Cilento Coast: Kayaking along the coast of the Sirens – from Pisciotta to Palinuro – KCILS5

Pisciotta, Ascea & Greek Velia & the mythical Cape Palinuro!

The region of Campania marks the real starting point of southern Italy. It has been sought after since Roman times when it was labelled the Campania Felix, or ‘happy land’, hardly a surprise considering the fact that it includes the great city of Naples, beautiful countryside, Roman ruins, small islands and stretches of spectacular coast. On the southern side of the Sorrento Peninsula, the Costiera Amalfitana is probably one of Europe’s most well-known and dramatic stretches of coastline, with its towering cliffs and picturesque coves.

But Campania’s real secret is located south of Salerno, and immediately south of the wonderful Greek temples of Paestum. Here the coastline bulges out into an expanse of mountainous landmass known as the Cilento, now a National Park with World Heritage listing, an area which can be considered as the real ‘authentic’ southern Italy.

The Cilento coast is fairly rocky territory, with the crystalline sea lapping at the shore. There is a wild kind of beauty here; rocky ridges set between small picturesque inlets and richly scented pinewoods backing onto wide sandy beaches. Aleppo pines loom over the multicoloured undergrowth of myrtle and cactuses; whilst huge, centuries-old olive trees grow right down to the shore. Inland the Cilento is largely undisturbed by the 21st century and you enjoy visiting medieval and quaint fishing villages where the traditional way of life is still evident.

This tour brings you along the southern coast, along the mythical Cape Palinuro, charming Marina di Camarota, and the pristine Costa degli Infreschi. The tour starts from the charming side village of Pioppi, home of the ‘Mediterranean Diet’, or from the beautiful medieval hilltop town of Pisciotta, located in the middle of the olive groves. The view from your hotel there is simply stunning. From the Marina di Pisciotta you will then embark in southern direction, alternating rocky shores and sandy beaches, heading for Cape Palinuro. Beyond the Cape lies charming Marina di Camerota and after that we’ll be paddling along one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline of the Cilento National Park, the so-called ‘Costa degli Infreschi’, a virtually untouched coastline, not without reason a protected marine area.

You will go ashore in some of the nicest old fishing villages, like Marina di Pisciotta and Marina di Camerota. But you will also have the chance to visit some of the villages inland and enjoy a stroll through attractive countryside, with all their cultural treasures like rural chapels, ancient farmhouses, old watermills and charming medieval villages.

On this amazing kayaking adventure, you will explore the entire coastline of the Cilento National Park, one of the biggest and most diverse of Italy. You will see that some parts, like Marina di Camerota and Palinuro, for a reason have become popular seaside resorts, but also that it takes only a little effort to get ‘off the beaten track’.

At only a few metres away from the villages, you will find yourself surrounded by nature. On this tour we take you beyond the crowded beaches, and you’ll be lying on isolated beaches and paddling alone with the seagulls…. Out of season we will virtually have the beaches for ourselves. In short, you’ll discover a real Italian paradise.

Please note: this is a moderately easy tour which is suitable for those who have some experience with sea kayaking and a good general physical condition. Average (net) kayaking times: approx. 4-5 hours each day.

OUTLINE ITINERARY

Day-to-Day programme

Day 1 – Arrival. Napoli/Pisciotta

In the afternoon a group transfer will bring you to the joining hotel in Pisciotta, in the heart of the Cilento National Park. We’ll stay in the heart of the historical town centre of the small hilltop village of Pisciotta, from where you’ll have some astonishing views over the coastline you will explore during the coming days. The very scenic old town, which dominates the surrounding hills covered with olive groves and forests, is definitely worth exploring! Towards the end of the afternoon, we meet our tour leader and the rest of the group.

After a brief introduction of the tour, we will go down to the harbour where our kayaks wait for us and outfit everyone with paddle and PFD and offer some basic kayaking instruction. Then we go for a short introduction trip. Then we’ll return to our stunningly located hotel, overlooking the glorious Mediterranean. In the evening we eat all together in a nice restaurant right in the heart of town.

Accommodation: Pisciotta

Day 2 – From Pisciotta along Punta Telegrafo to Greek Velia

After a leisurely breakfast on the terrace of our hotel we go down to the beach and get into our kayaks. We’ll follow the coastline in northern direction, heading for the rocky headland of Punta Telegrafo. Here we can explore a number of sea grottos and land on isolated beaches. We then head for the long sandy beach of Ascea Marina, where we can eat our lunch, and perhaps allow some time for a refreshing swim. Just north of this beach you’ll notice the medieval watchtower of Velia, dominating the old Greek city. If we want we can paddle to here and go ashore to pay a visit to this unknown, but very interesting site.

We then return along the sandy shore, which abruptly ends at Punta Telegrafo and continue the last stretch back to Marina di Pisciotta. Now we take some more time to explore this charming little harbour, where fishermen still catch anchovies with the millennia old Greek system, called la ‘Menaika’. Then we’ll walk back up – or can be brought back by a charming open taxi- to the old town, right above us. In the evening we’ll enjoy a nice evening meal in one of the small nearby restaurants.

Accommodation: Pisciotta

Day 3 – From Pisciotta to the mythical Cape of Palinuro

In the morning, we will first have a great breakfast, after which we walk down to the harbour. We continue paddling in southern direction today, heading for the mythical headland of Palinuro, named after one of the shipmates of Aeneas. Capo Palinuro is a promontory of sheer limestone cliffs, with many sea grotto’s, one of which is the beautiful Grotta Azzurra. The first part of our route brings us along rocky shores, covered with forest, maquis and olive groves, with the occasional pebbly beach. Then we reach the sandy beach of Caprioli, where we can go ashore for a short coffee break. We continue in southern direction and soon we reach the area of the Saline, old sand pans, already used in Greek times. We can go ashore at the small beach of Ficocelle and walk up to the small archaeological museum, where all the artefact of Greek and roman times found near the seashore can be admired. A few miles further we land on the small sandy beach in the harbour of Palinuro, where we can have a late lunch, or in case we had lunch on the beach already, a coffee break and siesta. From Palinuro harbour you can make a beautiful short walk, which climbs up to the top of the headland. Worth it for the views over the whole coastline, with the Amalfi coast and Capri in the back. In alternative you can relax on the beach and go for a swim, or already settle in our hotel, right on the beach.

In the late afternoon, when the light is at its best, we go for a short paddle, and enter the Grotta Azzurra, the ’Blue Grotto’, perhaps not as famous as the one in Capri, but definitely more beautiful. An amazing experience with the afternoon light filtering through the Blue Waters of the Mediterranean. Then we paddle back to the harbour of Palinuro, where we dock our kayaks. In the evening we eat in a nice restaurant at the harbour.

Accommodation: Palinuro

Day 4 – Around Capo Palinuro to the beaches of ‘Buondormire’ & the Arco Naturale

Today we’ll do what is perhaps the most spectacular part of the journey, the circumnavigation of Cape Palinuro. We’ll paddle underneath the impressive limestone cliffs, surrounded by seagulls. We might enter the Grotta Azzurra again, to see it in a different light, and also visit a few other sea grottos. Towards the end of the morning, we go ashore in one of the most beautiful beaches of the Cilento, the ‘Spiaggia del Buondormire’, for a short break.  Then we head in southern direction, towards the broad sandy beaches of Marina di Camerota, the scenery for ‘Ulisse’s Landing’ and ‘Jason & the Argonauts’.

Along this part of the coastline of the Cilento National Park, a number of prehistoric settlements has been discovered, some quite recently. We’ll go ashore near the ‘Grotta delle Ossa’, where many bones of animals were found. The next stop is the beautiful beach underneath the Arco Naturale, a stunning rock formation.

From here we return, now seeing the Cape in a beautiful, different light, from a different perspective. Perhaps one last stop in the Grotta Azzurra and we’ll then definitely dock our kayaks in the harbour of Palinuro. There is still time for a swim, or a rest at the small private beach of the hotel. In the evening we’ll walk down to the beach for a last beautiful dinner, in one of the area’s best fish restaurants

Accommodation: Palinuro

Day 5 – Departure from Palinuro

The tour ends in Palinuro after breakfast today (unless you booked an extension –strongly recommended!). You can be brought to the railway station at any time.

Accommodation: Palinuro

TOUR DETAILS

ACCOMMODATION & MEALS

All nights are spent in a beautiful characteristic 3 & 4-star hotels (generally this tour is  3/4-star level; we can book superior 4-star on request). All rooms have en-suite facilities.

A number of evening meals is included, for which we have selected the best available restaurants.

No lunches are included in the tour price. We can choose to enjoy a picnic on the beach, or to have a nice lunch in a small restaurant on a small beach.

INCLUDED

• Private English speaking tour leader for 4 days
• Professional guiding service for each activity
• Accommodation in beautiful ***/**** hotels: 2 nights Pisciotta + 2 nights Palinuro
• Meals: 4 breakfasts, 3 dinners
• All private & public transfers as indicated throughout the entire itinerary
• Rental of high-quality sea kayaks
• Group equipment and technical gear for each activity
• Entrance fees of all sites along the itinerary
• Special activities as outlined in the day-by-day itinerary
• 24/24 h local assistance
• Luggage transport
• All gratuities for baggage, porters & hotel service

NOT INCLUDED

• Visas & Departure taxes
• Travel Insurance
• Drinks and meals not mentioned in the itinerary
• Optional additional tours or activities
• Tips
• Items of a personal nature

ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE

Arrival: The tour starts in PISCIOTTA, a town with a train station, very well connected with Rome and all other major Italian cities by a frequent (high speed) train service. A taxi pick-up service from or the train station is included in the tour price.

The nearest international airports are at NAPLES and SALERNO. Taxi transfers from Naples or Salerno (airport or train station) or other places can be arranged on request.

Departure: The tour ends after breakfast on day 5 in PALINURO. A taxi transfer to the train station is included in the tour price. From here a frequent train service can bring you back to Salerno, from where you travel to your next destination (Naples and Rome can easily be reached by train). Several taxi services are available to bring you directly to your next destination.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY / REQUIRED SKILLS

Moderately easy (level 2):

This tour is suitable for kayakers with a minimum of sea kayaking experience. Our professional guides/instructors will work with you to improve your skills and become more comfortable. The waters of the Mediterranean are usually calm, and you’ll encounter only short open water crossings.

Fitness: A good standard of fitness is necessary. You should be able to paddle for up to 3-4 hours.

5 Days Prices

	trip season	tour price	single suppl.
	01 October – 31 October 2026	€ 1410	€ 200	Reserve your place
	01 November 2026 – 30 April 2027	– – –	– – –	Contact us
	01 May – 31 May 2027	€ 1420	€ 200	Reserve your place
	01 June – 30 June 2027	€ 1540	€ 200	Reserve your place
	01 July – 31 August 2027	– – –	– – –	Contact us
	01 September – 30 September 2027	€ 1500	€ 200	Reserve your place
	01 October – 31 October 2027	€ 1420	€ 200	Reserve your place

Availability
& Conditions

	You can book this tour with a minimum of 1 person.
	There are a very limited number of available places on these dates. Immediate booking is recommended.
	Not available.
	Availability and prices on request.

• Prices are per person and based on the season within which the first night of the tour falls.
• Prices are based on 4 people sharing double or twin accommodation. Single rooms (double rooms – single) are available on most trips however the supplements listed apply.
• Private departures can be planned on any date. In this case it is possible to opt for small changes to the itinerary, rest days or upgraded hotels. For bigger groups special prices apply. Availability & prices on request.
• Prices are expressed in Euro’s. There will never be a currency surcharge.
• Actual exchange rates: GB £ – US $ – CAN $ – CHF – DKK – SEK – NOK – Other currencies.

TOUR VARIATIONS

It is possible to include some extra nights before or after your tour, in any of the accommodations ‘en route’. For those who love hiking too, a few extra days in the Cilento are strongly recommended.

An extra night in Agropoli (a nice city and a good base for visiting Paestum) is strongly recommended. The tour can also be extended with a few days on the Amalfi Coast or a beautiful agriturismo in the heart of the Cilento, for some relax in the countryside. At the beginning or the end of the tour there is the also the opportunity to visit Naples (a unique city and a good base for visiting Pompeii). The tour can easily be extended with a few days here.

UPGRADE

On our ‘standard tour’ we provide accommodation in very good, unique 3/4-star hotels. On request it is possible to book an upgrade, staying in luxurious 4-star hotels all the time. Details & prices on request.

SHORTER & LONGER VERSIONS

Shorter, versions of this Cilento kayaking tour are also available.

Longer tours, covering the whole coast from Agropoli to the southern Cilento Coast at Scario, or covering only the South Coast, from Pisciotta to Scario, are also available. See also our other Sea Kayaking tours!