06 Salerno to Scalea along the Cilento Coast
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert Nick Carthew - (MRA Master)
Last edit: 13-06-2023
Route Summary This route hugs the coast as it makes its way south. The coastal views are sublime and the roads at times, very twisty including a series of 10 hairpin bends. The Cilento Coast is similar to the Amalfi Coast but it is longer, has more bends and is just as scenic. Therefore, this route must deserve 5***** stars.
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Verdict
Duration
5h 56m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
260.43 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review The ruins of Paestum are famous for their 3 ancient Greek temples dating from about 600 to 450 BC, which are in a very good state of preservation that stand in the middle of the countryside. Paestum is a truly enchanting and atmospheric place, and a 'must see' on any classical tour of Italy. The town of Poseidonia - later called Paestum - was built by Greek colonists from Sybaris, an earlier Greek city in southern Italy, in around 600BC. The archaeological site at Paestum covers a large area and takes as much as two hours to explore thoroughly. You will find a busy little row of souvenir shops and several bars with outside tables serving drinks, rolls, ice creams and snacks.
The Cilento Coast starts from the town of Agropoli. The historic city centre has a fascinating tangle of narrow cobbled streets with ancient buildings and a castle with superb views. You can visit Agropoli by turning off the route at RP 15 and rejoining at RP 16. As I said in the route description, the Cilento Coast is similar to the Amalfi Coast but it's longer, has more bends, including a series of 10, tight hairpins! It is equally as scenic and has less traffic. You can also visit another ancient Greek city, something the Amalfi Coast doesn't have! At RP 19, you can visit the archaeological site of Elea-Velia. The ancient city of Elea, which derives its name from the local spring Hyele, was founded around 540 B.C. by a group of exiles from the Greek city of Phocaea, in present-day Turkey, occupied by the Persians.
It doesn't have as much to see as Paestum, but you can pull off the road and see plenty through the railings. There is a nice gelateria (ice cream shop) a few hundred metres on for you to sample some artisan gelato and coffee.
Continuing along the coast there are lots of places to pull over and take photos of the beautiful coastline.
When you reach Marina di Camerota at RP 27, you say goodbye to the coast for now and ride up the series of 10 hairpin bends. The road isn't too steep but it is narrow and some of the bends are tight, so beware of traffic on the wrong side of the road!
Carry on climbing up to the village of Lentiscosa, where the streets are so narrow, they have traffic lights that allow only one way direction. Keep climbing to a height of about 520 m, this takes you into wooded hillsides where you will get the occasional glimpse of the sea that's a few km away now.
As you gently descend to the coast again you'll have a view of the mountains across the Gulf of Policastro and then ride through the town that gave the gulf it's name.
After stopping for a photo of the cute lighthouse of Punta del Fortino and then riding through the commercial town of Sapri, the route starts to snake it's way along the superb twisty coastal road, passing through a few small towns and on to the hotel in Scalea.
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Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Calabria
About this region
Calabria (US: ), is a region in Southern Italy. It is bordered by Basilicata to the north, the Gulf of Taranto to the east, the Ionian Sea to the south, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. With almost 2 million residents across a total area of approximately 15,222 square kilometres (5,877 sq mi), it is the tenth populous and the tenth-largest Italian region by area. Catanzaro is the region's capital, while Reggio Calabria is the most populous city in the region. Calabria is the 14th most productive region in the country. The Pollino National Park with 192,565 ha is the largest national park in the country and ranks among the 50 largest in the world.
Calabria was the first region to take the name of Italy, as well as the founder of the homonymous name, since it was inhabited by the Italics. In antiquity the name Calabria referred, not as in modern times to the toe, but to the heel tip of Italy, from Tarentum southwards, a region nowadays known as Salento.
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Calabria was the first region to take the name of Italy, as well as the founder of the homonymous name, since it was inhabited by the Italics. In antiquity the name Calabria referred, not as in modern times to the toe, but to the heel tip of Italy, from Tarentum southwards, a region nowadays known as Salento.
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Route Collections in this region An epic tour down the west coast of Italy to Sicily
This tour of 11 routes has been designed to take you to many of the well known sites in Italy, it even includes some lesser known sites that I think you'll enjoy too.
When they can, the routes will take you as close as you can get to the sites, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa just 100 m from where you park, or the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence where you'll pass right by the end of it and one route takes you as far as you can go up the active volcano Mount Etna.
I said this is a tour of 11 routes and not 11 days because I think you should stop an extra night at one or two places to really enjoy everything that Italy has to offer. For instance; an extra night at La Spezia gives you the opportunity to visit the famous chain of five picturesque seaside fishing villages known as the Cinque Terre. An extra night at the volcanic crater lake - Lake Bracciano, will allow you to take a short train ride into the city Rome to see all of her sights. I'd like an extra night at Salerno to ride the Amalfi Coast road again and another at Cefalu on the island of Sicily to enjoy the spectacular coastline.
What better way to discover amazing Italy than on a road tour? With 80% of world heritage sites, an Italian road tour surely promises an experience worth living!
From a motorcyclist’s point of view, Italy is among the best places in the world to ride. Twisty roads, close distances between sea, hills and mountains – you only need to ride a few miles and the landscape changes completely. Excellent food, good weather and reasonable costs make Italy an attractive touring place for bikers. Reasonably priced hotels and B&Bs; have been used with links to these on each route review.
Route highlights:
Route 1: The Italian Riviera and Portofino.
Route 2: Pisa, Florence and Siena.
Route 3. Volcanic crater lakes and the Tuscany landscape.
Route 4. Twisty roads through the foothills of the Lepini mountains.
Route 5. The Amalfi Coast road.
Route 6. The equally spectacular Cilento Coast road.
Route 7. Tropea and the Coast of Gods.
Route 8. Climbing Mount Etna and the incredibly twisty road to Cefalu.
Route 9. Twisty roads and The Valley of the Temples.
Route 10. The pure white cliffs of Scala dei Turchi and the Selinunte Temples.
Route 11. The salt pans of Trapani and the Grotta Mangiapane.
The tour ends in the ferry port of Palermo where you have a choice to either take to the road to head off of the island at Messina or hop on a ferry. Ferry destinations from Palermo include Genoa in northern Italy, the Italian island of Sardinia where you can tour the island and hop on another ferry to France, or even take a ferry to Tunisia in North Africa. The choice is yours. I hope you have enjoyed this tour.
When they can, the routes will take you as close as you can get to the sites, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa just 100 m from where you park, or the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence where you'll pass right by the end of it and one route takes you as far as you can go up the active volcano Mount Etna.
I said this is a tour of 11 routes and not 11 days because I think you should stop an extra night at one or two places to really enjoy everything that Italy has to offer. For instance; an extra night at La Spezia gives you the opportunity to visit the famous chain of five picturesque seaside fishing villages known as the Cinque Terre. An extra night at the volcanic crater lake - Lake Bracciano, will allow you to take a short train ride into the city Rome to see all of her sights. I'd like an extra night at Salerno to ride the Amalfi Coast road again and another at Cefalu on the island of Sicily to enjoy the spectacular coastline.
What better way to discover amazing Italy than on a road tour? With 80% of world heritage sites, an Italian road tour surely promises an experience worth living!
From a motorcyclist’s point of view, Italy is among the best places in the world to ride. Twisty roads, close distances between sea, hills and mountains – you only need to ride a few miles and the landscape changes completely. Excellent food, good weather and reasonable costs make Italy an attractive touring place for bikers. Reasonably priced hotels and B&Bs; have been used with links to these on each route review.
Route highlights:
Route 1: The Italian Riviera and Portofino.
Route 2: Pisa, Florence and Siena.
Route 3. Volcanic crater lakes and the Tuscany landscape.
Route 4. Twisty roads through the foothills of the Lepini mountains.
Route 5. The Amalfi Coast road.
Route 6. The equally spectacular Cilento Coast road.
Route 7. Tropea and the Coast of Gods.
Route 8. Climbing Mount Etna and the incredibly twisty road to Cefalu.
Route 9. Twisty roads and The Valley of the Temples.
Route 10. The pure white cliffs of Scala dei Turchi and the Selinunte Temples.
Route 11. The salt pans of Trapani and the Grotta Mangiapane.
The tour ends in the ferry port of Palermo where you have a choice to either take to the road to head off of the island at Messina or hop on a ferry. Ferry destinations from Palermo include Genoa in northern Italy, the Italian island of Sardinia where you can tour the island and hop on another ferry to France, or even take a ferry to Tunisia in North Africa. The choice is yours. I hope you have enjoyed this tour.
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