Marina di Cassano
The ancient seaside village of Marina di Cassano is certainly a highlight of Piano di Sorrento.
“Hidden” by the high tuff walls overlooking the sea and surrounded by volcanic sand, Marina di Cassano is an ideal place to swim and sunbathe!
Marina di Cassano: Maritime Tradition
This small fishing village is a symbol of the maritime and commercial vocation of Piano di Sorrento.
Here, the first documented news of a “nautical education” dates back to the 17th century, thanks also to the presence of the ancient Nautical Technical Institute “Nino Bixio”, so you can imagine that the tradition of seafaring has ancient roots.
Moreover, the caves carved into the tuff cliff evoke the glorious past of the city in the shipbuilding sector. Especially in the XVIII century, in fact, the thriving activity of the Cassano shipyards had nothing to envy to that of the neighbouring countries and the largest Italian shipyards. From the mid-nineteenth century, the trade routes to the Americas were inaugurated and increased by the sailing ships of Piano, thanks to the export of typical local products such as citrus fruits and walnuts.
During the Bourbon period, commercial traffic with the capital, Naples, was very dense, and, in order to ensure a faster trade with the main Italian ports, the Carottesi shipyards were highly esteemed for the construction of hulls for commercial use. Today, the new layout of the village and the marina can only leave to the imagination the size of this shipyard in the past. However, together with the well-known shipyard of Alimuri, the one in Cassano certainly marked a golden age for the Sorrento Peninsula.
Marina di Cassano: Madonna delle Grazie
Marina di Cassano is not just a guardian of a centuries-old nautical tradition made up of axe masters, excellent seafarers and anglers, it also treasures the popular devotion for the Madonna delle Grazie.
In the homonymous sixteenth-century chapel nestled in the fishermen’s houses, there is a beautiful statue of the Madonna delle Grazie. Every year, at dawn on the first Sunday after July 2, they celebrate the Madonna with a religious procession that carries the statue through the main roads of Piano to the sea along the Sorrento coast, blessing the fishing villages of the neighbouring towns.
It is an intense tradition for the small community of Marina di Cassano. Not only it is a time of great celebration and gathering for the local families, but also a spiritual reunion with those who have never returned home from the sea.
On summer evenings, Marina di Cassano is an ideal place for a relaxing walk: let yourself be inspired by the view of the sea, the boats and the picturesque houses, perhaps enjoy something fresh and a good typical dish in the local restaurants
INFO
How to get to Marina di Cassano
A lift, so-called Elevator of the Sea, connects Ripa di Cassano to Marina di Cassano and operates from the beginning of May to the end of September.
Timetable and prices:
- May and September: from 9:00 A.M. to 1 P.M.
- June, July and August: from 9:00 A. M. to 9 P.M.
Ticket: 0,50 euros per person.
On foot:
Circumvesuviana station of Piano di Sorrento is about 1.4 km from Marina di Cassano.
Go Southwest on Via della Stazione towards Largo Annunziata, turn right and take Via S. Michele. Continue on Via Francesco Ciampa, turn left and take Via Ripa di Cassano and then turn slightly right and take Via Marina di Cassano.
More info, booking and prices on the website.
To contact the several structures of Marina di Cassano, click here.
