In the fifties Ascea was only a little Fishermen's village with a huge expanse of sand. Today it has become a famous sea resort. Ascea is located in the heart of the National Park of Cilento and represents a strategic point of reference for anybody who wants to visit Cilento's most important places of cultural and environmental interest, besides the most enchanting towns in the world, such as Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri, Ischia and the Amalfi Coast.



The district is characterized by its varied panorama that includes the amazing, long and sandy beach and the crystal blue sea, which have been awarded both the prestigious European Blue Flag and the Sails granted by Legambiente, the characteristic reef that guards the clean sea beds of the two bays called "Baia d'Argento" and "Baia della Rondinella". On the top of the reef rises the majestic ruin of the Telegraph Tower. Furthermore the landscape includes the romantic hills of Ascea Capoluogo, which are crowded with age-old olive trees and from which you can enjoy a magnificent view stretching from the Golf of Elea-Velia up to Cape Palinuro. Among the luxuriant woods and mountains of Ascea, Monte Carmelo (713m) is the highest peak which dominates the little villages of Terradura, Catona, and Mandia.

  

Visiting the ruins is a must: there is the Acropolis with the mediaeval Anjou tower, the sacred terraces, the baths, the Southern District with the ruins of the Greek harbour, the Necropolis and the splendid Porta Rosa, which is illuminated by night. This town gate is the best kept western model of the Greek arch and also the most important demonstration of the advanced civilisation of the Magna Graecia.







Besides the manifold beauty of its landscape, Ascea features the imposing and evocative archaeological area of Elea-Velia. Today this archaeological area has been declared a World Human Heritage by UNESCO and represents the fulcrum and the focal point of attraction of a vast territory as was conceived by the ancient Greeks. Elea was founded by the Phoceans about 540 B.C. and became famous thanks to the philosophical school of Parmenides. This latter was described by Plato as "venerable and terrible" and Karl Popper considers him the forerunner of western civilisation.








Its central location, the quality of the rental houses and apartments, and the range of tourist services make Ascea a well-known sea resort on the Cilento Coast. Its shallow sea and the incomparable blueness prove the high quality of the water, and provide a perfect environment for families with children. The seven kilometre-long beach and the bathing establishments always allow you to find a spot for opening your beach umbrella, even in the middle of the summer. You will have the opportunity to practice a wide range of sports such as: fishing, diving (in the backside of the reef with its clear sea beds), surfing, windsurfing, sailing, riding, tennis, trekking, jogging, biking, football, etc.











Located nearby the railway station you can find the Fondazione Alario per Elea-Velia, a congress centre which produces the main cultural events of this area and other important spectacles, shows, concerts and expositions held in Ascea all throughout the summer. The beautiful amphitheatre, just nearby, opens during July and August for the usual open-air cinema projections. During the evenings you can enter the splendid seaside and enjoy a pleasant walk along the promenade, which at around sunset is populated by many "Asceotans" and tourists.