I went to beautiful Italian paradise that has new British Airways flights – and found pretty towns away from the crowds
I'm at Cilento in Volo, a zip-line experience in the picturesque town of Trentinara, in south-western Italy.
Sitting a little south of the Amalfi Coast, this area is stunning.
5
5
5
And I should know. After all, I have just taken it all in from a bird's eye viewpoint reaching thrilling heights of 985ft amid the coastal mountains, rolling hills and forests of Cilento National Park.
And it's now easier than ever to reach this region, in the province of Salerno, with British Airways having recently added a new BA Euroflyer (Gatwick short-haul) route to Salerno Costa d'Amalfi Airport.
Luckily, this slice of Italian paradise is not overpopulated with tourists like its widely known neighbours, Positano, Ravello and Sorrento.
So when I'm back on solid ground, I'm able to take in the sights of charming Trentinara away from the crowds.
Also known as the 'town of love', thanks to an ancient legend about doomed lovers, Trentinara has plenty to offer along its historic stone streets and winding alleyways (that are particularly appealing at sunset).
Among them, you'll find the warmly welcoming Paolino 848 — a wine bar and restaurant serving platters of antipasto, cheese with truffle honey (a revelation), filled focaccia and hearty meatballs.
I leave contentedly stuffed.
Trentinara's hill-top position means its panoramic piazza offers unbeatable views over the Cilento Coast and the Gulf of Salerno.
Just a 20-minute drive away is Paestum, a fascinating archaeological park and a must-see.
7 TOURIST DESTINATIONS - EVERGREEN LISTICLE
Here, in what was once a major ancient city founded by Greek colonists before it was captured by the Romans, stand three of the world's best-preserved ancient Greek temples.
I position myself alongside the columns of one of them, the magnificent Tempio di Nettuno, for a true sense of scale — and it dwarfs me.
The columns somewhat remind me of those in the lobby of the Savoy Hotel & Spa Paestum, not far from here, where I am staying.
Nestled among pine groves, just steps from the Tyrrhenian Sea, it's the perfect base for exploring.
It even has its own Beach Club 93, with plush cabanas, loungers, a pool, bar, restaurant and a private, sandy beach.
This 7,500sq ft sanctuary offers three temperature-controlled pools, a salt cave, ice room, Turkish bath and a number of treatment options. Within seconds in this space, I'm totally at ease
Sipping a cocktail here at sunset, gazing out across the sea, I've never felt more content. Apart from when I'm in the hotel's Holos Spa.
You'll hear dolphins
This 7,500sq ft sanctuary offers three temperature-controlled pools, a salt cave (if you dip your head under the water you'll hear dolphins), ice room, Turkish bath and a number of treatment options. Within seconds in this space, I'm totally at ease.
5
For dinner, there's a relaxed eatery, Bistrot Olivella, as well as a stunning Michelin-starred restaurant, Tre Olivi, which focuses on delicious ingredients from the hotel's impressive kitchen garden — my dining experience is unforgettable.
If you'd rather head out for food, the nearby La Dispensa di San Salvatore offers farm-to-table dining featuring the freshest fare from the San Salvatore farm. In the kitchen, Italian nonnas, make seasonal, sustainable dishes as their own mothers and grandmothers once did.
Nonna Lucia walks out to the sunny dining terrace where I'm sat and it's here, at the end of a group table, that she makes and shapes the fresh pasta that I'll soon be savouring (along with bowls of fresh salads, helpings of the finest buffalo mozzarella and wines including San Salvatore's award-winning Vetere rosé).
This is Italian food made with passion, freshness and authenticity.
No visit to Cilento is complete without a trip to the enchanting hilltop town of Castellabate.
Alleyways and cobbled streets weave through its ancient walls and its famed terrace offers panoramic views across the coastline and nearby villages.
5
It's from the nearby postcard-pretty fishing port, San Marco di Castellabate, that I take a boat trip along that coastline — calm turquoise waters, alluring beaches and haze-kissed mountains. San Marco's picturesque sister town, Santa Maria di Castellabate, is worth seeing too.
I can safely say this extraordinary region of southern Italy has wowed me on all fronts from every angle. Even upside down.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Erling Haaland's girlfriend Isabel Haugseng treated to ultra-rare £330,000 handbag as couple enjoy break in Rome
ERLING HAALAND treated his stunning girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen to an incredible £330,000 handbag. The Manchester City star has been relaxing with his partner in Italy over the last few weeks and they recently enjoyed a trip to Rome. 6 6 6 6 Isabel, 21, has taken to Instagram to share snaps from their trip and the brunette beauty wowed in a long orange dress in her latest post. But her designer handbag got the attention of followers as she clutched the luxurious diamond encrusted holdall. The Daily Ma il report that it is an ultra-rare Hermes Birkin 25 Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile. They claim that it is worth an eye-watering £330,000. And the handbag can only be purchased at auction from authentic Hermes reseller Madison Avenue Couture. Isabel is all smiles in the photos posted on social media as she stands next to Haaland, 25, and his brother Astor and his girlfriend. The Norwegian stunner is also seen giggling on a step and posing while looking out over a picturesque lake. Isabel is a footballer herself and is said to have met Haaland while they were both in the youth academy of club Bryne. The couple have one child, who was born back in December. Becoming parents has not slowed down their jet-setting lifestyle and they also visited Ibiza earlier this summer. Man City star Erling Haaland's girlfriend Isabel frolics in water in a bikini as pair relax on holiday Their travels have helped Isabel grow in popularity on Instagram after only launching her account in November. She now boasts a whopping 108,000 followers. Haaland is due back on the pitch on August 9 when City face Palmero in a pre-season friendly. The club's Premier League campaign kicks-off the following weekend against Wolves. 6 6
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Woman who lives on cruise ship reveals top ‘gross' habit she sees from guests
After living on a cruise ship for six months out of the year, a woman has pointed out the most disgusting habit she has seen from her fellow passengers. Christine Kesteloo, a 44-year-old business owner and content creator on TikTok, recently spoke to Unilad about what she notices when she is aboard the ship with her husband, who works as a chief staff engineer. While she told the publication that living on a cruise ship 'feels like a constant vacation,' she did admit that everything is not sunshine and rainbows. 'As far as gross [parts], I don't like when guests go to the buffet directly after the gym, [and] don't wash their hands,' Kesteloo said. Despite the drawback, the TikToker pointed out that she mostly enjoys her cruise life, noting that her ship only carries 1,400 passengers compared to larger and more commercial ships that house at least 5,000 people. 'Most of the 'myths' you have heard about cruise ships are wrong,' Kesteloo added. 'Yes, I do drink the water, and no, you can't fall overboard unless you are doing something you shouldn't. Cruising is safe.' However, the best part of living on a cruise ship, according to her, is the extra perks. 'I have been to 109 countries. I also don't have to pay for petrol, food, make my bed, do my laundry, or clean my room,' she said. Kesteloo also noted in an interview with The Mirror that every time she and her husband are on the ship, they stay in 'the best cabin in the whole entire ship.' The only amenity she does not take advantage of is the boat's casino. 'I am not allowed to sit at a slot machine and play my heart until I win because it would look a little weird if I, as the wife of the chief staff engineer, won like a big jackpot. So I am not allowed to gamble on the ship,' she said. And because her husband is an employee on the ship, she tries to ensure the guests are given priority over her. 'If the pool is packed, I make sure to get off and give the guests a seat, it's just the right thing to do,' Kesteloo said. 'I totally understand how to give guests the best time, and I don't think a crew member taking their seat is the right thing to do.'
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
London resident shares the biggest mistake American tourists make that all Brits hate
If you're an American trying to blend in while taking a trip across the pond, it may be best to forgo one particular habit. A fed-up Londoner shared a cautionary tale to traveling Americans, after noticing a particular quirk of visitors - taking to Reddit to share their constructive criticism. The keen observer said they were getting a coffee with a friend and were approached on three different occasions by Americans asking for directions. But when the tourists abbreviated the names of various locations, it left the Brit outraged. 'PSA to Americans visiting this summer: we do not shorten place names here,' the Reddit user titled the post. 'First [person asked] how to get to "Green" (Green Park), and that they'd come via "Edgware" (Edgware Road - obviously a totally different part of the city to Edgware itself),' the irate user complained. 'The next wanted to find their hotel in "Holland" (Holland Park, obviously not the country region),' they added. Their grievances didn't stop there, with the London resident writing they had noticed it happening a lot in another thread about life in the British city. 'As people who live here we got the gist of what they were saying yesterday, but it's such an unnecessary layer of friction,' they pointed out. The user went on by declaring it could potentially end up 'catastrophic' in some situations. 'If you're googling the wrong thing, asking for directions, researching somewhere (Gloucester instead of Gloucester Road, Liverpool instead of Liverpool Street, Leicester instead of Leicester Square etc.),' they wrote, before urging Americans to: 'Help yourselves out while visiting.' 'We did discuss reporting "Green" as a hate crime afterwards but let it slide to be polite,' they joked in a comment. Frustrated Londoners piled on in the comments, sharing other location abbreviations or mishaps that have annoyed - or impacted - them the most. '"Green" as an abbreviation is absolutely insane,' agreed a user. 'This does genuinely cause problems. Some are easy to spot - if you ask for Leicester instead of Leicester Square people are going to ask for clarification rather than direct you to the East Midlands,' they continued. 'But if you want Tottenham Court Road but you ask for Tottenham you may well be sent the wrong way!' 'Someone once asked me how to get to Oxford and I told them to go to the end of the street, turn right and walk 60 miles. I thought this was hilarious, but they did not see this as funny. They were looking for Oxford Circus,' shared another user. Someone else noted that tourists often have trouble finding their way to Abbey Road, which was made famous by The Beatles' album of the same name. The iconic zebra crossing is actually located at the St John's Wood area. And to make matters more confusing, there's a train stop called Abbey Road that is not where the iconic album cover was shot at all. 'I had to go to Stratford a few years ago and used the DLR. There is one station on the way called Abbey Road,' one Redditer shared on the thread. They jokingly observed along with a snap of a sign directing tourists: 'They have obviously had problems with tourists looking for the other Abbey Road as they put this sign up.' Someone else assured the annoyed user it happens with travelers to the US too. 'You joke, but in the hotel business this occasionally happens in America too,' someone chimed in. 'I had a guy run out in a hurry after he realized that he didn't feed the entire city name in to his GPS and instead ended up where I was, which was the same thing but shorter. They continued with their cautionary tale: 'I'm guessing he probably had to drive through the night to get to where he was going, since it was 400 miles away. He was a business traveler, so most likely his job was on the line.'
