Campania is among the favorite Italian regions when it comes to choosing the destination of summer holidays; in particular, the Cilento offers a series of beaches and natural landscapes so fascinating that resist becomes so difficult to be almost impossible!
And right within the Cilento National Park, Vallo di Diarno and Alburni is welcomed the beautiful Marina di Camerota, a seaside village of the same name, the small village of Camerota located on Mount Bulgheria. A Greek legend would explain the origin of the name: Palinurus, the coachman at the head of the fleet of Aeneas, fell in love with the nymph Kamaraton who, however, rejected him with extreme malice. To punish her, Aphrodite decided to turn her into a rock on which, then, arose the town of Camerota.
Thanks to the perfect balance between its crystal clear waters and the hills of a shining green, Marina di Camerota is in all respects a prestigious seaside resort that, Every year, it welcomes hundreds of tourists who are looking forward to sunbathing on its Blue Flag certified beaches and wandering around its pristine places.
The beaches
The fame of the beaches of Marina di Camerota comes not only from their nature mostly wild and unspoiled, but also from the presence of several caves of karst origin rich in finds and fossils dating back to the stone age.
Among the most famous are certainly Lentiscelle beach, with sand mixed with pebbles and crystal clear waters. A part of free beach alternates with an area fully equipped with sun loungers and umbrellas, for a total of about 500 meters of bathing area surrounded by olive trees and Mediterranean scrub.
Next, here is Calanca beach, embraced by two high and rocky cliffs. With its light and soft sand and turquoise sea with shallow waters, it is well equipped and ready to welcome even the smallest visitors.
And again, Cala Bianca beach is among the most beautiful bays of Cilento: set in the rock and surrounded by spontaneous vegetation, enjoys a beach accessible by sea or through the path of Infreschi characterized by white sand and crystal clear waters. Not surprisingly, in 2013 Cala Bianca beach won the Legambiente award as the most beautiful beach in Italy.
Finally, Baia degli Infreschi Beach (also known as Porto Infreschi or Cala Infreschi) is characterized by the perfect mix of pebbles and sand, with a super deep sea bottom. It can be reached either by sea or on foot through the path of the Infreschi. This bay also won the Legambiente award as the most beautiful beach in Italy, but in 2014.
What to see
Once in Marina di Camerota, the places and monuments to see, admire and visit are not lacking: in its historic center there is Piazza San Domenico, the main meeting point, from which several streets full of bars, shops and restaurants begin. Especially in summer, , it is here that the maximum of the nightlife is concentrated, also because many concerts and shows are organized. Super recommended a romantic and relaxing walk along the pier until you get to the small lighthouse of the port.
Between a dive and the other, a visit to the Castle of Marina, also known as Palazzo Marchesale, dating back to the seventeenth century and initially built as a summer residence of the Marquis family and the Saracen Towers, also called Telegraph Towers, built in the second half of the sixteenth century for defensive purposes. From their summit you can admire the most beautiful beaches of the place!
Another fundamental stage concerns the Virtual Paleolithic Ecomuseum, designed to promote knowledge of the history of the territory; inside you can admire remains and finds dating back to the Bronze Age through immersive rooms, information panels and testimonies on the life of prehistoric man in the Cilento. A multimedia and three-dimensional experience especially suitable for families!
Where to sleep
From an efficient tourist area highly frequented especially during the summer season, Marina di Camarota is adequately equipped to accommodate hundreds of annual visits: between hotels, B & B, apartments and hostels certainly do not lack solutions for every need. In particular, there is a high concentration of tourist villages, where groups of friends and families with children can spend a holiday in total relaxation and fun!
What to eat
The Cilento offers, in general, tasty and appetizing typical recipes that use the best raw materials offered by the territory. Next to the classic seafood delicacies (such as grilled mixed fish, fried paranza and spaghetti with seafood), in fact, you can enjoy other typical dishes related more to the land than the sea.
Among all, la maracucciata stands out, that is the polenta of the south made with the maracuoccio, a typical legume of the place. There are, then, the lagane and chickpeas, the stuffed eggplant and la ciambotta, all dishes to be tasted.
To conclude with a sweet, can not miss biscuits stuffed with figs and figs stuffed with almonds. All this must be categorically accompanied by a glass of Cilento wine or by a shot of limoncello cilentano.
What to do
The day in Marina di Camerota is never boring, indeed: there is much to see, do and discover! First of all, a nice boat ride in Cala degli Infreschi, the best method to visit the entire coast of Camerota and make fantastic excursions in hidden bays and coves reachable only by sea. For those who love snorkeling, then, there is just to have fun!
Tourists who like to walk, however, will certainly appreciate the suggestive Infreschi Trail, which starts from Lentiscelle Beach and winds through the Mediterranean vegetation up to Pozzallo Beach. The route is about 10 km long round trip and is recommended for those who like to walk surrounded by nature.
And for those who want to take a day trip, , the village of Lentiscosa could prove interesting: it is right here, in fact, that , the maracuoccio, the legume belonging to the family of the cicerchie used for the preparation of the southern polenta! To preserve this food very important for the diet of the population was born the Slow Food presidium of the maracuoccio di Lentiscosa, recently added to the other 8 excellences of the territory.
Religious events and festivals
The summer in Marina di Camerota is tinged with colors and folklore typical of the carnival, which takes place purely on the sea with games, shows, fireworks and the famous festival of blue fish!
But not only: The real protagonists of the summer are the religious holidays, which begin in May with the festa della SS. Announced in Licusati, continue with the celebrations in honor of the patron of Camerota, San Vincenzo Guerreri, in July and conclude with the festa di San Domenico di Guzman in August.
