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Home to one of Italy’s most spectacular archaeological sites, delightfully authentic villages and coastal towns, traditional buffalo farms where true Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP is produced, one of the most scenic parks in Italy, Cilento is still far enough off the tourist track to lend the thrill of discovery while close enough to the Amalfi Coast to merit a side trip for a day or two.
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Though it would be naive to propose Cilento as a substitute to the Amalfi Coast, it is an area worth exploring. To the west, it is lined by the pebbly beaches and craggy cliffs of the Tyrrenian Sea, and to the east, by the steep peaks of the Alburni Mountains these two geographic barriers kept the area isolated and pristine for centuries, and much of this stretch of coastline is now part of the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One destination that has been creeping onto the radar as a possible “next Amalfi Coast” is Cilento, the area at the very southern reaches of the region of Campania stretching from below Salerno to the border with Basilicata. Twenty years ago, Umbria was the next Tuscany ten years ago, Puglia was the next Sardinia and just recently, Treviso was posited as the new Venice.Ĭlearly, none of these substitutions satisfy: Tuscany is the cradle of the Renaissance whereas Umbria is a land of contemplative hill towns and Romanesque beauty Sardinia is beloved primarily for its pristine coastline where Puglia delights with Baroque architecture and fairytale-like trulli villages Treviso is lovely, but let’s face it…Venice is Venice. There are a number of destinations in Italy that are beginning to heave under the weight of their tourist influx, and the world (or, at least, the travel press) always seems eager to offer up “the next …” options.