Cilento Coast and Basilicata

Italy Bike + Boat Tour

Discover the natural and cultural treasure of the Cilento Coast aboard the North Star!  This is a cruise through mythology, through the lands of Leucosia, the white maiden, who with her flawless beauty and forked tongue, brought many men to their deaths. Leucosia was a Siren,a mythological monster with a beautiful female face, but with a bird-like body, sporting wings and claws. The sirens could sing a tune so sweetly that they would captivate the heart and mind of passing sailors, making them forget everything else. The intoxicated sailors would blindly pilot their craft towards the Sirens' island only to be crushed against the barricading rocks by the ocean's waves.  As you cruise, highlights include Castellabate, Acciaroli and  Palinuro, jewels in the midst of rugged hills and thousands of rocky caves of different shapes formed  by the corrosion of  the sea. These are the rocks, caves and mountains of mythology. There are archeaological discoveries awaiting as well, such as Paestum and San Severino di Centola. Basilicata or Lucania is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia (Puglia) to the north and east, and Calabria to the south. The region can be thought of as the "instep" of Italy, with Calabria functioning as the "toe" and Apulia the "heel". It is a mountainous region with two coastlines, one in the center of the Gulf of Taranto in the Ionian Sea, and a tiny one on the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the famous sea resort of Maratea. The bare mountain landscapes slope down to the Ionian Sea and offers some of the lovliest vistas one could imagine. Heed the beckoning call of the Sirens and  cruise Italy's open seas, not to be dashed against the craggy shorelines, but to be dazzled!

Where You’ll Stay

On the wooden sailing gulet, the North Star

What’s Included

• Accommodation in double cabin
• Full board from dinner of Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8 (picnic lunches)
• Italian/English speaking tour guide
• Bed linens
• Towels (one change weekly)
• Two overnights in port
• 21 speed hybrid bicycle
• Water during meals

What’s Not Included

• Journey to and from the embarkation harbor
• Drinks (including water, except during meals)
• Entrance fees to museums, parks and/or monuments
• Fee for nights in ports if necessary due to bad weather except for those already included
• Tips

Tour Dates

• Departures every Saturday from April 23 until July 16 and from September 3 until October 22, 2011.

Skill Level

Moderate. Daily distances range between 16 and 25 miles (25 - 40 km) and climbs range between 164 feet to 984 feet (50 to 300 m).

Tour Boats

• North Star

Day-To-Day Itinerary

1.  Individual arrival
2. Agropoli – Castellabate – Acciaroli, 24 mi./  38 km
3. Acciaroli – Scavi di Velia – Marina di Casalvelino,  12 mi./ 20 km
4. Casalvelino Marina - Capo Palinuro, 25 mi./ 40 km
5.  Palinuro - San Severino di Centola - Marina di Camerota, 16 mi./ 25 km
6.  Marina di Camerota – Sapri, 22 mi./ 35 km
7. Sapri – Maratea , 19 mi./30 km
8. Departure

*Please note: The direction of the tour could be in reverse from Maratea to Agropoli.
All distances are approximate. The above planned itinerary is subject to change due to changing wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances having to do with mooring requirements, etc. 

 DAY 1: Individual arrival and embarkation at 5 PM at the port of Agropoli in Salerno.
Enjoy a complimentary drink on board and presentation of the program.  A visit to to archaeological site of Paestum is planned from 5:45 PM until 8 PM. Few places will reward you more than the ruins of this ancient Greek community. Unlike Pompeii and even Herculaneum, Paestum can often be deserted, and its gleaming white marble temples, set against the silver mountains and deep blue sea, provide a uniquely Greek experience in Italy. What exactly happened there is uncertain. It has always been shrouded in mystery. It was probably founded around 650 BC by a large group of Dorians who had been expelled from the city of Sybaris, a luxurious resort across the mainland on the Ionian Sea. The Dorians named their new colony Poseidonia, after the most important of their gods; it flourished and quickly became the greatest city on the gulf of Salerno. Then in 510 BC, Sybaris was destroyed. Poseidonia languished until 390 BC, when it fell to a tribe of local barbarians called the Lucanians. Legend has it that for decades the Greek inhabitants of the captive city secretly met once a year to remember the illustrious days of their forefathers. Paestum can often be overlooked by tourists!

 DAY 2:   Agropoli – Castellabate – Acciaroli, 24 mi./  38 km
 Departing from Agropoli and cycling along the coast overlooking Trentova bay and Punta Tresino, en route you encounter Castellabate, pearl of the Cilento. Castellabate is a picturesque town in the National Park of Cilento and Vallo di Diano in the province of Salerno. The old center has the characteristic winding narrow alleyways and has always kept the architecture typical of the middle ages with linked houses that sprang up around the castle situated on the top of the mountain. This fortress is very important. It was started in 1123 and lends its name to the  town, from the Latin,  Castrum Abbatis, ‘ the castle of the abbot’ or Castellabate. From this castle, there are spectacular views of the Gulf of Salerno and Capri.  Continuing south, you cycle through the little sea villages of San Marco and Agnone to reach your day’s destination, the harbor of Acciaroli. In 1952, Hemingway came to this small genuine fishing village. Exhausted from the work on his novel "The old man and the sea",  he met his old man in the person of the fisherman Antonio Masarone.  "Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated." Almost every day, Antonio Masarone and Ernest Hemingway went fishing at sea. It is here in the harbor you will overnight in roadstead.     

DAY 3:  Acciaroli – Scavi di Velia – Marina di Casalvelino,   12 mi./ 20 km
Today will find you cycling towards the little fishing village of Pioppi, home of the Museo del Mare (Sea Museum). The large aquariums within reproduce the marine ecosystem of the  Cilento coast. Continuing on, you arrive in Velia, one of the most important archeological sites of the Greek period, home of the famous Eleatic school of the philosopher Parmenide and Zenone. The day ends at the port of Casalvelino Marina.

DAY 4: Casalvelino Marina - Capo Palinuro, 25 mi./ 40 km
This day's  itinerary takes you across the plain of Velia and continues up  the hill to the village of Ascea from which there are spectaculars views on the valley of Alento. Looking to north-west there is  Mount Stella with some medieval villages and to west there is the sea. The bike tour continues to another pearl of the Cilento, the  village of Pisciotta, overlooking the sea, famous for the imposing olive trees called “pisciottani”. Soon you will reach the marina of Pisciotta,  well know for the ancient and rare fishing of the anchovies (alici) of Menaica. Your day ends in the mythological Capo Palinuro. Situated in the, "Parco Nazionale Del Cilento e del Vallo di Diano", (UNESCO site) the area around Palinuro is famous for its clear, blue waters and splendid coastline which is dotted with caves and stunning scenery. Inland from the coast in the foothills and mountains of the ‘Cilento' are many small, historic villages and towns. The people living in these rural areas have kept alive their old customs and traditions. The name Palinuro is said to be taken from the myth of Aeneas, whose helmsman, Palinurus, is supposedly buried here.

DAY 5:  Palinuro - San Severino di Centola - Marina di Camerota, 16 mi./ 25 km
Departing from Palinuro along the river Mingardo, you will cycle until you reach  the abandoned medieval village of San Severino di Centola perched on a commanding position atop a rocky hill. The charm of the ruins of the village is unparalleled. It once had strategic significance, as its position allowed it to control the valley below. In order to defend the surrounding territory a number of watch tower were built, as well as a powerful castle, the  remains of which, along with some private homes, can still be seen today. The ruins have an almost magical feel. Continue towards Licusati,a town famous for its large olive oil production complete with an olive mill, where you can taste Pisciotta's typical high quality olive oil. On to Camerota Alta, to visit  the stone and terracotta workshops. The cycling tour continues to the nice town of Marinadi Camerota and the port to enjoy dinner on board and overnight in the port.

DAY 6: Marina di Camerota – Sapri, 22 mi./ 35 km
The scenery you will encounter this day you will never forget.  From Marina di Camerota the cycling tour takes you to San Giovanni a Piro. After the visiting the historical center, you continue cycling down to the little fishing village of Scario and then Policastro along the coast facing the Gulf of Poliscatro. Soon you will reach Sapri, located in an inlet on the Gulf of Policastro, the little seas side town  basks in the sunlight as if enjoying itself in its favourable location.   Here, in this fishing village, you will go aboard to enjoy dinner and spend the night in roadstead. Sapri is renowned for its excellent ice cream so be sure to find the time to sample some!

DAY 7:   Sapri – Maratea , 19 mi./30 km
From the sea town of Sapri, the cycling tour continues along the old road 18 that runs along the coast. Looking down upon the sea, the rock-cliff known as "Scialandro" stands out.  At the top of the rock, there is  a bronze statue of "La spigolatrice di Sapri" ("The gleaner of Sapri", sculpted in 2004), a character of the homonymous poetry by Luigi Mercantini. The trip continues to the Canale of Mezzanotte (the border between Basilicata and Campania) leaving  Cilento and entering  Lucana. Soon you reach the nice sea town of Acquafredda, who’s name comes from the 7 springs of sweet water, and continuing on to  Cersuta and Fiumicello Santa Venere and finally the historical center of Maratea. This town has a medieval atmosphere and 44 churches. If you feel good you can climb from  Maratea along a panoramic street (400 m difference in level) until the famous statue of the Redentore overlooking the Gulf of Policasto. The statue is 72 feet (22 m) high and was built in 1965 on the Mount San Biagio. If the weather is good you can see the Eolie islands from the mount. It is the coast of Maratea  itself that is the main attraction of staying in Maratea. Rocky slopes and outcrops are liberally covered with pines, olives, oaks and carobs, interspersed with wild rosemary, myrtle and broom, and drop away steeply into the clear waters. Scattered along the coast are ancient defensive towers dating back to a time when the coast was prey to the attacks of Saracens and other invaders. The clear sea below offers excellent swimming and snorkelling and has some of the cleanest bathing water in Europe (the municipality has installed a filtration system to keep it this way).

DAY 8: Maratea, departure
Individual departure at 9 AM.

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