Monte Stella

Monte Stella
Height: 1131 m above sea level

Monte Stella overlooks a vast panorama, up to the sea. On its slopes there are the municipalities of Stella Cilento, Sessa Cilento, Omignano, San Mauro Cilento,  Pollica (with Acciaroli and Pioppi) and Serramezzana.

The top of the mountain is home to former LORAN base, today used as a radar base by ENAV (Ente Nazionale Assistenza Volo) to control air traffic of East and Southern Tyrrhenian Sea areas. The radar’s large white dome placed on top is visible throughout the surrounding area.

On top of mountain there is a small church, dedicated to Our Lady of Monte Stella, dating back to the year 1000 and restored in 1993.

There are also some medieval stone ruins that, according to some historians, would be the ruins of Petilia, old capital of Lucania, but others think the ruins are nothing but the remains of a defensive centre built around the 9th century and named Melella. This fortress was known as Lucania until 1008 and Cilenti or Castellum Cilenti since 1031 and it is thought it gave the name to Gastaldato of Lucania and to the entire region of Cilento.

Itinerary  1: Vivaio-Monte Stella
Starting point: Località Vivaio (Stella Cilento) -800 m above sea level.
Time:  1hour
Length: 2 km.
Incline:  300 m.
Difficulty: medium
Attraction: Scala Sancta
The itinerary is very interesting because it is a wonderful window over the Southern coast of Cilento surrounded by the Mediterranean scrub. Crossing a thick forest of chestnut and Alder you will arrive on a clearing on the top. 

Itinerary 2: Monte Stella-Castelluccio
Starting point: the top of Mount Stella Arrival: località Castelluccio (second Summit of Monte Stella-1025mt)
Time:  1hour
Length: 2 km 
Incline : 100 m
Difficulty: medium/high
Attractions:  Preta ru ' mulacchio; Antica  nevera
With a complete view on the Gulf of Salerno and the Amalfi coast, the Summit of Castelluccio is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular (and strategic) points of the Cilento area. Langobards knew it, in fact they built a fortress here.  The bare vegetation emphasizes the different rocky conformations typical of the flysch ofl cilento, whereas monolithic blocks, that suddenly appear on the trail, recall to mind ancient beliefs and superstitions.

Itinerary 3: Monte Stella-Sessa Cilento
Starting point: the top of Mount Stella Arrival: Sessa C.to
Duration: ca. 2:0
Path length: 4 km approx.
Difference in altitude: 600mt ca.
Fix/physical Effort: medium/high
Points of interest along the way: Preta ra Maronna, Pinacoteca "Peter Fox" (Sessa Cilento)
Lose yourself in the thick of a forest of chestnut trees, wander the streets used bywoodcutters and shepherds, follow the birth of a Creek and breathe in deeply mountain air:the path that leads to Sessa Cilento was born from a symbiosis of these multiple factorsand ends in a small village, where it is not hard to come across some elder who rememberswhen once those paths are the paths of all.

Itinerary 4: Monte Stella-San Mauro Cilento
Starting point: the top of Mount Stella Arrival: San Mauro C.to
Duration: ca. 1:30
Path length: 3 km ca.
Difference in altitude: 600mt ca.
Fix/physical Effort: medium
Points of interest along the way: the Angel King Pretas
The shade of the trees leads up during almost all the way. The vegetation is very lush andplentiful and rarely gives way to blocks of rock which in particular points take over formingRocky wings. The Wayfarer the crosses in the middle and then back in the thick of the forest.