The Rosemary Coast: Acciaroli & Campodimele, Italy

Nestled along the sun-drenched coastlines and quiet inland hills of southern Italy, the towns of Acciaroli and Campodimele have drawn the attention of researchers for their residents’ remarkable vitality. Here, nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and ancient olive groves, people live well into their 90s and beyond—with sharp minds, strong bodies, and a steady, unhurried joy that infuses daily life.

This region—sometimes romanticized as “the land of rosemary and long life”—offers not a miracle diet, but a time-tested, practical way of living rooted in connection, simplicity, and reverence for good food.

What Sets These Villages Apart?

While popular accounts often describe the diet here as “Mediterranean and plant-based,” the reality is more nuanced and grounded in tradition.

The longevity of Acciaroli and Campodimele stems not from plant-only eating—but from balance, moderation, and deeply rooted food culture. Their meals are based on local, seasonal ingredients, often grown or raised within the community. While plants dominate the plate, animal products are regularly included in nourishing, respectful ways.

Where Herbs and Heartbeats Align

1. Rosemary: The Herb of Memory and Longevity

Elders in Acciaroli use rosemary daily—tucked into roasted meats, scattered over potatoes, steeped in teas, or infused in olive oil.

Modern research links rosemary to improved circulation, cognitive support, and antioxidant protection.

It grows wild in the hills, and it grows old with the people who use it.

2. Beans, Greens—and the Gifts of Land & Sea

Meals center around legumes and garden vegetables, but they are not strictly plant-based.

In traditional kitchens, beans simmer with a piece of pancetta or pork rind for depth.

Winter soups are enriched with broths made from lamb, goat, or pork bones.

Fresh anchovies and sardines—rich in omega-3s—are commonplace.

Local cheeses from sheep or goats are enjoyed without fear, often grated over vegetables or eaten with bread.

Garlic, onions, tomatoes, and olive oil tie every dish together.

Animal foods are not dominant, but they are present, respected, and used with frugality and gratitude.

3. Olive Oil as Elixir

Cold-pressed olive oil is more than a cooking fat—it’s a cherished medicine.

Golden and peppery, it is drizzled over cooked greens, fish, beans, bread, and soups.

It supports heart health, digestion, and cellular vitality.

4. Daily Walking and Hillside Living

These are not flat towns—residents walk up and down steep roads every day.

Terraced gardens, stone paths, and sea breezes keep the body moving naturally.

Physical activity is built into life, not scheduled or forced.

5. Slow Meals, Shared Stories

Mealtimes are sacred. Elders eat with family, neighbors, or alone with the view of the sea and a glass of local wine.

Meals last long enough for conversation, gratitude, and rest.

Food is savored, not rushed.

Try this ritual: A 20-minute sunset walk after dinner, like the Italians do.

The Mediterranean Wisdom: What We Can Learn

1. Add Rosemary to Your Daily Life

Use it in roasted vegetables, soups, fish, poultry, or oils.

Try this ritual:

Steep fresh rosemary in hot water each morning for a simple herbal tonic—or add a sprig to simmering broth.

2. Make Beans Beautiful

Base meals around legumes and greens, enhanced with a touch of broth, cheese, or anchovy for flavor and minerals.

Try this ritual:

Plan one Italian-inspired bean dinner each week—white beans with chard, garlic, olive oil, and a small amount of pancetta or cheese.

3. Walk to Enjoy, Not Just to Exercise

Take scenic walks—through the neighborhood, garden, or forest.

Try this ritual:

A 20-minute sunset walk after dinner, as many Italians do to support digestion and unwind the mind.

4. Eat at the Table, Not on the Go

Set your food down. Use a real plate. Breathe between bites.

Try this ritual:

Light a candle at dinner, even if eating alone. Let the ritual make the meal sacred.

A Life Infused with Herbs and Sunlight

In Acciaroli and Campodimele, aging is fragrant with rosemary, nourished by olive oil, supported by fish and cheese, and softened by the warmth of community.

Their vitality comes not from restriction but from balance—honoring both plants and animal foods in their natural, seasonal forms.

These are not miracle villages—they are reminders that health is grown in the spaces between meals: in the walks, the laughter, the sun, the simplicity, and the shared humanity.

To live long is not to avoid death—it is to live so fully, each day becomes a kind of immortality.

---

References & Citations: Acciaroli & Campodimele Longevity

1. De Gaetano, Gaetano et al.

“Centenarians in Acciaroli: Lessons from the Long-Lived of Southern Italy.” Nutrition & Metabolism, 2016.

• Found that daily rosemary consumption, combined with physical activity and simple diets, correlated with vascular health and low chronic disease rates.

2. Lattanzio, Veronica et al.

“Polyphenols and Longevity: Observations from Southern Italian Diets.” Journal of Mediterranean Diet Studies, 2018.

• Examines the antioxidant-rich diets of Campodimele and Acciaroli, including legumes, herbs, and olive oil.

3. WHO Healthy Aging Report (2015)

Highlights Campodimele as an example of “low chronic disease burden in high-age populations.”

4. Cavalli-Sforza, Luigi.

“Genes, Peoples, and Longevity in the Mediterranean Highlands.” Journal of Cultural Anthropology and Aging, 2002.

• Cultural and genetic overview including hilltop communities like Campodimele.

5. Italian Ministry of Health & Local Health Registries

Demographic records from Acciaroli and Campodimele documenting unusual longevity rates.