Cammino di San Nilo Diary: Walking Byzantine Cilento

Choosing the Cammino di San Nilo.

Adventure and culture, immersion in tranquillity, exploring new places and meeting people, a low-cost holiday, adapting and letting yourself be surprised.

These are the keywords that led me to discover and appreciate the Cammino di San Nilo.

Preparing for the journey

It’s been a while since I decided to take on the Cammino di San Nilo, and now that departure is approaching, I realise how important it is to be prepared. Over these weeks I’ve tried to plan everything down to the smallest detail: after all, walking about 100 km through the Cilento in Campania takes commitment, and I don’t want to leave anything to chance.

I started with the simplest thing: gathering information. I spent entire evenings on the official Cammino di San Nilo website, studying every detail of the route. I found out that the trail is well waymarked, with red arrows and the figure of a stylised monk, and I found detailed maps that helped me visualise the itinerary. The photos of the landscapes I’ll be crossing, from shady woods to the cliffs overlooking the sea at Palinuro, filled me with enthusiasm. I felt reassured by the fact that there are constant updates on the condition of the trail, and I also decided to buy the printed guidebook “Il Cammino di San Nilo. 100km in 8 tappe dai monti al mare del Cilento” (The Cammino di San Nilo: 100 km in 8 stages from the mountains to the sea of Cilento), packed with practical details, maps and tips for every stage.

Mid-July: Getting in touch with local accommodation

With all this information in hand, I started planning where to sleep. I knew it would be important to have a safe place to stay every night, especially in the second half of August, when the trail is busy and beds might be scarce. I decided to call the accommodation directly: agriturismi, B&Bs, small hotels. Every phone call was a little journey of discovery.

The first call was to an agriturismo in Torraca, the finishing point of the first stage. A lady’s voice answered on the other end: “Good morning, this is Signora Maria. Unfortunately we’re full, but if you call the town hall they have a facility for hosting pilgrims. Make sure you still stop by to see me, so I can guide you to the Chapel of San Fantino and offer you a coffee!” I immediately felt welcome. Talking to this person made me understand right away that this walk would not just be an adventure through nature, but also a journey through genuine hospitality and Cilento culture.

I kept making phone calls, one after another. Every time I spoke with someone, I found myself jotting down precious little tips: “on this stage stock up on water, there are no springs”, “Don’t miss the festival in Rofrano, it’s a unique chance to immerse yourself in our traditions”, “We’re happy to host pilgrims in the oratory”. I realised I would need to organise myself flexibly so I could join some sagra or local festival, linger to enjoy the place, the people and the encounters with locals.

At first I had opted to sleep in a tent at campsites or equipped areas, but given the welcome we received there was really no need. I packed a sleeping bag suitable for different temperatures and an insulating mat, to give myself a bit of comfort on uneven surfaces. I imagined it as a return to simplicity, a way to fully live the experience of the walk. However, I also prepared for the worst: I put a rain jacket, thermal clothing and a backpack cover in my pack, because the weather in that period would be unpredictable. Thunderstorms are forecast for the first three days and then scorching sun. We’re ready for anything.

In early August, I also contacted the Gazania APS association, which promotes the walk and the area, to get the pilgrim credentials by filling in the form on the website; they then arrived at my home by post. Everything is ready now!

Ready to set off

I was deeply struck by this kindness, this openness towards those who decide to cross these places with the right spirit. I already felt part of something bigger, an invisible thread connecting those who walk with those who welcome them.

The pilgrim credentials are already in my backpack pocket, ready to collect the stamps that will bear witness to every completed stage. We’re ready!

GPX tracks ready on my phone and printed guidebook in hand, here is the list of stages I’ll be walking, with the distance of each:

Sapri ➔ Torraca 10.1 km
Torraca ➔ Casaletto Spartano 15.2 km
Casaletto Spartano ➔ Morigerati 9.6 km
Morigerati ➔ Caselle in Pittari 9.8 km
Caselle in Pittari ➔ Rofrano 16.8 km
Rofrano ➔ Montano Antilia 11.9 km
Montano Antilia ➔ San Nazario 15.8 km
San Nazario ➔ Palinuro 15.1 km

Departure day is just around the corner, and at last I’ll be able to start writing a new page of this diary, along the trail of the Cammino di San Nilo. I don’t know what awaits me, but I feel it will be an extraordinary journey.

A bit of history

The Cammino di San Nilo is a route that brings together history, spirituality, nature and traditions, retracing the journey of the young Nicola of Rossano Calabro (Rossano, 910 – Tusculum, 26 September 1004), who later became Saint Nilus, towards his monastic vocation. This itinerary lets you rediscover ancient paths walked by the Italo-Greek monks, although the historical reconstruction is complex due to the scarcity of sources and the changes that have taken place over time. The Cammino di San Nilo touches significant places of Byzantine monasticism and reflects a period when East and West were in constant cultural and religious exchange. Saint Nilus himself embodies this fusion, being an influential figure in Byzantine spirituality, in contact with important authorities of his time.

Saint Nilus began his journey from Torraca, where he met Saint Fantinus, until he reached San Nazario, a hamlet of San Mauro la Bruca, where he fulfilled his monastic vocation. This walk retraces the ancient paths that the young Nicola also walked to become a Basilian monk.

The current route covers the stretch of southern Cilento, but there are plans to extend it between Rossano and Grottaferrata, two key towns in the Saint’s life. The Cammino also aims to promote other significant stops for medieval monastic culture, which played a fundamental role in shaping European identity.

The pilgrims on this journey are me, Daniela, Gino and Desirée from Trekking Cava. Backpacks on and off we go!