Massa Lubrense is a “comune” in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania, south of Italy, located about 25 km southeast of Naples. Massa Lubrense borders only with the municipality of Sorrento, the municipality of Massa Lubrense contains the “frazioni “(subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) of Acquara, Annunziata, Casa, Marciano, Marina del Cantone, Marina della Lobra, Marina di Puolo, Metrano, Monticchio, Nerano, Pastena, San Francesco, Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi (location of the fjord Crapolla), Santa Maria della Neve, Schiazzano, Termini and Torca.
Massa Lubrense, a popular and panoramic health resort which offers its visitors amazing views of the surrounding mountains and beautiful Mediterranean Sea. The town is conveniently located in close proximity to such famous towns as Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, Pompeii and many others. This makes Massa Lubrense a perfect basis for day trips. Nowadays, with the development of tourism, and new structures, Massa Lubrense has a lot to offer to its visitors. Nature lovers and hikers must not miss the pristine paths of the Amalfi Coast, the Lattari Mountains, up to Campanella Point as it is one of the most suggestive and celebrated in the world. It is an impressive show and imposing view of precipitous cliffs above the ' pending waves ‘ . The itinerary unwinds in the silence of the mountains, with breathtaking scenery, far removed from the coastal congestion and the highways.
Close by is Marina della Lobra, a picturesque fishing hamlet with a small harbor. Here you can find the 16th century sanctuary of Santa Maria Della Lobra, erected over a pre-existing pagan temple, it contains a fine 18th century majolica floor and precious wooden crucifix. A religious festival with a procession at sea is held here each year in August.
To the far extreme of the Peninsula is Punta Campanella. This is the peninsula’s western most part and separates the Gulf of Naples from the Gulf of Salerno, and faces Capri. In antiquity this place was sacred, Greeks first built a temple here and then Romans worshipped here the Goddess Minerva. The tower-lighthouse signaled the arrival of pirates with the sounding of a bell, hence the name Punta Campanella, Campanella means bell.
Here one discovers the wilder and more enchanted face of the coast. One can explore this fascinating
natural environment following a trail that reaches the evocative Bay of Ieranto, a rocky cove at the feet of Mount San Costanzo, today the property of the FAI (Italian Environmental Foundation) who insure its environmental integrity.
Marina del Cantone. A very pretty bay about an hours bus ride (half an hour by car) from Sorrento. Here a pebbled beach is ideal for swimming. The road to the bay winds down through small villages, such as the picturesque villages of Termini and Nerano, surrounded by olive groves and offers spectacular views. The unusual rock formation to the right of the bay (known as the 3 pizzi) is very suggestive and perched on the top of Mount Costanzo is a small white chapel. During the summer can be hired sun-beds and sun umbrellas, also pedaloes, canoes and small boats. At the beach of Marina del Cantone there can also be found local restaurants that specialize in fish dishes.
The bay of Ieranto can be reached by boat, or by an energetic one and a half hour’s walk from the village of Nerano. To the left of the beach is the exclusive bay of Reccomone which can be reached by a footpath from the Marina del Cantone alternatively or by taking a short boat ride. The walk and the bay itself are breathtakingly pretty and you can look across to the Galli Islands which belonged to Rudolf Nureyev.
Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi holds a magnificent panoramic position over the gulfs of Naples and of Salerno.
Sant’Agata is a small town situated in the hills above the town of Sorrento. It is 400 metres above sea level and about 8 km from Sorrento. The views are magnificent and people come here to relax and to enjoy nature, good food, fresh air and wine.
Sant’Agata has a small but pleasant shopping area which is the main street of S’Agata, with a variety of shops selling clothes, shoes, household goods etc. It also has banks, a post office, an exchange office, petrol station, a small supermarket, a chemist, a few bars as well as the famous “Don Alfonso” restaurant dating back to 1890 .
Also worth a visit is the Deserto, a monastery which is about 15 minutes walk from the little square in S’Agata offering spectacular views of both the Gulfs of Naples and Salerno, plus the ancient ruins of a necropolis.
