Castellabate
Castellabate (SA)
FamousVillages
The story
Looking down from on high over the Cilento sea, the borgo (old village) that enchanted the film 'Benvenuti al Sud' weaves alleys, the castle of the Abbot and sunsets that descend toward Santa Maria.
The story
Castellabate is one of the most celebrated villages of the Cilento, grown around the castle of the Abbot, built in 1123 by Abbot Costabile Gentilcore — from 'castle of the abbot', castrum abbatis, comes the name. It is inside the Cilento National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, and its coast is protected by the Santa Maria di Castellabate Marine Protected Area.
What to see
The upper village, with the castle, the alleys, the little squares and the belvederes facing the gulf, keeps its medieval charm intact; lower down, the seaside hamlets of Santa Maria and San Marco, with their harbours and beaches. It is the town made famous by the film Benvenuti al Sud (Welcome to the South).
Hours and prices
Free entry.
Tips
Castellabate is an inhabited and much-visited village: move with respect and on foot among the alleys. The upper village is explored on foot, leaving the car outside the centre; Santa Maria and San Marco, by the sea, are the seaside hamlets. The coast is a marine protected area: check the rules for swimming and mooring.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Castellabate famous?
For the medieval village around the castle of the Abbot, the view over the gulf, the protected coast and the film Benvenuti al Sud, shot here; it is in the Cilento National Park, a UNESCO site.
What is there to see in Castellabate?
The upper village with the castle and the belvederes, and the seaside hamlets of Santa Maria and San Marco with harbours and beaches.
Where does the name Castellabate come from?
From the 'castle of the Abbot' (castrum abbatis), built in 1123 by Abbot Costabile Gentilcore.
More gems in Castellabate
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A headland of holm oaks and Mediterranean scrub thrust out over the sea, with the islet and the lighthouse where legend places the siren Leucosia.
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- ◆ Views & panoramas
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At the tip of Castellabate, where the sea turns crystalline and the scrub is fragrant with myrtle, a torre di avvistamento (watchtower) gazes at the islet bound to the myth of the siren Leucosia.
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In the marine protected area the posidonia meadows shelter groupers and sea bream, a transparent seabed to explore with fins on among rocks and submerged caves.
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Castellabate (SA)
Founded in 1123 by the abbot of Cava, the castello dell'Abate crowns a Cilento village overlooking the sea, among alleys and wind-swept terraces.
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