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[Regions of Italy]
Click on the pictures to enlarge.
Campania
If your main interest were to shop, dance and dine, then you'd stay on the Amalfi Coast. But serious swimmers and divers know that one of the most spectacular and pristine coasts in the entire Mediterranean lies just 90 minutes south of Positano. The Cilento Peninsula is a fairy-tale series of quiet coves and thrilling grottos, where you can swim in the phosphorescent glow and practice your skills at making echoes. Points of unusual interest include the Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto), Grotta d'Argento (Silver Grotto), Cala della Lanterna (Lantern Cove), and Grotta del Sangue (Blood Grotto), so-named for the streaks of red minerals on its walls. Above each of these mysterious worlds are rocky cliffs that soar as high as 600 feet above.
Agropoli Villa Hotel is in the hills outside Agropoli, about 3 km from some of the most beautiful beaches in Italy. It is a delightful historic villa with only 14 rooms, all of which have private bathroom, direct dial telephone, TV, radio, air conditioning and heating. There is a panoramic swimming pool and a restaurant. Click here for information.
Although there is lots of Italian tourism here (Americans are basically an unknown quantity), most of the shores are still relatively deserted, and you can park at any town dock and find a young local willing to take you out for a day in his boat (which is the best way to see the grottos and finest snorkeling areas). To organize diving expeditions, contact Centro Subaqueo, Via Marina, Castellabate, tel. 974/961-060, or Centro Santacroce, Via Verde 1, Sapri, tel. 973/392-650.
Calabria
Capo Vaticano is a diver's dream come true. It offers a wide variety of spectacular cliffs, transparent water, abundant fish, and deserted coves reached only from the sea. Your hosts will help you arrange boat trips to the best diving spots. Choose accommodations in Tropea, a lovely hilltop fishing town that is charming all year except in July and August, when it becomes a holiday madhouse; or in Pizzo Calabro, a small town with a very illustrious historical past; or in one of our favorite Italian splurge hotels:
Baia Paraelios (Località Fornaci, 88035 Parghelia; tel. 963/600-0004, fax 600-0074) is an unforgettable holiday retreat. Just two miles from Tropea, it features 72 suites in well-appointed bungalows, each with its own secluded patio, all surrounded by lush Mediterranean gardens that cascade down to a private sandy beach with aquiline waters. There are also three swimming pools and a tennis court, and dinner is incredibly romantic at the restaurant, built right on the beach. Book well in advance. Open June-Sept.
Latium
Gaeta consistently wins awards for its crystal clear waters, which are actually park of a protected marine park. Because it is not a world-famed resort like the nearby Amalfi Coast, it is not overly crowded and motorboats are not allowed in the coves, where rocky cliffs plunge straight down into the warm, calm sea. People have been diving here since the days when it was a popular getaway for Roman Emperors and their retinues, and it is not uncommon to find shards and other relics from antiquity (which of course you are supposed to turn in to the local authorities!).
Gaeta is relatively easy to get to because it doesn't require travel by boat. It's about 90 minutes south of Rome or Fiumicino Airport, and about that far north of Sorrento. While you're here, take a side trip to Sperlonga, a favorite retreat of modern intellectual Romans - it's an adorable whitewashed village that will make you swear you're in the Cyclades. There's a marvelous little archeological museum there, and you can visit the ruins of a vast Imperial palace in Terracina.
A perfect place to stay in Gaeta is Gaeta Seaside Hotel.
Sicily
All the Aeolian Islands are favorite haunts for skin-divers. They have pristine, fish-laden waters, and since most of their shorelines are accessible only by boat, there are relatively few tourists. Each island has its own character.
Lipari is the largest and "most civilized," and has the most hotels and restaurants. It is also the oldest, which means that its volcanic lava surface has had time to be refined into the whitest sands, giving most of its hillsides the look of snowy alpine slopes. The sand drifts down to the shore, creating sparkling beaches and seabeds the color of Seven-Up.
Salina is probably the wildest, with its salt flats, low-to-the-ground vineyards, extensive wildlife reserve and beaches that are almost exclusively accessible by sea.
Stromboli is the starkest, being basically little more than a volcano whose smoldering crater separates two minuscule villages.
Alicudi and Filicudi are so isolated and steep that most visitors come in yachts and stay on board.
Panarea is the most spectacular: it features dark volcanic cliffs studded with whitewashed fishing villages, dramatic scenery, great food and the remains of a prehistoric village. It is also the best for scuba diving, especially around the satellite island of Basiluzzo, where the sea floor is a warren of shoals and islets. Ferries and hydrofoils depart often daily from Via dei Mille in Milazzo, slightly less frequently from Naples, Messina, Palermo, and Cefalù, and daily among the islands themselves.
Click here for links on how to get there.
A wonderful place to stay on Lipari is Villa Meligunis.
Hotel L'Ariana (Rinella di Leni, Rotabile 11, 98050 Isola Salina; tel. 90/980-9075, fax 980-9250). This slightly crumbling but elegant old villa in the village of Rinella has a wonderful terrace overlooking the sea for summer meals. Ask for a room with a view and expect genteel service and a friendly atmosphere.
Hotel la Sciara (Isola Stromboli; tel. 90/986-005, fax 986-284). A surprising contrast to the stark volcanic island of Stromboli, this hotel has airy whitewashed buildings and a lush inner garden. Rooms are spacious and filled with an eclectic mix of furniture. There are also a saltwater pool, tennis court, and five villas with several rooms, bathrooms and kitchenette. Open May 18-Sept. 31.
Ericusa (Località Pirciato, Alicudi; tel. 90/988-9902). Very simple pensione with 12 rooms, a restaurant and, like the entire island, absolutely no electricity.
La Canna (Via Rosa 43, Filicudi; tel. 90/988-9956, fax 988-9966). This charming pensione has eight rooms, each opening onto a common terrace overlooking the port. Restaurant.
More good snorkeling and diving spots:
Sardinia's Costa Smeralda is unparalelled for clear waters stocked with fish, if you know where to find them. Click here for more information.
Capri is not high on our snorkeling A-list, but if you are there anyway, we suggest the waters around the Grotta Verde in Anacapri. Take the bus from Capri. By the way, because getting to an island is never quick, we don't recommend staying on Capri for less than three days. If you have less time than that, it's better to stay in Naples or Sorrento and take a day trip by hydrofoil..
Maratea, in Basilicata. The coastline around this picturesque fishing village is densely wooded, and studded with deserted coves accessible only by sea. Boat trips can be easily arranged in town.
Monte Conero, in Le Marche. The offshore waters here are so pristine they have been designated as a marine park. To organize diving expeditions, contact Centro Attività Subaquee, Via Cialdini 24/b, tel. 71/50300 and Kamaros Club, Via Fortunato 5, tel. 71/26558, both in Ancona.
Manfredonia, in Apulia. This lively resort makes a good base for exploring the southern coast of the Gargano Peninsula. If you're looking for secluded coves, stay away from Vieste and the northern sector.
[Regions of Italy]