The best of the many hiking trails in the park ascend Monte Cervati (1,898m/6,227 ft.), and Monte Alburno (1,742m/5,715 ft.). Monte Alburno is nicknamed Mount Panorama for the sweeping views you can enjoy from the top. Climb up one of two trails from Sicignano degli Alburni, a town off SS 19 not far from Serre. The first trail climbs directly up to the western peak; the second leads to a fork at 1,400m (4,593 ft.), where one branch heads east and the other west. Allow at least 4 hours for either climb. The region's highest mountain is Monte Cervati. Cervati is a dramatic sight, especially in the summer, when its extensive lavender fields are in bloom. You can make the ascent via two different trails, both starting from the town of Sanza, on SS 517. Allow about 6 hours for either.

Beaches at the leading resorts are pretty crowded in the high summer during the Italian holiday season (mid-July through Aug). Loudspeakers with music and activities for kids turn what was once an idyllic setting into a noisy affair. So, if you are after a secluded beach, you'll have to rent a boat or come off season. Palinuro is a fishing and resort harbor set among olive groves in a picturesque bay protected by a promontory, famous for its grottoes in the cliffs. The most beautiful of them, the Grotta Azzurra, is far less mobbed than its more famous cousin in Capri, yet its water takes on magical colors, especially around noon and sunset. You'll find boats with or without crew for rent in the harbor; we recommend Cooperativa dei Pescatori. Santa Maria di Castellabate is blessed with two beautiful beaches: The one to the north -- the largest -- has unusually fine sand, while the smaller one to the south enjoys the proximity of a shady pine grove. The whole stretch of coast here, around Punta Licosa, is a biological protected area and marine park, which offers some interesting snorkeling and scuba diving. Cilento Sub, Via Roma 3, Santa Maria di Castellabate (tel. 0974-961628; www.ascilentosub.com), provides guides and equipment and organizes excursions to the Cilento national underwater park. The little fishing harbor and seaside town of Marina di Camerota is beloved by locals for its less-developed coastline and variety of sandy or rocky beaches -- such as Baia della Calanca -- as well as its coves, grottoes, towers, and great scuba diving.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.