Salerno and the Amalfi Coast - a celebrity of southern Italy (Stop 27)

From Pompei, we continue our journey to our final stop: the Amalfi Coast. We want to explore it from Salerno. Salerno is a port city on the Gulf of Salerno and has been a university city since 1970. In the years after World War II, it developed into a major city and today has just under 133,000 inhabitants. It is also a global container transshipment port. Due to its location at one end of the Amalfi Coast, it is a good starting point. Many choose Sorrento for this, but unfortunately with our Interrail ticket we could only have reached it on weekends. Therefore, the choice between Sorrento and Salerno was not too difficult.
Because we arrive at the train station perfectly in time for the train departure, and can only watch it leave, we use the one hour of time and try a Granita di Limone.
In Salerno, we especially enjoy the journey to our accommodation this time, as it is the last time we arrive at a new place on this trip. The pedestrian zone starts directly from the train station with many shops, bars, and some restaurants and runs parallel to the coast to the old town. There, the alley becomes narrower and the atmosphere cozier. This is also where our accommodation for the next 3 nights is located. In an old, tall building with very high ceilings. It feels quite noble right away. We still use the remaining day to inquire about boats along the Amalfi Coast. At the small harbor, we learn that some small ferry boats dock at almost hourly intervals in the various places. Prices vary depending on the destination, with the two towns of Positano and Amalfi being the most famous. We also realize that she doesn't have to think long about how we should choose the best ferry to visit both places in one day. To our surprise, we don't have to reserve or buy tickets for the boats in advance, so we can spontaneously come to the harbor the next morning. It's different for Capri. Only one boat per day leaves, the journey costs 35€ plus 2.50€ local tax, and you have to reserve about 2 days in advance. But since the weather for Thursday is uncertain, we decide against Capri and for a more relaxed last day. After we have settled that, we enjoy our walk along the promenade, the Lungomare di Salerno, once again. The harbor is at the same level as the train station, so we can walk quite a long way back. While looking for dinner, we go to a small restaurant in a narrow side street in the old town. The organization here is rather chaotic, it seems like they don't really know what they have here and what they don't. In the end, we enjoy a very delicious Parmiggiana di Melanzane for only 4€. Afterwards, we stroll through the streets again, where there is now clearly more going on. It seems like all the people in Salerno are hanging out in the bars now. At Piazza Gioia Flavio, we also sit down in a bar and toast with a Sprizz to the journey. We also get olives, Bruschettine, and other little things again. That's pretty cool. There are also many children in the square, playing with their flashing toys or firecrackers. So a beautiful evening comes to an end and we go to bed satisfied and excited for the next day.

The next day starts again with delicious Cornetti for breakfast and good coffee. Because we dawdle a bit, we miss the first boat and therefore upload the article about Naples. From afar, we can already see a pretty large crowd of people at the harbor, all of whom want to get on the boat with us. Oops, we didn't expect that. We can't imagine how we will all fit on this boat. We'll see. We buy the first ticket to Positano (14€ per person). The boarding takes accordingly long, but the people spread out quite well and there are even a few free seats inside. We first head to Amalfi, but we'll only go there later. Some people already get off here, so we go upstairs to secure a place outside. But the boat fills up again just like before. Madness, it's really crowded here. After a total of about 70 minutes, we arrive at the port of the small town of Positano. Already on the approach, the community impresses with its beautiful location with about 4000 inhabitants. The way the colorful houses climb up the cliffs above the coast is very beautiful. In the first half of the 20th century, Positano was a poor fishing village that only began to attract tourists in the 1950s. Today it is one of the two best-known places on the Amalfi Coast and is visited annually by several thousand tourists. Even today, it's incredibly busy, and we realize that we need to adjust our pace to that of the other people wandering through the streets. First, we go to the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, which is a traditional church and was once part of a monastery. It is located a bit higher, so you can already see it from a distance. We also visit it from the inside and are pleased with the free admission. There is also a large nativity scene displayed on the side, which we now associate with the area. Through the pedestrian zone with various shops and pavilions, we continue walking uphill to a kind of panoramic road. From there, you have a beautiful view of Positano and the coast. We enjoy the various beautiful viewpoints and then dive back into the crowd in the shopping streets. There are sweets, clothes, decorations, etc. everywhere with lemons or Limoncello. We'll come across that again in most places here. After a little shopping round, we get fresh fruit and wait for the ferry to Amalfi.
Here, too, many people get on board, but the boat is by no means as full as the first one. We enjoy the ride along the coast and the views of Positano once again.
The approach to Amalfi (by the way, 9€ per person) is just as beautiful as the approach to Positano. Amalfi is a small town with about 5000 inhabitants and is named after the famous coastal region, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was probably founded in 320 AD and experienced a great upswing due to its importance in maritime trade until the 11th century. Tourism also flourished here in the mid-20th century.
Again, it's really crowded here. You can tell that the place is famous for tourism. A bit like the Chinese Tower in Munich.
First, we go to the church of the town, in this case even a cathedral: the Kathedrale di Sant' Andrea. They only open the cathedral for a few hours a day for worshipers, so you have to pay admission for the rest of the day (3€) to visit the church, the adjacent Paradieskreuzgang, the crucifix basilica, and the crypt. There are also small exhibitions with finds and old columns. The crypt is almost completely gilded, everything in here sparkles and glitters. The cathedral also impresses with its splendor, both from the outside and from the inside. The view from the main square to the elevated cathedral is impressive. We particularly like the mosaic on the exterior facade. After the visit, which we would already recommend, we walk through the pedestrian zone towards the valley until we reach the Fontana di Cape e Ciucci. This is a particularly funny sight, we think. The fountain is decorated with a nativity scene, but some of the figures are also standing in the water. You only notice this when you look closely, as they are already quite algae-covered, and goldfish swim around them. The surrounding bars and restaurants also use the fountain water for their guests. We also fill our bottles (it's probably great healing water as well) and make our way back to the main square. On the way, we encounter many other tourists with ice cream, eating it out of lemons. Pretty big lemons. It looks quite funny and seems to be the thing here. But we're more in the mood for something else, so we sit down for a bruschetta. We are very satisfied until we see the bill. These tourist places here are just not so budget-friendly. Strengthened, we make our way to the viewpoint at the Cemetiero Monumentale, for which we have to climb countless flights of stairs again. And that in the mid-afternoon heat. Well, it's actually nothing new for us, but still exhausting. But it's worth it! The view of the small town that you can see over a few vineyards is once again very impressive. And we're almost alone. If you want to escape the crowds, you should probably go up a few more steps. We enjoy the tranquility here for a while and then decide to take the next possible boat back to Salerno.
The two places were very beautiful, but in our opinion, they couldn't quite keep up with the experiences in the places in Puglia. We found the excursion rather tiring than relaxing due to the crowds, and the beaches were very crowded and the water less clear and inviting than we had experienced so far. But that doesn't mean that we wouldn't recommend Positano and Amalfi. If you are nearby, you should definitely visit the Amalfi Coast.

We arrive back in Salerno in the early evening. We take a short break in our accommodation before we head out for dinner again. We have decided that we have to have pizza one more time. At Piazza Sedile di Portanova, we both have a Pizza Marinara again - delicious! Then there is an important trip to the supermarket to stock up on cookies and jam.
We still make use of the evening to let our history memories of Pompeii come to life and write them down in the blog. Then, tired, we go to bed.

Actually, we had considered visiting Capri. For various reasons, however, we decide to visit Vietri sul Mare, which is only a few kilometers away from Salerno at the beginning of the Amalfi Coast. We could take a boat there again for 5€. But since we have already been on a boat enough yesterday, we take the bus (1.20€ per person) for the very short distance today. You could also take the bus to the other places, but we wouldn't recommend it, as the views from the sea side are really beautiful. At least one trip should be done by boat. We wait quite a long time at the bus stop, but eventually a bus arrives and takes us to the Vietri (Salesiani) stop, where we get off to visit the ceramic factory. Vietri sul Mare is mainly known for the Ceramica Artistica Solimene factory, whose products are sold all over the area and even all over the world. But especially in the coastal town, which has about 8000 inhabitants. Many houses, buildings, and structures in the city are decorated with ceramic art. The factory was founded by Vincenzo Solimene, who joined his family business, which has been around for over 100 years. The official founding is set in the year 1954 when the new factory was completed. The building is not only large but also impressive due to its architecture and the external appearance, which already integrates ceramic art itself. It is the most beautiful modern building we have seen in a long time. By the way, everything is still made by hand there, and you can even watch. We are especially fascinated by the detailed paintings. We wonder if it annoys people when tourists stare at the process. But they seem to be quite used to it. The areas we move in are organized and tidy to varying degrees. In some places, dishes and bowls are even in the way, so you have to step over them. Each piece is beautiful and impressive in its own way. The works range from small to large, from simple to very delicate, from monochrome to colorful, from practical to completely useless. We are excited and spend a surprisingly long time exploring here.
But at some point, we set off again and go to Villa Comunale. It is not far away and is built in a similar style to the ceramic factory. Terraces are connected by stairs directly above the coast, and a small theater is even located on a larger terrace. The balustrade is adorned with small mosaic stones and is very colorful. The view of the sea completes the color palette perfectly. We can imagine that it is very nice to take a seat in the stands and participate in one of the small cultural events - with THAT view! Then we continue towards the old town. Already at the entrance, we pass a fountain full of ceramic decorations and also several house facades. Even the courtyards are decorated with ceramics, and every drinking water dispenser tells a story through a ceramic mosaic. We go to the Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Giovanni Battista, which is also decorated on the exterior wall with ceramic mosaic pictures. At first, we are disappointed not to find any more ceramics inside, but then we notice that the ceiling paintings were recently restored because they are clearly visible. Next, we want to go down to the old harbor: Marina di Vietri. It's quite steep down to the coast again. The square at the old harbor is pretty and also has nice restaurants and old buildings. We find another fountain decorated like a nativity scene. This time it is even significantly larger than in Amalfi. The castle with onion towers, under which the cave is located, in which the Holy Family stands, seems unusual. And the disproportionately large baby Jesus. Otherwise, Marina di Vietri has a long beach that is full of umbrellas and people looking for refreshment. We walk along the entire beach promenade and then climb a bit to get to Spiaggia Crestarella. This beach is very small and is beautifully located in front of a few rocks. However, umbrellas cost a small fortune here, so we decide to go to our beach in Salerno. But before that, a little tour through the city center. We visit almost every ceramic shop (and there are really many) and admire the various things again. In the end, we buy corks for wine bottles and replenish our energy with a panino. Then we take a bus back to Salerno again and go straight to Santa Teresa Beach.
The trip to Vietri sul Mare was beautiful. The town is just as beautiful (although different) as Amalfi and Positano but much less crowded. It stands out simply because of the uniqueness of the ceramics everywhere. A little insider tip that is worth a visit!

At Santa Teresa, we get a beach umbrella and even two beach chairs for only 9€ in total. We spend a quiet afternoon there, finishing our books, and enjoying the seawater (which is quite warm). When the tide slowly comes in and puts our sunbeds under water, we go to the ice cream parlor and enjoy our gelato on the promenade of Salerno. After freshening up again, we want to eat a really nice Italian meal again. We find a nice restaurant again at Piazza Gioia Flavio, where we also get bruschetta on the house. We enjoy our antipasti and pasta, and to finish it off, a delicious Sprizz. We still can't believe that we will be back home in 24 hours. We don't really want to leave Italy yet. The farewell is correspondingly difficult for us. But eventually, tiredness prevails, and we make our way back.
Tomorrow a train will take us to Bologna, then we will probably have to take a rail replacement service between Bolzano and Innsbruck because the Brenner Pass is closed. But we hope for a nice snack in Bologna (and maybe another ice cream).


Wow - what a wonderful time!
In the last two months, we have seen and experienced so much that it doesn't even register in our heads.
We are very grateful for this time and opportunity and all the beautiful experiences and nice encounters.
There's probably nothing more to say.

hvala - mulțumesc - blagodarya ti - teşekkürler - vi blagodaram - efcharistò - grazie - DANKE

P.S. Thank you for reading.
Best regards and see you soon,
Veronika and Barbara