Castellabate is a picturesque town in the National
Park of Cilento and Vallo di Diano in the province of Salerno . It has
always kept the Middle Ages features with an architecture
made of linked houses that developed around the castle
situated on the top of the mountain. This fortress is
very important. It was started in 1123: it also gave
the name to the town, from the Latin words Castrum
Abbatis that is ‘the castle of the abbot’ that was
then transformed into Castellabate.
The
town is not situated on the coast, but Castellabate is
famous as a sea town thanks to the hamlets of Santa
Maria di Castellabate, San Marco di Castellabate and
Ogliastro Marina, as well as Punta
Licosa. Castellabate
dominates the seaside from the top of the hill: on the hills there are olive
trees. The coast is made of rocks and wide golden beaches.
The crystalline sea between Punta Tresino and Punta Licosa
received the blue flag from FEE (Foundation for Environmental
Education).
The Pontifical Basilica "Santa Maria de Gulia" in
Castellabate built in Romanic style is very interesting.
It was built in XII century. Inside there is an interesting
painting by Pavanino da Palermo, a great example of painting
in Southern Italy in 1400.
Tourism is an important resource in Castellabate and there
are many good facilities: hotels, agritourisms, flats,
etc. During
summer there are two interesting events: an exhibition
dedicated to handcraft and a fair dedicated to books.
Castellabate
offers many resources to tourists: sea, beaches, nature,
mild climate and it is not far from other interesting
tourist towns: the archaeological sites of Paestum (19
km) and Velia-Elea (38
km). In Agropoli (12
km) there is the railway station. There are other beautiful
places not
far from Castellabate: Acciaroli (20
km), Casal
Velino (37 km), Ascea
Marina (38
km) , Pisciotta (51 km). Castellabate is 61 km from the
caves of Palinuro and 78 km from Marina
di Camerota.
Castellabate is a picturesque town in the