Documentation from the 14th and 15th centuries indicates that the area of Vico Equense had around 10 hilltop casali. These settlements were probably there already, maybe founded by the colonisers of Augustus, who settled in these already pre-existing rural housing districts. A lapidary inscription found near Ticciano, now in the church of San Michele Arcangelo, proves the Roman presence in these lands, and a Byzantine epigraph in Greek characters around the symbol of the cross (the oldest proof of Christianity in Vico Equense) confirms the continuity of life in this settlement. The hamlet, known for its fresh air, is characterised by the industriousness of its inhabitants, all of whom are farm workers or craftsmen. In keeping with old traditions the baskets are still woven with chestnut tree wood, also used for the typical Sorrento pergolas. Preazzano, immersed in the nature and with Monte Comune behind it, was also referred to as “casale” since the 1300s. Its small centre, with both farmhouses and noble buildings, was known until the beginning of the 1900s for its production of silk. The centre develops around the church of Sant’Andrea: an elegant building that features paintings on its side altars, dating 1600s and 1700s. Cestaio Arola is spread over a wide territory, with a piece of beach overlooking Positano. People there live off agriculture and the well-known dairy products, still made the old-fashioned way. The farmhouses all feature decorated stone portals that open into small courtyards. In the middle of this rural architecture complex is the square-shaped bell tower and next to it the church of Sant’Antonio, with a beautiful 16th century portal. Leaving Arola and taking via dei Camaldoli we reach the hilltop of Astapiana, which features a 17th century Camaldalese convent. The view from up here over the Sorrento peninsula become even more astonishing, stretching from Meta all the way to Punta della Campanella. Originally this hilltop must have featured a small village, built around the church of Santa Maria de Jerusalem, with the Camaldolese settling in the 1500s. The years that followed were dark, until count Giusso became owner of the land and reclaimed it.