We are sitting at Bonora in Castellabate, me with a glass of Aglianico Cilentano and my travel journal. In the age of AI, I still very much prefer writing using pen and paper.
This is our third time in Cilento, and it already feels like coming home. Visiting new destinations is exciting, but I love returning to the same places again and again. It gives a trip depth: we dig deeper into local culture and history, develop meaningful connections with local people, and greet them like old friends. Having a favourite bar and restaurant brings a comforting, cosy feeling too.
On the drive from Naples Airport to Castellabate, we made a quick stop at Tenuta Vannulo to see where all the large tour groups go for mozzarella tastings after visiting Paestum. The farm is undeniably beautiful, with rows of prickly pear cacti and olive trees. Their ice creams and yoghurts are delicious, but we prefer taking our groups to lesser-known farms and caseifici.
After leaving Vannulo, we reached the sea and drove along the coastline all the way to Castellabate, enjoying the sunset over the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri.
At our accommodation, Ciro welcomed us with a warm hug and showed us to our cosy apartment with a sea view. We caught the last rays of sunset over the Mediterranean rooftops while settling into our home away from home.
As our favourite restaurant, Al Vicoletto, was closed tonight, Ciro recommended another one just down the street: Bonora. The restaurant offers a 180-degree sea view, stretching towards San Marco and Santa Maria. Nicola welcomed us with a glass of prosecco, a gift from Ciro, and then showed us the selection of lobsters, fish, and meat. We chose a bistecca, while our daughter enjoyed delicious cappellacci fatti in casa ripieni alla Nerano. Filled with zucchini, mozzarella di bufala cilentana, and generous amounts of basil sauce, this pasta dish was truly wonderful.
To finish our dinner, we have chosen tiramisu with hot espresso poured over the dessert.
At the next table, a large local family is celebrating grandpa’s birthday, one of the many elderly people in Cilento enjoying a long life. Four generations gathered around the table. Elderly people play a very important role within the family and in society here.
One of the main reasons many people live beyond 100 years is the Mediterranean Diet, which is not just a diet, but a way of life. Ancel and Margaret Keys, two American researchers, moved to Pollica in the second half of the 20th century to study why so many people in the area live to such an advanced age. They lived and worked there for 40 years. Ancel himself passed away at the age of 100, while Margaret lived to 97.
The Mediterranean Diet is closely associated with their names. It represents not only a clean, seasonal, simple, locally sourced, and sustainable way of eating, but also a lifestyle: calm and slow-paced, with time spent outdoors, daily physical activity, and meaningful human relationships.
You can learn more about the Mediterranean Diet by visiting the museum in Pioppi, located in the 17th-century Palazzo Vinciprova, right by the sea.
I also highly recommend a workshop with Signora Giovanna, an ambassador of the Mediterranean Diet, followed by a long, wonderful lunch on her farm. A cooking course in Castellabate or Pisciotta is another excellent way to discover the cuisine of Cilento.
