Camerota, Italian comune
Camerota is a small town in the province of Salerno in southern Campania, located on a hill close to the coast. The town consists of the main settlement and three smaller hamlets: Licusati, Lentiscosa, and Marina di Camerota, each with narrow, winding streets and old stone buildings.
The town was founded by Greek settlers in the 8th or 7th century BCE and later fortified with a castle between 535 and 553 CE during the war between the Goths and Byzantines. By 909, Camerota was the second most important stronghold in Cilento and subsequently endured attacks from Saracens, Normans, and Ottoman forces before losing its feudal system in 1806 under Napoleonic rule.
The name Camerota comes from ancient Greek and refers to 'vault' or 'curved,' reflecting the natural caves and arched structures of old buildings. Residents speak the local Cilentan dialect and keep traditions alive through seasonal festivals and simple cooking with fresh seafood, olives, and vegetables.
The village is small and best explored on foot, as the streets are narrow and winding and require a slow pace. Access to Marina di Camerota is via simple roads lined with olive trees and Mediterranean vegetation, and the terrain offers fine views of the coast.
The area contains prehistoric caves where Neanderthals and early modern humans took shelter thousands of years ago. These caves still show traces of their presence and offer insight into the earliest human settlement of the region.
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