For so many years Castellabate has been considered an ideal holiday resort and a territory to be conquered owing to its geographical position, mild climate numerous calling ports and landing places as well as its sea abounding in fish and typical product of its land. This territory has been populated first by Greeks and Romans, then by Angioini, Svevi, Aragonesi and French: each one of these peoples has left a trace passing through. The Frequent attacks obliged the inhabitants of the village San. Giovanni in Tresino to take refuge up the hill Sant'Angelo. On this mountain, Costabile Gentilcore, from Tresino, IV abbot of Cava de Tirreni, started to build a castle on October l0 1123 to defend the inhabitants from Saracen Raids. The Castle was finished by the Abate Simeone and Brought Welfare to the whole territory. Being grateful to its founder the inhabitants of that period changed the name of the village in the Abbot's Castle.After years of abandonment it has been recently restructured and now has become an aggregation and artistic-cultural centre.Castellabate 280 meters above sea level, from natural terrace, Belvedere St. Costabile, you can admire a beautiful landscape and a beautiful sunset. Behind the towers of the castle is where he stayed Perrotti Palazzo Murat in 1811. Near the castle is the ancient Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta (XII sec.) filled with many masterpieces of art and the chapel of SS. Rosario (XVII sec.). Not far from the Basilica is the Palace of the Matarazzo family. Francesco Matarazzo, who emigrated to Brazil in sec. XIX, became one of the richest entrepreneurs in the world and is now remembered as a great benefactor of the local community and the nation. Following the narrow streets to reach the main square X in October 1123, an elegant lounge where a plaque commemorates the childhood of Ruggiero Leoncavallo in Castellabate. There are many noble buildings of local families as Ancient, De Angelis, Iaquinto, Merigliano, forced Comenale and chapels such as San. Biagio, Pieta, San. And St. John. Leonardo.
Santa Maria
S. Maria is an ancient seafaring village between the two splendid promontories of Licosa and Tresino. The village rose around the medieval harbour called 'Lu Traviersu" from which sailed fast boats loaded with goods and passengers. Towards the end of '700 many families emigrated from the Amalfitan coast and the village became larger and larger. In 1836 it was built the church of S.Maria a Mare and this Was one reason Why High-class buildings began to be built side by side with the houses of fishermen.Nowadays S. Maria is an elegant seafaring village provided with efficient touristic structures and first class hotels. Right on the sea, S. Maria has beautiful beaches and a long and large promenade where you find fishermen houses and ancient aristocratic palaces. Along this promenade very often you can meet fishermen who dry their nets in the sun or carpenters working on their boat in the open air. On the main street there are elegant shops, restaurants and stores where you can buy or just taste delicious products of this land. At the end of the main street you arrive to the principal square called "Piazza Lucia: On this square there is the town hall, the sepulchral monument beside very good restaurants and pubs. Not far from the square, just two minutes walk, there is the church of S. Maria a Mare. In Villa Matarazzo there is a small sea museum where are kept amphoras and anchors of the Roman empire ships.
San Marco
At about 2 km from Santa Maria we reach San. Marco, a pleasant and Typical seafaring village famous as seaside resort. The first houses built in San. Marco were around the ruins of the greek-roman Harbour. The new harbour was built in 1954 and it is the second most important harbour in Cilento after Agropoli in passengers. San. Marco is provided with modern and efficient touristic structures, first class hotels, typical restaurants and elegant shops and bars. An entire necropolis of the Roman empire was discovered in the 1983 with about 151 graves full of jewels, coins, epigraphs and crockery. Many anchors and amphoras have been found nearby the harbour and the island of Licosa. Some of them are kept in Santa Maria antiquarium, Villa Matarazzo museum and national museum of Paestum.
Licosa
Licosa is a small island with a small port accessible by sea, of course, and walking from San Marco and Ogliastro. Next to the noble palace of the family Granite (XVII) is the ancient chapel of Santa Maria del Soccorso (XVII), built to provide shelter and aid to the many sailors.On the high seas not far from the island lie the bodies of 51 sailors of the submarine sank in the Velella 1943. The part of the sea that goes from tip to toe Tresino Licosa marine area was declared he could from the Ministry of Environment.AscoltaTrascrizione fonetica
Tresino
It is a hill 356 metres high that plunges into the sea. It is deserted and only on the highest part of the hill you can find a group of ruined houses witnessing the existence of an ancient village called San. Giovanni. You can reach it walking from Lago through paths with pines and a luxuriant Mediterranean bush al1 around. On September 23 1985 Punta Tresino has been declared a remarkable naturalistic area of cultura1 interest and subjected to total presevation laws.
