Bound on three sides by water, Italy is a beach lover’s paradiso.   But -- come summer -- Italians skip the tourist meccas of the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre.  When Italians crave the beach, they head to Cilento or to Puglia instead. Sapphire seas, minus the tourists, typify these Southern Italian regions.

Just two hours from Positano, Cilento is a land of ancient ruins, fresh mozzarella and quaint fishing villages.  Cilento’s pristine waters are no accident.  Since 1991, Cilento has been home to a national park that spans 700 square miles of land and sea. The park was created to protect the area’s natural beauty and towns from development.