Photos courtesy of Palazzo Belmonte
Built in the 17th century, the Granito Pignatelli family has presided over the Palazzo Belmonte for some 400 years. A royal lodge in the grandest sense, the kings of Italy and Spain would come here to enjoy hunting wild boar and quail on the extensive grounds.
Pamela’s Perspective
Santa Maria di Castellabate is a pretty little fishing village at the very end of the Bay of Salerno. Usually, the bus loads of tourists don’t make it this far south, leaving a relatively hectic-free atmosphere.
This part of the Campania coastline is known as the Cilento, and is wooded with olive and chestnut trees. I wouldn’t say the beaches along the coast here are worthy of a special trip, but the water is clean.
Palazzo Belmonte
A 17th-century hunting palace
Contact
84072 Santa Maria di
Castellabate
(Salerno)
Tel: ++39 0974 960 211
Hotel website
Reserve with Booking.com
Fast facts
22 suites in palace; 30 rooms in Villa Belmonte, a separate building in the park
Double rooms: from 175 euros
Suites: from 200 euros
Rates include tax, service, and
buffet breakfast.
Open: all year (limited services during winter months)
Getting there
Santa Maria di Castellabate is 65 km south of Salerno. The nearest train station is 15 km away at Agropoli. Buses connect, or you can arrange to have the hotel pick you up. Car hire is available at hotel.
What to do
On site: swimming pool;
private beach
Nearby: water sports; tennis;
horseback riding; Pompeii;
Herculaneum; Amalfi Coast;
Cilento National Park
It takes a special place to remain in the same family for over 400 years. The prince of Belmonte, whose ancestors commissioned the palace in the 17th century, lives on the top floor of one wing, and the remaining rooms are dedicated to his guests.
Guest rooms may be either in the palazzo, an adjoining overseer’s house, or the Villa Belmonte. The latter is a separate villa nestled in the garden and has elegant, understated rooms with either a terrace or balcony. Guest rooms inside the palazzo have sitting rooms and many have balconies.
The palace’s gardens and park, which covers five acres, are especially fine places to linger and admire the roses, oleanders, hibiscus, jasmine, and orange and lemon trees. Take the path leading to a secret gate if you wish to go down to the palace’s private sandy beach.
On balmy evenings dinner is served on an outside terrace with views of the sea and the isle of Capri. Regional specialties are prepared with fresh produce from the palace’s gardens.
Something special
The palace is owned by the principe di Belmonte.