Sidestep the tourist trails and discover the quaint seaside villages following in the footsteps of literary legends like Hemingway. Explore the incredible rolling countryside through huge national parks and end your day’s hike, sipping your favorite sundowner and nourishing your soul with the region’s gastronomic delights. Campania has it all, whether it’s the archaeological lure of UNESCO Greek Temples, the image-perfect cobbled streets of a hilltop town, a lively festival, or an adrenaline-packed tick-list activity. If you’re looking at when to visit, check out five things you have to do in Campania this summer.
Double the Adrenaline With the Panoramic Zipline in Cilento
There is no need for an espresso shot to kick-start your day with this heart-pumping activity! Grab a fellow adrenaline seeker and enjoy a tandem zipline 600m above sea level. Soar along a 1600m stretch of zipline, reaching exhilarating speeds of up to 120km during this 90-second long flight, giving you a bird’s eye view of the Sele plain, Gulf of Salerno, and the Cilento Coast below.
Open all summer from May, this unforgettable experience is located in Trentinara, close to Paestum. The tickets per flight (for two people) cost €60 and can be booked via Freedome.
Have Buckets of Fun at the A Chiena Water Festival in Campagna
Campagna is an exquisite hillside town located just 40 minutes from the coast and has been enthralling visitors with its beauty for years. With a river weaving its way through the center, you can enjoy the sounds of the water rushing by as you sit in the piazza, taking in the atmosphere, or cool off in the summer months with a dip in the lagoon pools at the top of the river. This water takes center stage during the joyous “A Chiena” celebrations through the summer months.
On the weekends, the river is temporarily diverted from its usual course to run through the town’s streets. Everyone takes to the streets with buckets in hand to enjoy this annual tradition and a huge water fight! This tradition dates back centuries when the town used the water to cleanse the streets. Today, there is live music and a chance to enjoy a celebration of Campagna while getting a welcome opportunity to cool off from the Italian summer heat with the water diverted back again to its natural river path, so it is not wasted.
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During this summer-long festival, you can visit some of the impressive buildings in Campagna’s town and historic center. A Chiena event takes place each weekend from the end of June until the end of August, and tickets can be purchased online for the walks, tours, and water festival.
Summer Evenings at Paestum Temples
Ready for spectacular summer evenings under the stars, with the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site at Paestum Temples as a backdrop? Every year, exciting music events showcase the best of jazz, classical, orchestral, and pop music, offering the chance to enjoy outside events in this unique historical location.
Paestum is an excellent shout to visit at any time of day. If you’re an early bird, why not head over and beat the crowds and take a Cappuccino before exploring the incredible park and three Doric Temples, Poseidon, Helena, and Athena, or perhaps take a refreshing spritz post-history visit in one of the cafes and restaurants that line the street overlooking the temples. There are excellent transport links, and the train station at Paestum is around a ten-minute walk from the archaeological park. Paestum Tickets cost €15 at the door for an adult or can be purchased in advance here.
Discover the Beauty of the Cilento Coast by Boat
Watch the beauty of the Cilento Coast come alive as you set sail from the Port of Agropoli and glide along the crystal clear waters South, taking in the famous landmark of La Grotta dell’Elefante – Elephant’s Cave, named after the formation of the cliffs. Many a boat trip offers full-day tours exploring this majestic coastline, taking in the beautiful seaside towns along the way, Trentova Bay, Licosa, Santa Maria di Castellabate, Acciaroli – each with its one special allure and nod to Greek mythology, and more recently, places where inspiration and creativity served literary legends like Hemingway. There is no better way to see the Blue Flag beaches hugging the Tyrrhenian Sea than by boat, stopping now and then for you to snorkel its crystalline waters.
Whether you’re exploring for a full day, a couple of hours in the morning, or during golden hour to see the area’s incredible sunsets, you’ll find a variety of boats and enthused captains only too happy to proudly show you this undeniably pretty part of the world.
Take a look at four boat tours you can book via Freedome.
Taste Buffalo Mozzarella Ice Cream
Yes, you heard it! Ice cream made from buffalo milk, mozzarella milk, and yoghurt too! Campania is renowned for producing the best Mozzarella di Bufala in Italy, and just outside Paestum is Vannulo Mozzarella Farm, an organic Buffalo Farm dating back to 1900.
Staying in the family, The 600+ happy Buffalos move freely around the 11 hectares of land and are even massaged by special brushes. Even deciding when they want to be milked! This is done via a high-tech robotic milking machine. Organic Buffalo milk has been produced on this farm since 1988 using artisanal techniques. A limited amount of fresh mozzarella and cheese is made daily, which can be pre-ordered and tasted. The tasting sessions are held daily between Midday and 4 pm, and you can book a tour.
There’s a yoghurt shop, leather shop, and bakery, and you can even book in for a light lunch, so if you’re looking for an authentic taste of Campania, then book on to a tasting tour at Vannulo Mozzarella Farm and order some of Italy’s finest Bufala di Mozzarella to enjoy on your vacation.
With no online reservations available, it is advisable to call +39 0828 727 894 or info@vannulo.it to book the “Degustazione” or pass by early when the yoghurt shop opens at 7 a.m. and the Dairy at 8 a.m.
Make sure to make a note of these summer highlights when you visit Campania and get ready for a wonderful visit to the authentic side of Italy, where the welcome is as warm as the glorious weather and the food cooked the same way as generations ago, with love, and respect to the land.
Where to Stay
The Pinelli Group is renowned for exceptional properties that have been exquisitely restored and brimming with character. Often centuries-old, each property is carefully brought back to life and thoughtfully designed inside and out, creating tranquil, bright spaces where families can enjoy precious time together.
All of the houses are currently for sale through co-ownership and are either within a town or near the coast and nearby towns. They are far enough away from the hustle and bustle of tourist areas so that they can be enjoyed all year round, even in the height of summer.
Palazzo Maratea is a pied-à-terre collection of elegant apartments in a fully restored Italian Palace in the historic center of Campagna.
Casa Tramonto is a five-bed, five-bath stunning country house on a 20,000㎡ estate close to Agropoli.
Villa Velius is a spacious four-bedroom, four-bath house with views over the Amalfi Coast.
Vecchio Masseria is the latest release. It is a rustic four-bedroom country house with exceptional sea and country views, close to the medieval town of Agropoli and the coast.
Are you interested in viewing the properties? Ask about our Discovery Visits.
