Policastro Bussentino


Policastro Bussentino is an Italian town and hamlet of the municipality of Santa Marina in the province of Salerno, Campania region. It is a former bishopric, now titular see, and has a population of 1,625.

History

The town was founded in 470 or 471 BC as Pixous, by Micythus, the tyrant of Rhegion and Messena. It has been a Latin Rite bishopric twice, as Bussento and as Policastro, and remains a Catholic titular see as "Capo della Foresta".
During the fascist period, with the union of municipalities of Ispani and Santa Marina, Policastro became a hamlet of Capitello.

Geography

The town is located on the southern side of Cilento, not too far from the national park, in the middle of the Gulf of Policastro on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Situated by the estuary of river Bussento, it is 10 km far from Sapri, 5 from Santa Marina, 4 from Scario, 25 from Marina di Camerota and almost 90 from Salerno. The nearest villages by the sea are Capitello and Villammare.

Tourism

Policastro attracts visitors, especially in summer, due to the quality of its water, its rural surroundings and a good rail link and for camping.

Transport

The railway station is situated in the middle of the town, by the main line Rome-Naples-Reggio Calabria-Palermo/Catania. Regional trains run every hour.
The town recently inaugurated as the final track of national road SS18, which runs from Salerno - Battipaglia - Paestum - Agropoli - Vallo della Lucania - Palinuro to Sapri. Policastro has another carriageway, a variation of SS 517 that reaches Padula and the A2 Motorway exit Padula-Buonabitacolo, via Sanza.