Monte Stella territory is the most ancient area of Cilento, it is crossed by Alento River. At the centre of this territory there is Monte Stella (1131 m high, on the peak there is a beautiful sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady, Stella Maris). At the feet of the mount there are several towns founded during Middle Ages. This area is really wonderful because it is a perfect mix of mountain, hill and sea landscapes and it is considered a protected heritage by Unesco.
Mountains are covered by Mediterranean bush until the 500 m, on the higher parts there are chestnut groves and oak woods. Fauna is very rich; there are foxes, wild boars, stone martens, etc. There are also different kinds of snakes and butterflies.

HISTORY
The first inhabitants of this territory were Lucani, Greeks and Romans.
Between XII and XV century the administrative centre was Rocca (that had a great castle).
Until XVI century this area was quite homogeneous and there weren't problems thanks to good government of Sanseverino family. When Sanseverino family lost all its properties because of Ferrante’s betrayal, the territory lived a negative period and was divided in many small feuds that had in common only the cult for the beautiful sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady, Stella Maris, on Monte Stella.
These feuds were ruled by many families and underwent famines and plagues.
The area took part to Risorgimento.

FOLKLORE AND EVENTS
Saint Matthew Palio with the Ligurian fishing boats competition (19th August), in Casal Velino
Fiera del libro, a book fair (July/August), in Castellabate
Mostra Antiquarium, a show dedicated to antique trade (August), in Rutino
Mutton festival (August), in Ogliastro Cilento
La storia di Akropolis – A historical event about the story of Agropoli (August)
Saint Paul Feast. A story tells that during a journey to Rome, Saint Paul crossed the road that in the past linked Velia to Paestum. This road now links Lustra to the graveyard. Saint Paul was very tired and stopped to rest on a stone that still exists: it is called San Paolo Stone. A legend tells that those who bring with them a piece of this stone can’t be beaten by snakes, in Lustra
“Capicollo”, sausage and wine festival (August), in Laureana Cilento
During the summer, in August, there is a very nice festival: visitors can taste the typical products of the area, handmade pasta, fish, wines, cakes. The inhabitants are dressed with the typical old costumes and sing and dance traditional music and dances, in Montecorice
Saint George Feast with a Fair where foods, handicraft products, cattle, clothes are sold (August), in Cicerale
The Angel’s Flight: there is a fight between the Angel and the Devil, the Angel is performed by a child who defeats the Devil after a spoken duel. The Devil is on a stage, he is dressed in a red and black. The lines spoken by the two characters are very interesting, in Baroque style (8th and 15th August), in Perdifumo
Festa del pescatore, a festival dedicated to fishermen (August), in Pollica
Madonna della Stella Feast (August), in Omignano
Castle festival (August), in Stella Cilento
Wild boar and strangolaprieveti (a kind of pasta) festival (August), in Sessa Cilento
Saint Nicholas Feast, bishop of Mira. According to the legend Saint Nicholas saved three young women from prostitution giving them money. L’Opera “ri Turchi” (Turks’ opera) in Prignano celebrates this event with two theatre performances about the life of the Saint. Pagan elements and Christian ones meet in this feast. (Easter Monday), in Prignano Cilento
Saint Philippe Feast (3rd May), in Serramezzana
A local show dedicated to handicraft (August), in San Mauro Cilento

MONUMENTS AND NATURAL BEAUTIES
Madonna delle Grazie Church, completely covered by silver, in Casal Velino
Basilica Pontificia, it is very interesting. It is in Romanic style and was built in the first half of XII century. There is a beautiful polyptich by Pavanino da Palermo, a very important example of XV century painting, in Castellabate
San Michele Arcangelo Church with three naves, built in 1400, Rutino
Palazzo De Falco. It is very interesting. It was built in XV century, with a beautiful stone portal. Inside there is an important library, with XV century manuscripts. It is made by 35 rooms, in Ogliastro Cilento
Antiquarium, with many archaeological finds from the prehistory to Middle Ages, in Agropoli
Rocca hamlet with some noble palaces (Granito, De Vita, Verrone, D’Agosto, Esposito, Rinaldi and Vaccaro). The castle in Rocca is really beautiful
Santa Maria del Paradiso Church, built in 1520, as the inscription on the ancient architrave testifies. Today it is on the parvis. In the middle there is a trace of the most ancient emblem of Laureana: a laurel. There are some beautiful wood statues portraying the Saints, in Laureana Cilento
San Biagio Church, it was built in XVI century and has only a nave, with a barrel – vault. The façade has four pilaster strips and a tympanum. In the church there is a painting portraying Saint Martin and Our Lady with the restless souls. There are also some paintings by Matteo Cilento (1829-1916), a very good painter-carver born in San Mauro Cilento. His paintings are also in the surrounding towns, in Montecorice
Ceraso, Bocca di fava and Corbella oasis, in Cicerale
Vargas-Machucha Castle, built in XVI century, with a wide courtyard and a XVII century fountain. The philosopher Gian Battista Vico stayed there, there is a library with books about him, in Perdifumo
Capano castle is very interesting, it was built in 1290. The tower has a square plant, with three floors, and dominates the town. According to an oral tradition, Sant’Alfonso De’ Liguori stayed several times in this castle. One of the rooms in the castle is called "Sant'Alfonso room", in Pollica
Li Morge area: it is made of big monolithic stones, covered by vegetation. The biggest one is called “a preta Nzitata”. According to an ancient tradition, women went in pilgrimage towards this stone and threw nine small stones on this big one, flat on the top. In this way women were sure to become pregnant, in fact “a preta Nzitata” means “stone that fecundates", in Omignano
Palazzo Vassallo is very interesting, with its stone portal and the small towers. It was called "castle" because with its position it represented a defence for the houses, in Stella Cilento
San Salvatore Church, built in XVI century and keeps some important works of art, as for example the polyptich of the Transfiguration, in Torchiara
Palazzo Coppola, it was built between 1750 and 1800. It has a square shape with an inner courtyard. There are three floors, the first floor was used as a store, the second was inhabited by the servants and the third by the family. The facade is divided in three levels of windows. The most ancient part of the building is the tower built in 1400, with a square shape and 20 m high. It belonged to Altomare family, in Sessa Cilento
Palazzo Cardone, built around 1700, when Cardone family obtained the title of Marquis of Prignano; the palace is wonderful with its three wings, the chimney pots, the old lightening conductor, the two towers. There was also a room used as a prison. The stone portal is actually beautiful; there is a wide courtyard with a cistern. Windows have stone arches. In the rooms there is the ancient furniture. During the Second World War the palace was used as a hospital by Germans, in Prignano Cilento
San Nicola Church with graveyard. It was built in 1072, there are frescos of XVI century, in Serramezzana
“Eleusa”, a museum-library keeps ancient texts, manuscripts, archaeological finds, in San Mauro Cilento

ECONOMY
Agriculture is very important; the main products are wines, olive oil, figs, but also salami and cheeses. There are many agritourisms that produce these products and are chosen by tourists because of their position in wonderful landscapes and their friendly hospitability. Tourists love the landscapes, the typical products, the traditions of these places.