagnerian Festival in July.
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CONCA DEI MARINI
Conca dei Marini, one of the beauties of the
Amalfi Coast is set
just between
Positano
and Amalfi, and not
far from Sorrento
and Capri. With it's
small white houses spaced out between the "Fichi d'India" plants and the
olive trees it seems to be a place where sea and sky mix their colours becoming
a single thing. It has many natural beauties that one
should never miss to see at least ones in a lifetime, like the Emerald Sea
Grotto and the wonderful panorama from Via Roma.
Torre Bianca, rides the promontory (Capo di Conca), jutting into the deep
water of an unreal cobalt blue and habitual route for cetaceans like whales.
This town also hosts many architectural and
hystorical buildings like the Dominican Convent of S.Rosa from the XVIII century
and the Cathedral of S.Pancrazio from the 1362.
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Praiano
is set like a diamond in an enchanting location, once
an ancient fishing village, today a prestigious seaside resort, nestled
among the beautiful inlets of the
breathtaking Amalfi coast.
Praiano, known for its fine climate and excellent facilities, presents
itself to the sea as a cascade of white houses on a verdant, flowering
slope.
Today Praiano is a prestigious sunning, swimming and boating
destination, offering tourists from all over the world a tranquil
location to stay and "start point" for great interesting
excursions and visits to sample the joys of the coastline, with convenient
proximity to the main resorts like
Sorrento,
Capri,
Amalfi,
Positano,
Ravello.
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PADULA
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PAESTUM
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POMPEI
This hystorical town is made up of 12 hamlets near the foot of
Vesuvio Volcano that developed in the
11th century around a small cult building.
It was a town made famous in the whole world by a tragic event, attracts thousands of
tourists every day, lives great
traditions, offers delicious local culinary products and amazing town
feasts that begin in March and go right through to December.
This town presents all the characteristics of a modern city that has however
lived the mystery of a hidden past that only started to be rediscovered
a few hundred years ago. After being buried under the terrifying lava
of the Vesuvio in 79 A.D. Pompeii started to arise again in the year
1628 during pipe works. The Pompeii excavations are a whole
turistic site to be visited and seen: a whole town that was previously
destroyed and then miraculously rediscovered.
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Marina di CAMEROTA
Marina di Camerota, the sea side area of the higher
"Camerota town", features so many beautiful and natural characteristics are the
grounds on which it is also called the "Pearl of
the Cilento".
Camerota and
it's Marina, seem to have dived in a world suspended in time, that nature
has filled with gifts almost everywhere, the village surrounded by green, the
fresh springs that irrigate the valley, the beautiful sea and it's aquatic
world also explored by many divers and last but not least, something very
natural and spontaneous is the very friendly character of it's people.
Just off to the notorious Amalfi
Coast and in the heart of the Cilento National Park,
Marina di Camerota lies on an arc shaped part of this beautiful rugged coast.
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Southern Italy - SICILY
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