Scario is a small fishing village, part of the municipality of San Giovanni a Piro, overlooking the beautiful Gulf of Policastro and the slopes of Mount Bulgheria. Its greek name, Skariòs, means "small shipyard" and not surprisingly, being the best equipped harbour in the area.
We got the chance to spend two weeks (in remote-working) in this beautiful village and appreciate its true essence. I found June to be such a perfect time of the year: the clear waters, the not-too-humid weather and the not-too-crowded town made us literally fall in love with the place.
In this post I will be telling you about everything we liked the most about Scario and the surrounding area:
THINGS YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS
Breakfast at the Lighthouse (plus a swim)
Right next to the Lighthouse of Scario, there is a small bar / lido, the Cubo Beach Bar, which has been a staple stop for our breakfast and morning swims and / or lunch break. Wonderful scenery, you can breathe an atmosphere of peace already in the early morning. The bar also has a small lido next door, with sea access through a small rocky road. Access to the sea is also guaranteed even if you decide not to use their lido service; in fact, a little further on - one can find the famous "cubes" of Scario, cuboids structures - as the name suggests, partially immersed in water on which one can relax between one swim and another.
Gulf of Policastro Beaches Excursion
Those who go to Scario cannot miss the tour of the surrounding beaches by boat (or canoe, I will tell you more about it in a minute). From the harbour there are several taxiboat solutions (here is one of the many) that accompany tourists on their visit to the wonderful Gulf of Policastro, full of high cliffs that fall sheer to the sea, caves, coves and pristine beaches (for many of them the only possible access is by sea).
We were lucky enough to sail the waters of the gulf and admire the beauty of the coast along with the family of a dear friend of Valerio, on their own boat (and I would like to thank them again, if they will ever read this post at some point 😊).
We left from the harbor as well, and then sailed along the wild coast of Masseta and headed towards Baia degli Infreschi (Infreschi Bay). Before arriving at our destination, however, we stopped at a bay just past the Spiaggia di Cala dei Morti (Cala dei Morti Beach).
After docking, we immediately put on our masks and fins and went down to explore the surroundings. The seabed was wonderful and we slowly made our way to a cave, which can be accessed by doing a little underwater dive - it was very impressive, quite scary though super exciting.
Rent a Canoe
If you really want to live a few hours completely immersed in nature, listening only to the sound of the sea and admiring the beauty of Cilento, you absolutely must rent a canoe and venture towards the beaches of the gulf. In Scario, on the seafront - right next to the harbour - it is possible to rent canoes with one or two seats. For our first canoe trip, we decided to rent two two-seater canoes. In about 15/20 minutes we arrived at Spiaggia della Molara (Molara Beach - I will tell you more about it below) which, at that time - around 7:30 p.m. - was completely deserted, very suggestive.
On the last day, however, Valerio and I decided - with a much sturdier and more professional canoe - to head to the wonderful Spiaggia dei Gabbiani (Seagulls' Beach). It wasn't an easy ride, I must be honest, but going by canoe allowed us to stay on the beach alone for an hour, to admire the pristine beauty of the place - after all the other people had left with the last passing taxiboat. Spiaggia dei Gabbiani, in fact, is one of the many beaches that can only be reached by sea. In any case, whether by canoe or by boat, we really recommend you to go. We arrived there after lunch and the sunlight created an incredible colour effect on the water, showing the beautiful backdrop even at several meters deep. Definitely one of the most beautiful beaches ever seen!
Walk to the Molara Beach
Pictured: a specimen of Valerio trying to make me understand one of the physical-aerospace laws behind flapping-wing drones
Another wonderful place, to be reached either by canoe - as anticipated before - or on foot through a beautiful walk, is Spiaggia della Molara (Molara Beach). You start from Scario and walk for about 20-30 minutes on a well marked path. The outward journey is very pleasant, immersed in nature and with incredible views. The return though is a bit more tiring, since you have to climb up this time some steep steps (I suggest sneakers!). The landscape, however, is absolutely worth the struggle. The beach is very clean and the water is crystal clear; since the place is completely immersed in nature, you do have to bring water and food.
The only flaw, perhaps, are the private boats - anchored a bit too close to the coast, ruining the landscape.
Trip to Maratea and Grotta della Scala Cove
If you have time and want to explore the surroundings of Cilento, you can take the opportunity to visit the beautiful village of Maratea (in Basilicata, but still belonging to the municipalities of the Gulf of Policastro) - famous for its Cristo Redentore (Christ the Redeemer). The village stands on a spur overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and is full of small streets, bars and characteristic stores. The cuisine is both seafood and meat; we chose La Perla restaurant to dine in and I must say that we did not go wrong at all. Unfortunately we don't have any photos of Maratea, so you'll just have to take our word for it.
Along the road to Maratea, in the town of Acquafredda, there is a wonderful cove, the Caletta della Spiaggia della Grotta (Cove of the Grotta Beach). A small beach reachable through a few hundred steps downhill, embedded in the mountain. If you are passing through, stop and take a swim - you will be delighted!
FOOD AND DRINK
As far as food is concerned, this time we did not go blind nor did we search - as per our usual - for the places with the best quality/price ratio on the web. Valerio is basically at home in Scario - so we were able to benefit from both his and his family's advices. Anyway, after having tried several restaurants, there are three in particular (two in Scario plus a special mention) that we would like to recommend to you.
La Lanterna is located inside a camping area, to get there you have to walk a short road slightly uphill. This gives the restaurant a breathtaking view of the Scario lighthouse and the sea. The food is very good (choice of fish or pizza) - the first courses are delicious, but what really impressed me were the desserts, all homemade. Excellent! When you book, ask for a table on the terrace.
If you want to opt for something slightly less fancy, Quo Vadis is the place for you. Here, too, you can eat both fish and pizza, with the addition of some South American goodies. We were pleasantly surprised by the pizza - fantastic (but don't expect typical Neapolitan pizza!), by their tiramisu and their very friendly staff.
If, on the other hand, you want to have a unique and unforgettable dinner experience, encompassing all the Cilento tradition, then you absolutely must book a table at Osteria Tancredi in Caselle in Pittari (SA), about a quarter of an hour's drive from Scario, towards the hinterland.
A gastronomic journey that lasts from 20 to 30 courses, almost all made with km0 products (produced directly by them) and seasonal ingredients. The menu varies from day to day, so it is not possible to know in advance what will be the dishes that will be served, however they were very kind to offer me a meatless option on almost all courses (if you have special needs I recommend you notify them a few days in advance so that they can organize at their best). I found the use of vegetables really remarkable (and commendable), the undisputed stars of the dinner - along with, of course, the salami and wild boar ragù, which, according to all the other friend, were also incredibly good.
For some excellent drinks, however, we do suggest Vinile, their selection of gin is incredible and all the other cocktails we have tried there are also very good. It also offers a (renowned) kitchen service, with quite refined dishes.
WHERE WE STAYED
As I mentioned before, Valerio and his family are at home in Scario, so we had the opportunity to stay at their buen ritiro. A super nice attic at the beginning of the marina, which overlooks the sea. Quite small, but with all the essentials - parva sed apta mihi - and it sleeps up to five. During the two weeks of remote-working I had found my habitat right on the kitchen table, in front of the window facing the sea. It really looks like a painting, if it weren't for the fact that every now and then sailboats and canoes pass by on their way to the beaches of the gulf.
A huge plus for us has been the Wi-Fi speed, which allowed us to work constantly connected in four people (at a download speed that reached 750Mbps!).
The house is free from the end of August and can be rented - if you are interested I will leave you here the link to get in touch (through Messenger) and ask for some more info!
A few extra tips
Mozzarelle, eat them all: Campania, we all know, is the homeland of buffalo mozzarella. Here in Scario you will find all kinds of them, all delicious. Do not miss out!
Rock shoes: the landscape of Scario, as you could see from the photos, is predominantly rocky. Rock shoes are super recommended
If you are looking for movida, go to Sapri: although Scario is very pleasant in the evening - the real "party" is on the seafront of Sapri, where you'll find lidos along the beach with music until late
Drop by Iannuzzi moda: a clothing and shoe store full of surprises. Their linen shirts are very famous (they come in every shape / color!)
Special thanks to the crew ❤
Photo Credits: Riccardo Banfi (IG: @bans.92), Pier (IG: @pierf_lsp) and Valerio Scalcerle. Great photographers, beautiful fried dumplings with tomato sauce and fantastic travelling companions <3
Video Credits: I do not own credits for the video published in this post.
Xx
Giulia