Vico Equense

Vico Equense was probably the first town to be built on the Sorrento Peninsula.

It's origins date back to the first century BC, when it was called Aequa, from Latin, meaning plain or flatland, in contrast to the nearby mountains. It sits on a bluff above the water. The term Vico comes from the Roman "Vi cus", a village not far from Castellammare. Vico Equense used to be no more than a small suburb of Castellammare; it supplied food and brave soldiers to the Roman army until it decided to side with the Social Legue of rebels. The village paid a high price for this rebellion. In 89 BC Silla razed Vico to the ground, the remaining properties were expropriated and the inhabitants dispersed. Under the Emperor Augustus, who reigned between 27 BC and 14 AD, the territory of Aequa was declared a Roman colony and the village revived in Roman style. It suffered a downturn after the fall of the empire but the Middle Ages and Kingdom of Naples brought revitalization to the town, giving it both a castle and a cathedral.

Besides the church of Santa Maria Annunziata (formerly the cathedral) situated rather precariously right on the edge of the cliff (gorgeous!) there are a few other noteworthy churches with artworks worth seeing -in particular, the sanctuary of Santa Maria del Toro and one dedicated to Saint Ciro (the town's patron saint) and St Giovanni.

The proximity to Sorrento and other towns on the Sorrento peninsula, the wonderful local spas, nice small-town feel but not lacking in services or charm -and especially not lacking in gorgeous panoramas! Then there is the splendid sea -cobalt and clear, with a variety of beaches, sandy, pebbles, reefs, providing something for everyone. Dining is great - home to both a landmark pizzeria that invented the concept of "pizza by the meter" as well as one high-end 2-star Michelin restaurant, and three that garnered one Michelin-stars (and everything in between), some nice cafes, and gathering spots, it's a nice town as a home base. The thermal baths offer different solutions and treatments to cover the range of guests' requirements. A stay here offers wellness, relaxation and walks in a town full of enchanting views. Vico Equense covers a series of small villages nestling on rolling highlands covered in citrus groves, vineyards and olive groves, called Casali. The latter were born as last refuge of locals when the Saracens raids had turned the sea into a constant source of danger and destruction.

Oh, wait. The cheese! Fior di Latte and Provolone del Monaco DOP are two typical products of this area. There are dozens of dairies producing fresh 'stretched curd' cheese between Vico Equense and the nearby Agerola. Fior di Latte is made using milk of local breed cows, reared according to a long tradition, which has a special delicious taste... ideal to make a tasty "Insalata Caprese".