Just a few hours off the traditional tourists' routes of Naples, Capri, Positano, Amalfi, etc. there a shocking mix of culture, art, nature and folklore.

The national Park of the Cilento and Vallo di Diano has been created in 1991. It is situated in the province of Salerno and it is the second largest national park in Italy. Just to give you an idea, it has been declared World Cultural Heritage of Mankind from Unesco.

Unaffected landscapes are populated by the genuine hospitality of the inhabitants.  The eye is captured by beautiful nuances of green and blue, which mix where the rocky coasts dive into the sea.

Fantastic sandy beaches wait for those who wish to swim in the Mediterranean.

The coast band picks up the history since the Greeks, and the passage of these civilizations can still be appreciated today. Important archaeological sites in the are include that of Paestum and Velia (just few minutes from our apartments).

Velia was known as the ancient Greek colony of Elea, founded by Focesi in 540 b.C, which was the seat of the most famous pre-Socratic school. It was the birthplace of Parmenides and Zeno, among others.

Last but not least, Humerus's " Odyssey " is set in the coast of the gulf of Policastro. The country side also shows several ancient installations, such as the caves of Pertosa, Castelcivita, and the Civitella.

If you are looking for further info about Cilento, this is what wikipedia says about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cilento .

.