Sessa Cilento: Art, History and Nature in Cilento

Sessa Cilento is located in the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. The Alento River flows not far from the built-up area. This gives you several specific themes to explore during a holiday in Italy: nature, history, handicrafts and regional cuisine.

Art and Culture on Site

Sessa Cilento is home to the Pinacoteca d’Arte Contemporanea Pietro Volpe. The museum was founded on the Volpe-Boschetti donation, which also includes works by other 20th-century masters, including Antonio Auriemma, Gianni Bellotti, Primo Conti and Luigi di Fabrizio. This gives culture enthusiasts a clear reason to explore modern art in a local setting.

The Ecomuseum of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park is located in Palazzo Coppola. The environmental and ethnographic information centre has dedicated departments covering the history and preservation of local crafts, traditions and occupations. Palazzo Coppola also hosts numerous events, including the Segreti d’Autore festival.

Traces of the Past

The ruins of the Santa Maria degli Eremiti monastery in the San Mango district were a centre of local economic and intellectual life from 1093 until the 15th century. In Valle Cilento, the Church of San Nicola preserves valuable medieval architectural elements. The 15th-century Church of Santa Maria a Valletelle houses the statue of the Madonna della Stella. This historical picture is complemented by a partially excavated Roman villa rustica in Sessa Cilento. Greek archaeological finds from the 4th century BC are among the earliest evidence of human presence in this valley.

Landscape for Walks and Nature Excursions

The Fiumara is a mountain stream that flows through the valley at the foot of the northern slope of Monte Stella. In Località Castagneto, there is a chestnut forest covering around 160 hectares, which is suitable for walks and nature excursions. The restored old watermills in Valle dei Mulini can be viewed from the outside. They used water power to process grain into white flour.

Cilento Crafts and Cuisine

Sessa Cilento is known for the artisanal production of dried figs. Local handicrafts made from finely carved wood include wine storage barrels and instruments such as the chitarra battente. The culinary events also have their own focus: the Sagra Campagnola celebrates the specialities of Cilento’s rural cuisine, while the Sagra del Cinghiale e degli Strangolaprieveti is dedicated to homemade pasta and game dishes.

Getting There and Personal Priorities

Omignano Scalo is the nearest railway station to Sessa Cilento. The bus company Giuliano Sas provides passenger services to and from Salerno and Naples within the municipality. When choosing your hotel, you can therefore first consider whether museums and churches, the landscape, walks or regional cuisine are most important to you. Sessa Cilento offers a versatile basis for this, without requiring you to limit your stay to just one theme.

More Places for Your Trip to Italy

If you would like to add more destinations to your travel plans, you can also discover Montepertuso, Sassano, Monte San Giacomo, Roccapiemonte, Buonabitacolo, Moio Della Civitella-Pellare, Trinita and Pioppi.

For the higher-level travel overview: Salerno.