Marina di Camerota, jewel of Cilento

About this activity

Marina di Camerota is located in Cilento, is the most famous hamlet of the municipality of Camerota, an ancient village perched on the Mount Bulgheria, of which it represents the ancient outfall.

The caves and beaches

Because of the karst nature of the soil, Marina di Camerota is known to the paleontologists for the interesting caves covering the territory, in most of which, since the 1950s, major archaeological findings, dating mainly from thestone age.

Beginning at the border with Palinuro, along the so-called Mullet Cove, it is possible to admire caves that, until they were discovered, were inhabited by some shepherds with their families: among them are to be mentioned the Fish Cave, that of theAutaro and the Caprara, which now houses a famous disco. At the northern edge of the settlement existed the Calanca Cave, which no longer exists today due to a collapse. Other caves worth mentioning are the Sepulchral Cave o of the Knoll, the Manfregiud Cave (well and very dangerous), the Keyhole Cave, the Cove Cave o of prehistoric man and the Riparo del Poggio o Niche Leg, evidence of the remains of what was once a cave, already collapsed in prehistoric times.

Among these The Cove Cave, just behind the main beach of Camerota, has been recognized as a UNESCO heritage site. Reopened in May 2016, the cave, inhabited as early as 45,000 years ago, housed both theHomo sapiens that theNeanderthal. Inside, some dioramas, of scale representations, realistically reproduce small prehistoric settlements, flanked by authentic findings and by accurate explanatory panels.

The Lentiscelle beach, where the Grotta della Serratura is located, is the last beach in Marina di Camerota that can be reached by car, and is located close to the Zancale tip where the eponymous tower. Via a flight of steps and a short path you can reach the tower, from whose promontory you can admire a splendid panorama on the coast and on the east side of the country.

The sand and pebble beach is almost 500 meters long, and behind it you will notice ancient olive trees and the Lentiscelle Cave, which previously housed a reconstruction of the boat Lion of Caprera, the schooner used by three Italian sailors to deal with a ocean crossing accomplished in the second half of the nineteenth century, the goal of which was the delivery of a signature book to Garibaldi. Currently, the reconstruction is preserved at Milan at Museum of Science and Technology.

At the far side of the cave begins the Mediterranean Trail leading up to Porto Infreschi.

The beach, surrounded by cliffs, hosts several shores equipped with snack bar and small restaurants, in which it is also possible to rent pedal boat and canoes.

Among the most famous seaside resorts, Cove of the Infreschi has been named "Italy's most beautiful beach in 2014". Another "hidden" beach in Camerota is. Calanca beach, which is a few minutes' walk from the town center: it is accessed through a flight of steps ending on the only stretch of the magnificent free beach. The shallow, the clear water and the sights you will encounter on the way down will repay you for the effort expended.

The most beautiful and original way to discover the coast of Camerota is from the sea, during an unforgettable boat excursion between bays, Hidden coves and ravines accessible only from the sea, as the Lovers' Cave or the Pozzallo Cave. There are several cooperatives that organize boat tours often side by side with the famous lamparas with dinner on board.

What to see in Camerota and Marina di Camerota

Camerota has often been associated with the notoriety of its caves: for this reason, the Muvip, Virtual Paleolithic Ecomuseum, a small space where you can learn about the territory of Camerota and its hamlets through a model of the area, also discovering its characteristics through an in-depth installation and an immersive room in which the walls are touch-sensitive; in fact, those who visit it can choose the path to discover among the caves in the area.

Camerota hosts the Marchesale Castle, a medieval fortification built during the Norman period, between the 11th and 12th centuries. Initially baronial, became a marquisate in the 16th century. The Turkish army destroyed the castle in 1552, but that same year it was rebuilt by the marquis Don Placido de Sangro, thus altering its original characteristics.

Also at Marina di Camerota, however, there is an interesting castle. Built in the 18th century at the behest of the last feudal lord of the village, Horace Marquis, the building was the summer residence Of the marquises of Camerota. Despite this, it is thought that the Layella Tower had already been previously built in 1518.

After countless owners, in 2020 the castle was purchased at auction from Municipality of Camerota, which started its interior and exterior upgrading work. They were discovered, in fact, funerary environments with human bones In the square in front of the facility.

In addition, the charm of the complex allowed it to be chosen as the location for musical events and performances as the Camerota Festival - Sounds from the Castle o Winds at the Opera.

A visit to the quaint seafaring village of the city, a colorful center made up of arches, old cottages and steps leading down to the sea. The main gathering place is St. Dominic's Square, patron saint of the city celebrated the August 4. The religious festival begins as early as August 1, an occasion to remember the miraculous rescue Of four sailors caught at sea by the storm.

An atmospheric and traditional event takes place on the second Sunday in August, during which, after the religious celebration, the procession leads the statue of the saint From the church of St. Lazarus to the beach; once arrived, the statue comes reach into the sea on a fishing boat escorted offshore by other boats.

Origins and historical background

The origin of the municipality is related to a legend conceived by the Neapolitan scholar Berardino Rota, at the opening of his poetry work in Latin Sylvarum seu Metamorphoseon liber. According to the myth, Palinuro, the helmsman by Aeneas, skirting the shores of the current Cilento, fell in love with a beautiful nymph Of the sea, named Kamaratón, who did not return the love of the young man who, in despair, chased her into the depths of the sea, thus losing his life.

According to another theory, however, Palinurus invoked the god of Sleep To put him out of his misery. Venus, goddess of love, outraged by Kamaratón's cruelty, turned it into rock, the very spur on which it stands today Camerota, condemning her to eternally watch her rejected beau.

According to more realistic studies, Camerota is thought to have been founded in the 6th century B.C. by the Focei, the same Greek population who founded the city of Velia. Its name probably comes from the Greek Kamaratòn, which translated means. bow construction. In the area, in fact, there are numerous natural vaulted caves or, according to some scholars, made with a construction technique characteristic of the place, the basic module of which is theround arch.

The citadel developed around an early fortified castle in the years 535-553, during the war among the Goths and the Byzantines. Camerota was dominated by different populations over time: Norman, Arabic, sveva, angioin, aragonese, up to the Bourbon dynasty, whose domination ended with theUnification of Italy.

Although it was a fortified city, it was sacked several times by the Saracen pirates, who also occupied it from 868 to 915. In 909 the fortress of Camerota was the second stronghold of Cilento along with Agropoli.

In July 1552, the powerful Turkish Army, commanded by General Rais Dragut Bessà, attacked the citadel devastating it completely, while many were taken prisoner or killed. After these events, many watchtowers were renovated and built along the territory.

Returning to more recent times, however, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, Marina di Camerota has been the subject of a major emigration flow, particularly toward the South America and the Venezuela for its ties with these countries. Not surprisingly, in a square in the center, facing the harbor, a statue in honor of the "Libertador" Venezuelan Simón BolÍvar, to whom are also dedicated the main street of the country and the local cinema.