This is Greek Cumae, the first Hellenic settlement in Italy. A rock tunnel leads into the sanctum of ancient Rome’s most distinguished prophetess, the Cumaean Sibyl. She offered nine books of wisdom to Tarquin, last king of Rome. He thought the price too high. She burned three and came back with six for the same price. Again he declined. She burned three more and he gave in, paying the full price for the remaining three. (The Sibylline Books were said to contain instruction for placating the gods after natural disasters. They were destroyed when the Capitol of Rome was burned down in 83 BC.) Lago d’Averno, classical Avernus, the descent to Hell, is 0.5 km south of Cuma.

A longer but easier route between Cuma and Capua is by Castel Volturno, the grey sands, lidos and chalets of the Domiziana coast road (Route 7qua) and the open valley of the Volturno road (Route 264).