Itineraries and Excursions

Carthusian Monastery of Padula

In addition to its extremely famous Carthusian Monastery, Padula also features a very interesting network of roads departing from Piazza Umberto I, a site older than the area's quarters from the 17th and 18th centuries. The monastery was founded in 1306 by Tommaso San Severino and donated to the Carthusian order on that same day.

The Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi coast preserves its charm thanks to its amazing relationship between beauty and territory and its endless historical-cultural heritage. Each small town along the Divine Coast reveals a glorious past through its monuments: Amalfi - ancient Maritime Republic, powerful and prosperous thanks to its trade routes across the Mediterranean, particularly during the 10th and 11th centuries - features the well-preserved 9th-century cathedral, the Cloister of Paradise, the Shipyards of the Maritime Republic, the Paper Museum and the Civic Museum; Atrani and the church of S. Salvatore dei Bireto (10th century) was, for a long time, the site where the Doges of Amalfi were elected and where they were they officially received their ducal hat; Ravello, town of priceless beauty, features a 12th-century cathedral, and Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone, two very famous villas with large gardens overlooking the coast.
Other sites include Minori - important shipyard at the time of the Republic of Amalfi, where you can visit the remains of a Roman Villa from the 1st century A.D. - and Maiori, with its beautiful church of St. Maria a Mare, which includes a 16th-century paneled ceiling. And finally, don't forget Vietri sul Mare, the beautifully situated, picturesque city of Vietri, internationally renowned for its artistic ceramics.

Paestum

Ancient Paestum, or "City of Poseidonia", was founded at the beginning of the 6th century B.C.by the Achei from Sibari as a maritime trade center. At the end of the 5th century, it fell into the hands of the Lucanians, who changed the city's name to ‘Paistos.’ Briefly occupied by the Greeks during the expedition of Alexander, king of the Molossi, the city was reconquered by the Lucanians during the Sannite Wars in 331-30 B.C. In 273, it became a Latin colony of Rome, and, in Sillian age, it evolved into a citizen colony.

Villa D’Ayala

Built during the second half of the 18th century by marquis Giuseppe Maria Valva - last direct descendant of his illustrious family - this villa was completed by his nephew Francesco d`Ayala. Giuseppe d`Ayala, last owner of the Villa, left with no heirs, donated all his property to the Grand Priory of Naples of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The walls surrounding the park at Villa d`Ayala - Valva, which was at one point inhabited by king Giuseppe Bonaparte, bring magical silence to site, from where you can listen to the sounds of the woods. The villa is surrounded by a park measuring 18 hectares, which features splendid Italian gardens with long promenades lined with statues of gods and heroes, park benches, grottoes, fountains, and rare species of trees.