The Amalfi coast
is one of Italy’s most popular, and most beautiful, destinations. And when it
comes to where to stay in the Amalfi, most people—and guidebooks—have one big
suggestion: Salerno.
It’s convenient. It’s cheap. It isn't
touristy. And it has a lot to offer, from museums to a big, central beach.
Unlike the other cities of the Amalfi coast, Salerno is on the main train line
from Rome. That means you don’t need to change trains in Naples, or anywhere at
all. And that it’s faster.
The fastest train from Rome to Salerno is just 2
hours; slowest, 3 hours 30 minutes. Salerno is super-convenient for getting to
other Amalfi coast towns, and you get more views of the spectacular coastline
itself. And the chance to see and even stop in a couple of towns between
Salerno and Amalfi Town that are completely missing from the guidebooks… but
look every bit as gorgeous as their touristy counterparts to the west.
There are other
cool places that are easy to explore from Salerno. Like this one.
Paestum, an
ancient Greek city founded in the 7th century B.C., has some of the best
ancient Greek ruins found anywhere in the world. Its Temple of Hera dates to
550 B.C. (500 years earlier than many of the buildings you’d see at Pompeii!)4.
It’s also really easy to get to Pompeii.
Thanks to the train, you can easily reach also
Pompeii.
Mount Vesuvius, a
volcano near the Bay of Naples in Italy, is hundreds of thousands of years old
and has erupted more than 50 times. Its most famous eruption took place in the
year 79 A.D., when the volcano buried the ancient Roman city of Pompeii under a
thick carpet of volcanic ash. Two thousand people died, and the city was
abandoned for almost as many years. When a group of explorers rediscovered the
site in 1748, they were surprised to find that–underneath a thick layer of dust
and debris–Pompeii was mostly intact.
Salerno’s beach is
big… and central. In Salerno, the beaches are much big. And they’re more
convenient. They’re a stone’s throw from the historic center, so you can walk
to them right from your hotel. That also means that they’re close to Salerno’s
more-industrial port. To Salerno, tourists=lower prices. For everything.
Dinner, coffee, etc.
Salerno is one of
the most interesting towns on the Amalfi coast. Salerno is a local’s town. It’s
easy to find a postcard (and the limoncello abounds!). But here’s just some of
of the things you can see instead:Castle in Salerno on the Amalfi coast.
One of the best-preserved
historical centers on the peninsula, characterized by medieval, winding
streets. A castle, Castello di Arechi, dating back to the 6th century. A number
of museums, including the Museo Diocesano, with works of art including
everything from medieval illuminated manuscripts to 17th-century paintings by
Caravaggio’s followers; the Pinacoteca Regionale with paintings by artists like
Andrea Sabatini (who worked with Raphael in the Vatican); and the Provincial
Archaeological Museum, with finds including a 6th-century B.C. crown of silver
and gold. And all of the benefits that go with a town that’s not tourism-based.
