A natural haven where history, culture, and nature converge, the Agropoli marina is an excellent destination for anyone wishing to experience the unspoiled landscapes of the Cilento National Park and serves as a key hub for the tourism and commercial development of the entire Cilento region. For those traveling down the Tyrrhenian coast, past the ancient ruins of Paestum, Agropoli can be considered the gateway to Cilento: crossing its threshold reveals a world where history, culture, traditions, and natural beauty blend together. The origins of its name attest to its Greek heritage; in fact, Agropoli means “high town” (from àkros/high – pòlis/town). The Agropoli area has been inhabited since the Neolithic era by peoples who lived by hunting and fishing. At the mouth of the Testene River, there was once a bay used by the Greeks for trade, both before and after the founding of nearby Poseidonia (ancient Paestum). In Roman times, beginning in the 1st century B.C., there is evidence of a small coastal settlement, Ercula, near what is now the San Marco promenade, which was intended to serve as a landing place for the nearby Paestum as well, whose port was becoming silted up.
In ancient times, it was a small natural harbor, featuring a sheltered cove for boats and a “fort,” a gathering place for local sailors. In the 1960s, the marina began its gradual but steady development. It is a safe harbor just a stone’s throw from the historic center and the shopping streets, in the western part of the Town of the same name.
The port of Agropoli today is considered the true port of Cilento, completely artificial, carved out within the inlet that opens south of Punta del Fortino and consists of a 572-meter-long elbowed breakwater, a 327-meter-long shore quay, with a large yard behind, and a 159.43-meter-long sub-billow quay.
The facilities for recreational boating currently have a capacity of approximately 1,000 berths. From the shore quay and the second arm of the breakwater pier, there are 17 floating docks, 9 of which are managed by private operators organized into the EUROMAR consortium, 6 by the municipality, and 2 by associations. The berths are distributed as follows: 5 floating docks under private concession, providing a total of approximately 300 berths; 2 floating docks under concession to the Italian Naval League, providing approximately 250 berths; 4 concrete piers and 2 floating piers under concession to the Municipality of Agropoli, providing approximately 250 berths; and 5 floating piers under concession to private operators, providing approximately 200 berths.
The harbor entrance is 145 meters wide, and the subsequent turning basin has a diameter of 165 meters; the water depths for docking and maneuvering in the basin range from 6 to 5 meters. The ports’ land areas have a total surface area of 31,051 square meters.
Not far from the marina, it is possible to immerse oneself in the lush green Cilento nature and enjoy a unique view from the legendary ancient village.
Recent news reports have highlighted the request made during the last City Council meeting by the mayor of Agropoli and the councilor for the port to the Campania Region, asking that the Municipality of Agropoli be allowed to manage the entire port area once the state concessions expire in 2015, as well as an international design competition for the redevelopment of the marina. This is a strategic decision aimed at implementing management procedures and planning initiatives designed to revitalize the economic, social, and tourism-related role of the port area, one of the most important in southern Italy.