naviquan

Payment parking lot in Santa Maria di Castellabate (Italy). You will come across it almost inevitably, if you enter Santa Maria through via Senatore Peppino Manente, the main road to the town. The parking lot is small, but tourist crowds in the area are not as large as in places like Amalfi and Positano. So, there are real chances to find a parking spot.

Piazza Lucia is the center of the old town of Santa Maria di Castellabate. Today, it is the southern extremity of town's center which lies between Piazza Lucia and villa Matarazzo.

Some offices of the local government are located on Piazza Lucia. The old town of Castellabate with its castle located at the top of the hill is visible on this photo - see the skyline in the background (yes, that's what is visible as a tiny modern building which is actually located inside the old castle).

Piazza Lucia in Santa Maria di Castellabate - a view on the parking lot (visible in the background, center) where we left our car (see the first photo).

The "Monument to the Fallen" on piazza Lucia (Santa Maria di Castellabate) in memory of citizens of the town who died during the two World Wars.

Several restaurants occupy one side of piazza Lucia in Santa Maria di Castellabate. The one if the center of the photo is called Il Cantuccio. It's a decent unpretentious restaurant with moderate prices (2011 - antipasti €7-8, primi €8-12, secondi €10-16) serving mostly tourists.

Another view of the old town of Castellabate and its castle located at the top of the hill from Santa Maria di Castellabate.

Most of the old houses in Santa Maria di Castellabate are located closer to the sea which is about several hundred yards/meters from piazza Lucia - so, let's move on.

"Il New Hotel Sonia" (Via G.Landi, 25, 84048 Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy) is located in the historic center of Santa Maria di Castellabate. Essentially it is sitting right on the beach with wonderful views from its balconies on the sea. As far as I know, the hotel enjoys only modest reviews. On the other hand prices are modest as well (most expensive double room with balcony is €170, high season, 2011).

From via G.Land we walk via Andrea Guglielmini towards Lungomare Pepi (Santa Maria di Castellabate) - no, this is not a long walk, a couple of minutes at most.

Via Andrea Guglielmini (Santa Maria di Castellabate) - I could not find on the Internet anything about this person other than mentioning that he participated in local insurrections in 1828 and 1848. Anyway, not that even if Santa Maria is a medieval town, it does not have any substantial cluster of medieval houses.

Via Andrea Guglielmini (Santa Maria di Castellabate) - Bar Gelateria L’ANCORA. This gelateria is also a "cicloporto" participating in the initiative of Parco Nazionale del Cilento e Vallo di Diano e Legambiente Campania to help travel with bikes without any fees in the National Park of Cilento.

Ristorante Vineria PerBacco and Gelateria Baffo (Via Andrea Guglielmini 19, Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy) - despite rather dull appearance on the outside, it is one of the best places (if not the best) to eat (and drink) in Santa Maria. Inside decor is much better as well.

This is the very beginning of via Andrea Guglielmini - on the other side is Lungomare Perotti. This part of Santa Maria has the oldest structures that have survived the time and elements. One of the things here is Ristorante Arlecchino (Lungomare Perotti 15, 84072 Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy )

Ristorante Arlecchino (Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy) has two dining rooms - one on each side of the street. This seems to be more like the indoor/pizzeria part of the restaurant (pizza is available during lunch as well).

Inside Ristorante Arlecchino (Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy). By the way, this is good restaurant. Depending on your taste, you may like or not like the food, but rest assured it is prepared with the freshest ingredients.

The narrow street is a shortcut to the beginning of the Pozzillo beach. Torre Perrotti will be on the right side, Palazzo Belmonte on the left.

Palazzo Belmonte (Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy) - originally, it was built as a hunting lodge by the ancestors of the present owner, Prince Angelo Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte, who still lives in a private wing of the building. Part of the structure has been used as the namesake hotel (Via Flavio Gioia 25, 84072 Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy). Photo public domain.

Ristorante Arlecchino (Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy) - outdoor sitting area. The beach of Marina Piccola is on the left (see next photo). The sidewalk on the photo is effectively the beginning of Lungomare (promenade) Perrotti (to the left at the end of the sidewalk).

Le spiaggia (the beach) di Marina Piccola. Most beaches in and near Santa Maria di Castellabate (Italy) are just excellent - they are very clean, equipped with various facilities and offer useful services. Water is usually crystal clear.

Closeup on the beach of Marina Piccola. The beach is public with no fees to access it. However, you will have to pay for umbrellas and chaise lounges most of which belong to nearby hotels (even if you are a hotel guest). The excellent quality of beaches in Castellabate (Italy) is often attributed to the Bandiera Blu (Blue Flag) - an award given to the coastal resorts that meet the European quality criteria which is being given to local beaches several years in a row.

In Catholic church, Santa Maria a Mare is one of the ways to venerates Mary, the mother of Jesus. The tradition originates from various and ancient legends according to which the statue of Mary and the Infant Jesus was either fished from the sea by fishermen or found on a beach. Santa Maria a Mare is the patron saint of Santa Maria di Castellabate and the town of Maiori (Salerno).

Celebration of Santa Maria a Mare (Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy) takes place every year on August 15th with thousands of people participating in festivities.

Honoring of Santa Maria a Mare is the main holiday of in Santa Maria di Castellabate (Italy). The celebration features a procession carrying the statue of Santa Maria from its Sanctuary through the streets of the town.

Santa Maria di Castellabate (Italy) - Torre (tower) Perrotti (also known as Torre della Pagliarola) one of many towers located throughout the coastal area that were a part of the defense system designed to offer a defense against potential invaders, first of all Saracens.

The origins of the Torre Perrotti (Santa Maria di Castellabate) go back to early medieval times; however, it acquired its current shape in 1570-71.

Torre Perrotti (Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy) is one of the best preserved towers of its kind. Later it was merged with the baronial palace overlooking the Marina Piccola - the whole structure still dominates the area.

Some apartments adjacent to Torre Perrotti (Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy) are for rent. This one with a nice balcony is one of them.

The long promenade (called Lungomare Perrotti) begins from Torre Perrotti (Santa Maria di Castellabate) and soon changes into La Spiaggia del Pozzillo - the beach continues for about one mile (1.5 km) and reaches eventually the village of San Marco - another "frazione" di Castellabate.

Lungomare (promenade) Perrotti (Santa Maria di Castellabate) - view onto Marina Piccola (in the background of the photo) and its beach.

Santa Maria di Castellabate - I publish this photo to illustrate the crystal clear quality of water near the village. It is a part of the natural marine protected area and a marine reserve in Campania, established in 2009. The reserve covers the sea area in the municipality of Castellabate (Italy), between the Punta di Ogliastro e la Baia del Sauco (the northern border with the municipality of Agropoli).

I found these verses left by a local poet very relevant to the romantic environment of the place: "Lei il principe adorato del mio castello incantato. Tu sei la mia principessa adorata che illumina il nostro castello incantato. Ti volgio e ti desideroper sempre."

Santa Maria di Castellabate, Lungomare Perrotti - southern view in the direction of San Marco di Castellabate. The building on the left side of the photo houses Residenza d'Epoca 1861 - one of the best hotels in Santa Maria. This is a small boutique hotel with 6 bedrooms it is consistently rated with very high scores.

La Spiaggia di Marina Piccola is actually another side of the already familiar to us via Andrea Guglielmini (Santa Maria di Castellabate). On the right side of the street are bars, ice-cream shops and restaurants; a sandy beach is on the other - very convenient!

Well maintained wooden sidewalk and pines - I love Santa Maria di Castellabate (Italy).

We skipped this turn when we started our exploration of via Andrea Guglielmini in the historic center of Santa Maria di Castellabate. However, if you take the turn, it will eventually lead you to the northern promenade in the village. The part of the building in the foreground (right of the picture) belongs to Santuario di Santa Maria a Mare.

The Sanctuary of Santa Maria a Mare is a relatively new construction - completed in 1836 to accommodate the religious believes of families coming to Santa Maria di Castellabate in 18th century from Maiori. Photo public domain.

The bell tower of the Sanctuary of Santa Maria a Mare in Santa Maria di Castellabate near the beach of Marina Piccola.

The bronze door of the central nave with bas-relief images of Santa Maria a Mare and some unrelated events.

I know very little about this building, but I took the photo because of the location of the structure very close to the water, right in the middle of the sandy beach of Marina Piccola (Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy).

Entrance to the building from previous photo - one bit of practical information about it is that there are apartments for rent in the building. If you like it, call 0974 967211 according to the sign (I think it's a call phone number).

I already mentioned "Il New Hotel Sonia" (Santa Maria di Castellabate) when we passed the building at the beginning of our tour. Now we are going back towards marina Lu Traviersu - here is the entrance to the hotel.

Behind the hotel "Il New Hotel Sonia" (Santa Maria di Castellabate) is the hotel's restaurant outdoor sitting area. The sea is literally two steps from it.

We are moving now towards Marina of "Lu Traviersu" (Santa Maria di Castellabate) - again, it take only several minutes to reach it. We take Traversa Tagliarola, an old street (with limited traffic). Part of it is visible on the right. In the foreground is the parish library.

One side of Traversa Tagliarola (Santa Maria di Castellabate) is the Marina Piccola beach. So, locals and tourists alike are just having a good time in adjacent bars.

On the other side of Traversa Tagliarola (Santa Maria di Castellabate) are private homes and this Wine Cafe Ligea

Next to the entrance to Wine Cafe Ligea (Traversa Tagliarola, Santa Maria di Castellabate) is an apartment to rent. As far as know it consists of two bedrooms and weekly rent is from $950 to $1800 (2012, depending on the time of the year and exchange rate). So, if you are interested, call 339 41995228 (mobile).

The lateral view on "Il porticciolo delle Gatte" (Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy)

Marina of "Lu Traviersu" (Santa Maria di Castellabate), called "Il porticciolo delle Gatte" (Marina of Cats). It is an enchanting building with the two rows of arches one above the other. The place and building have been featured in three films: Cavalli si nasce (Born horses, 1988), Noi credevamo (We believed, 2010), and recent Italian hit (2010) Benvenuti al Sud (Welcome to the South)

The wine bar tables are on the ground floor of the Porticciolo delle Gatte. By the way, although it is often translated now as "Marina of Cats" it has nothing to do with cats. Here, the Italian Gatte (cats) is just a transmutation from "porticati" meaning "arcades" built in 12th century.

Marina of "Lu Traviersu" or "U Travierso" (Santa Maria di Castellabate) is an actual small marina where local fishermen and other folks keep their boats. Although most of them are motor ones, the place still has a character and charm of an old place.

Most economic activities in Santa Maria di Castellabate are focused nowadays on tourism - very few things remind visitors that fishing was one of the main sources for inhabitants for making their living. Still, boats like this remind us that catching fish has not been completely forgotten.

This is the beginning of Corso Senatore Andrea Matarazzo - the main street in Santa Maria di Castellabate. It is mostly pedestrian with very strict traffic limitations. The street begins at piazza Lucia and goes north to Villa Matarazzo and beyond it to the bus stop of CSTP Azienda della Mobilità (Consorzio Salernitano Trasporti Pubblici).

Hotel La Pergola (Corso Senatore Andrea Matarazzo, 104, 84048 Castellabate Salerno, Italy, Cell 0974 961008). This is a 3-start hotel with 25 rooms and 3 separate apartments. Prices (2011) are moderate - (€80 - €120, double room, taxes and breakfast included, depending on season). Weekly apartment prices €300 - €800 for 3 persons).

One good thing about La Pergola (Santa Maria di Castellabate) is its location in the centre of town close to Piazza Lucia and within 2-minute walk from the beach. I think the hotel delivers value that corresponds to its 3-star rating and prices charged. There is also a pizzeria in the hotel (see photo).

Corso Senatore Andrea Matarazzo (Santa Maria di Castellabate) looks like a modern street with numerous shops, cafes, restaurants and several hotels. The street is clean and safe to have a stroll at night when all beach activities are over. At the same time, you can still find places like this just two steps from Corso Matarazzo.