Castelcivita in the Alburni Mountains

The Alburni Mountains are a massif in southern Campania and, with Monte Panormo (1,742 m, also known as Monte Alburno), represent the second-highest peak in Cilento. Like Monte Cervati or Monte Bulgheria, these ‘white’ karst mountains show different faces depending on where you stand: from the valleys of the Sele and Tanagro rivers or the Vallo di Diano, rugged rocks and limestone pinnacles several hundred metres high rise above forested areas criss-crossed by gorges. From the south-west in the valley of the Calore, however, the mountains appear more accessible, with broad plateaus, gentler slopes, and long ridges overgrown with bushy macchia and thistle-filled meadows.

The old town of Castelcivita is visible from afar, perched defiantly in a strategic position on the western slope of the mountain range high above the Calore valley. The medieval old town is clustered around the old Angevin defensive tower, yet few travellers explore it, as the area’s main attraction is the show cave Grotte di Castelcivita in the karst cliffs below the village.