Castellabate

Castellabate's history is intertwined with the sea and the myth of the Sirens: legend has it that the name of its hamlet Licosa derives precisely from Leucosia, one of the Sirens that Ulysses encountered on his voyage and who is said to be buried here. Castellabate is a balcony over the sea and its village seems to rest on the hillside as it surveys the horizon. The historic centre, recognised by Unesco as a 'World Heritage Site', is a medieval tangle of alleys, sudden widenings, steps and stone houses. Everything seems to lead us upwards, towards the symbol of the village's past: its castle, located at the top of a gentle slope. It was Abbot Costabile, on 10 October 1123, who laid the first stone of this fortress. Also not to be missed is the unusual arched construction located in the small port of Santa Maria, known as the 'cat harbour'.