Villaggio Villamarina

Elbowing other beachgoers out of the way can put a bit of a dampener on hols so, instead of swimming along to the local spots, take a boat or make tracks along peaceful national park trails to nearby Cala Bianca (once named the most beautiful beach in Italy) or Pozzallo, both within half an hour’s drive (plus a bit of easy hiking). Stick to the coast with some diving explores of sea caves (there are some primo examples 20 minutes away on Capo Palinuro) or dolphin spotting outings at the stunningly scenic and secluded Baia degli Infreschi half an hour from bas. If spending time wandering among the pretty villages of the Cilento coast is high on the agenda, there are some particularly good options hereabouts: Agropoli, San Mauro la Bruca and Caprioli are all within an hour of the site and have monasteries, castles, promenades and wineries to visit. There’s plenty round here to distract even the most ardent history buff too: first stop should be the UNESCO site of Paestum, a little over an hour away, where there are well-preserved Greek temples to poke around (as well as a museum full of millennia-old frescoes). The slightly handier Elea-Velia archaeological park and the Musea Living Museum of the Sea are musts within an hour’s drive.