Excursions in Palinuro and environs

Hiking trails and boat tours

The Cilento region is famous for its unspoilt, diverse nature, from its enchanting coastline of golden beaches and ancient caves to the verdant countryside featuring mountainous ridges and rolling hills dotted with pretty, fairy-tale villages. After having relaxed to your heart’s content, you’ll be ready to embark on adventures to discover the beautiful treasures of the Cilento coast. The Cilento region isn’t just about the seaside; it has so much more to offer: even in the low season, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to hiking routes and cultural tours.

Picture gallery

Excursions in Palinuro and environs
Excursions in Palinuro and environs
Excursions in Palinuro and environs

Hiking:

overland

Primrose trail

This 14-kilometre-long trail lets you discover one of the most beautiful places in the Cilento region, the Cape of Palinuro. Along the trail, amidst the primroses and the vegetation of the Mediterranean maquis, you’ll be able to admire Saracen towers, bunkers, beaches, and rugged rock faces dotted with caves.

Infreschi trail

Also known as the Mediterranean trail, this is one of the most beautiful routes on the Cilento coast. Starting at Marina di Camerota, the route takes you to the Pozzallo and Cala Bianca beaches before reaching the natural harbour at Baia degli Infreschi beach.

Costa della Masseta

This trail is an absolute must for anyone who loves hiking and nature. It begins in Scario and ends at the Grotta dell’Acqua beach. It is also described as an open-air anthropological museum because of its archaeological importance.

Mount Bulgheria

Along with the Cape of Palinuro, this is a rare example of coastal limestone and features numerous caves where Byzantine monks once took refuge.

Mount Cervati

At 1,899 metres high, this is one of the highest peaks in Campania. There are various trails that lead up to the summit, such as the “Alta Via del Cervati e degli Alburni” high-altitude trail and the historic path to the Madonna della Neve church.

Cammino di San Nilo

This 103km walk is divided into 8 stages. It begins in Sapri and end in Palinuro, passing through 14 towns and villages along the way. It’s a section of a much longer Byzantine trail that begins in Rossano in Calabria and leads all the way to Rome. You’ll also receive a pilgrim’s passport which is stamped at the end of each stage. It literally leads you from the mountains to the sea: After the tiring walk, you can rest in Palinuro and enjoy a wellness break at our hotels.

Hiking:

by the sea

Sea caves of Palinuro

The Cape of Palinuro is one of the region’s most beautiful coastlines, with cliffs that plunge straight into the sea. It has some 32 caves, including “Grotta Azzurra” (Blue Grotto), “Grotta d’Argento” (Silver Grotto), and the “Grotta Sulfurea” (Sulphur Grotto). At our hotel, we organise various boat trips to explore different caves and bays.

Baia del Buon Dormire and Baia degli Infreschi beach

You can choose to rent a boat at the harbour and reach the most enchanting bays, such as Baia del Buon Dormire or the nature reserve of Costa degli Infreschi in Marina di Camerota.

Other activities

Biking

Via Silente is the first Italian cycle path to pass through a protected area, Cilento national park. It’s a 600km route divided into 15 stages, which follows coastal routes and extends into the mountains.  It’s suitable for everyone – and for all kinds of bike. Departing from Palinuro, it’s possible to enjoy small day trips to Centola, Pisciotta, Roccagloriosa, San Severino di Centola, and Camerota. You can also embark on mountain bike tours to discover the surrounding countryside and the Mediterranean maquis.

Climbing

If you want to go climbing, there are various options, such as Mount Bulgheria or Molpa beach in Palinuro where you’ll find a climbing wall overlooking the sea. On Mount Bulgheria, you can also enjoy quad-bike excursions and discover the trails and stunning scenery in the national park.

WWF oasis Bussento caves

The oasis, which is included on the list of world geoparks, is located in a special conservation area within Cilento national park. Rich in flora and fauna, it’s the perfect place for a hike along the river. In the Capello di Casaletto Spartano oasis, you’ll find the Capelli di Venere waterfalls, which are some of the most beautiful throughout Campania. And last but not least, you can also go rafting on the Calore river.

Fly over the Cilento region – on a zipline

The “Cilento in volo” zipline is found in Trentinara, in one of the region’s most scenic locations. This unique and adrenaline-fuelled experience at over 300 metres above the ground lets you admire sunsets and spectacular panoramas.

Excursions in Palinuro and environs
Treasures of the Cilento region
Excursions in Palinuro and environs
Unspoilt nature
Excursions in Palinuro and environs
Palinuro and environs
Excursions in Palinuro and environs
Palinuro: where land meets sea