Description of the attraction
The Punta Campanella Marine Reserve stretches for 30 km along the coast from Cape Punta del Capo in the Gulf of Naples to Cape Punta Germano in the Gulf of Salernitana. In this area you can find a number of charming grottoes, small bays and coves hidden from prying eyes. Scattered a few miles offshore, the reefs of Verveche, Vetara, Iska and Li Galli Island are a paradise for scuba divers. There, under water, you can meet the most bizarre inhabitants, swim over the thickets of algae and dive into mysterious grottoes. And the terrestrial territory of the reserve is distinguished by lush vegetation - Mediterranean maquis and picturesque flowers.
One of the most interesting trails in Punta Campanella starts from the lovely village of Nerano, part of the municipality of Massa Lubrenese, and goes down to the beach of Yeranto. This 6-kilometer excursion trail is perfect even for novice hikers, and the shade of Monte Costanzo will hide from the scorching summer sun. The slightly steep cobbled street Via Yeranto begins from the main square of Nerano, overlooking the Li Galli archipelago, which in antiquity was called Sirenuse. According to legend, these islands were inhabited by mythical sirens. The street leads to the entrance to Villa Rosa, where the famous writer Norman Douglas once lived. From here you can explore the Cantone Bay and the large sandy beach. And then, gradually invading the kingdom of the wild and plunging into the thickets of carob trees, rock oaks and milkweed, one can appreciate the centuries-old efforts of people who have cultivated this land in order to grow olive trees here. The slopes of Monte Costanzo gradually become steeper and steeper until, through thickets of fig trees, a breathtaking view of Mortella Beach opens up, which today can only be reached by water.
The panorama includes the entire coastal strip from Punta Campanella to Punta Penna with the island of Capri. Hence, the peninsula looks like three claws of a bird of prey, which, by the way, explains the name Yeranto - it comes from the Greek word “Jerax” - predator. Here you can see kestrels, buzzards and peregrine falcons soaring high in the sky. The latter are very rare species that nest on the territory of the reserve. From the top of the mountain, you can follow the trail to the Monte Alto tower, or go down to the sea, to the Yeranto bay, which is one of the cleanest in the Salernitan Gulf. Yeranto amazes tourists with its magical grottoes with wonderful names - Salara, Grotte d'a Suppressata, Grotte Dzenzinada, also known as Grotte del Presepe, and the Sapphire Grotto.
