Cala Bianca is one of the anchorages closest to the port of Marina di Camerota, nestled near the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park. The establishment of this park in 1991 made it possible to protect a large part of the Cilento region, an area in southern Campania that, thanks to the beauty of its beaches, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. World Heritage Site.

This vast area encompasses the coastline of the Province of Salerno, with its beaches of golden or dark sand and crystal-clear waters. Among these is undoubtedly Cala Bianca, which was ranked in 2013 as one of Italy’s most beautiful beaches according to a survey conducted by Legambiente. It is a true masterpiece of nature that must be carefully preserved—a fact well understood by the residents of these areas, for whom it had already become a source of pride and acclaim even before the Legambiente survey.

The name of this bay comes from the gleaming white pebbles that make up its beach, and it is also renowned for having some of the cleanest waters on the entire peninsula. It’s no surprise that voters in the Legambiente survey described it as an unparalleled paradise on earth. It’s a true tropical oasis that you can reach without having to take a plane.

This anchorage is part of one of Italy’s wildest stretches of coastline, where there are no roads, houses, or hotels—these can only be found a few kilometers away. There are only about thirty beautiful coves of various sizes, surrounded by Mediterranean scrub and crystal-clear waters.

Coming from the sea, this anchorage offers a stretch of white sand, surrounded by the greenery of lush Mediterranean scrub and rugged rocks, which contrasts with the cobalt blue of the crystal-clear waters—so clear that you can see the seabed even far out at sea. On the promontory surrounding the cove stands the picturesque Cala Bianca Tower, while on the seabed directly in front of it, a spring of icy-cold fresh water—known as S. Caterina—wells up and flows into the sea.

The bay can be reached fairly easily by boat, as this is one of the few ways to get there from nearby ports, which have long been organizing excursions to this area. Getting there by land is quite challenging, as it requires walking a long trail from Marina di Camerota—which is unsuitable for those with mobility issues—involving a hike of over an hour through the Cilento National Park. Clearly, it is a very beautiful cove that is difficult to access, with no facilities of any kind and not even basic places to eat.

Anyone who has visited the anchorage and its white-sand beach, surrounded by the wild vegetation of the park, describes it as a paradise where one can find calm and peace, as well as one of the most beautiful places to swim in the Cilento.

If you avoid the summer months—when it becomes too crowded and poorly maintained—this bay on the Salerno coast is picturesque and offers a wide variety of marine life for diving enthusiasts. It is certainly a destination to be experienced with an eco-friendly spirit and a conservation-minded approach to the biosphere: Cala Bianca, in fact, is part of the marine protected area stretching from Marina di Camerota to Scario within the Cilento National Park.