WHo we are is where we are
Cervati Tours is named after Monte Cervati, the highest peak of Italy’s Campania region at 1899m above sea level. Mountains are symbolic of our personal and professional challenges… They have fascinated human beings, who’ve wanted to climb them (or should we say conquer them), since the beginning of time. More than anything, they are a key to the survival and renewal of life in its many forms. They play an important role in the changing of the seasons and the renewal of resources like air, water, vegetation and animal life. They are as fickle as they are beautiful, inspiring fear and awe. Those who live near them are aware of their force and learn to respect it.
This sense of wonder for nature’s might is one of the founding principles of Cervati Tours. Its mission is to help travelers discover the natural and human resources of Monte Cervati and the territory that surrounds it, across Cilento and the Alburni mountains to the North, all the way to the sea on the West and into Basilicata and Calabria to the East and South. These are places where people faithfully follow longstanding traditions and seasonal activities, like foraging for wild asparagus, oregano, mushrooms and chicory; places where people still practice circular agriculture and permaculture. They are territories where ancient pagan rites are merged with Christian feasts, where devotion to a Madonna is not necessarily a religious thing, and where entire villages come together to celebrate their most important days of the year.
Monte Cervati sits at the center of what was once called Lucania in ancient times, a Roman term that identifies the original people who lived there, “Lucanians” meaning People of the Light. Lucania nowadays, more than anything, inspires a sense of belonging in people from the provinces of Salerno, in Campania, Potenza in Basilicata and Cosenza in the north of Calabria. It provides a sense of same-ness that is mirrored in similar economical challenges, shared traditions, recipes, dialects, music and other expressions of culture.
Cervati Tours is born out of a fascination for this culture and the desire to share it with others. Like the Lucanians, Cervati Tours is what it is because of where it is. The types of travel experiences we offer cannot be seen as separate from this territory, and the same holds true for our approach to hospitality. If you travel with us, you are our guest and we will do whatever it takes to make that the best experience we can, South Italian style, offering the very best of what we have in store.
Traveling with Cervati Tours, you may find yourself being the only foreign traveler in a whole village, staying in a hotel where nobody speaks anything but the local dialect, or eating in a restaurant where there are no menus, but where instead get to try out whatever is fresh that day. Cervati Tours provides opportunities to immerse yourself into a reality that is authentic, to slow down and really experience the moment, to have encounters with interesting people who have something to share, and whose life you will touch as much as they will yours.
Traveling with Cervati Tours is not a question of checking landmarks off a holiday wish list. It’s founded on the premise that there is another, better way to travel. To us, traveling is an opportunity to discover, to learn, to explore and to participate, a chance to open your mind and heart to local wisdoms and other ways of living.
Cervati Tours is founded by Astrid Meijer, anthropologist by education, ex-IT consultant, now entrepreneur by trade, explorer by nature. Astrid has spent most of her time over the last 8 years discovering the fascinating history, dialects, landscapes and people of the area, building local relationships based on mutual benefit and respect. She works exclusively with small-scale local partners in building interesting experiences for travelers, investing in local economies and supporting local initiatives. She looks out on Monte Cervati from her Italian base in the town of Padula.
Live your best Farm Life. Join in on seasonal activities, hang with the animals, learn about traditional dishes and taste local fresh food.
travel out of the box
Cervati Tours is specialized in slow and sustainable travel in a well-defined area of South Italy. We offer in-depth experiences that translate into a great trip for you and a clear benefit to local communities. Your experience is unique – it’s up to you to decide how you travel and interact with us: