Between Stars and Dreams

Two evenings between sky and nature in Cilento

Between Stars and Dreams is the summer event at Oasi La Fiumara, a nature park stretching across the Fiumara di Santa Lucia valley in the municipality of Sessa Cilento, in the province of Salerno. Created to introduce families to stargazing, the event turns the oasis's meadows into an open-air observatory, where scientific curiosity meets play and creativity. It is one of the most successful summer formulas in Cilento for those seeking an alternative to the beach without missing out on the atmosphere of July and August nights.

The program structure is simple and designed for those arriving with little ones: it begins in the late afternoon, as the heat subsides, with workshops and outdoor play activities; then, as the light fades and the darkness of the inland countryside makes the firmament clearer, attention shifts upward. Far from the light pollution of the coast, the sky in this part of Campania offers a particularly clear view of the summer constellations.

The program, from creative workshops to sky observation

The two days follow the same schedule, so families can choose the evening that suits them best. Activities for children start at 5:00 PM, while the program focuses on astronomy from 9:00 PM.

• «Create your own constellation» — creative workshop for children, starting at 5:00 PM.
• Face painting — from 5:00 PM, featuring colors and patterns of the night sky.
• Traditional wooden games — available in the oasis's green area throughout the event.
• «A look at the sky» — educational session by Passione Astronomia, from 9:00 PM.
• «Stars at your fingertips» — guided reading of the constellations, from 9:00 PM.
• «Delicacies under the stars» — the oasis bar remains open until midnight.

Oasi La Fiumara, a setting of sixty thousand square meters

The oasis hosting the event is a nature reserve of approximately 60,000 square meters, consisting of meadows, woods, and wetlands, developed along the course of the Fiumara di Santa Lucia. Throughout the rest of the year, the facility offers nature excursions, educational workshops for schools, night walks, beekeeping visits, treasure hunts, and outdoor escape games: Between Stars and Dreams is, in a sense, its summer synthesis, combining the park's educational mission with its more playful side.

The large, flat space is also what makes collective observation possible: mats, blankets, and chairs are arranged on the grass, and the horizon remains clear on almost all sides, a condition not guaranteed in such hilly terrain.

An event built around children

The target audience is clear from the title: families with children. Entry is recommended from age 5, the start time is calibrated to the habits of the little ones, and the workshops are designed as short manual activities that leave room for the evening portion. Even the astronomical outreach is designed with accessible language: not a lecture, but a story of the sky that guides the group in recognizing the main figures of the summer firmament.

The number of places is limited and booking is required, a factor that helps maintain the intimate atmosphere that characterizes the event.

Sessa Cilento, between hills and National Park

Sessa Cilento is a small town of just over a thousand inhabitants, nestled at about 520 meters above sea level in the hinterland of the province of Salerno, within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. The main town and its hamlets — including Felittopiano, where the oasis is located — form a landscape of olive groves, chestnut woods, and ravines, just a handful of kilometers from the beaches of Acciaroli and Casal Velino.

This intermediate position is part of the event's charm: you arrive from the coast in twenty or thirty minutes by car and transition, in a short time, from beach tourism to the silence of the Cilento hinterland. For those spending their holidays in Campania, Between Stars and Dreams is an opportunity to discover a less-frequented side of Cilento, that of hill villages and nature areas managed by local entities.

Reservations and access

Access to the event requires a fee and booking must be made by phone through the oasis. It is recommended to arrive a little early before the afternoon activities begin to get oriented in the park and choose your spot on the grass before sunset.