Salerno is a coastal town and capital of the province of the same name in the Campania region of Italy. Located just south of the Amalfi Coast, it is a pleasant starting point to explore this much more expensive part of the coast.
Salerno city guide
Tourist information
If you arrive by train in Salerno, it is very easy to find the tourist information office. This is located on the left side of the square in front of the station. You can get free maps of the city here, and brochures about some (quite random) attractions. The helpfulness is impeccable, the information unfortunately not always up to date.
To/from Salerno
There are direct trains from Naples to Salerno. A train will also get you to Paestum, where the famous temples are only a short distance from the railway station. The towns on the Amalfi Coast can all be reached by bus, but it is nicer (although more costly) to take the ferry. The ferries leave from the so-called Porto Turistico, while the cruise ships depart from the Stazione Marittima. The company is called Travelmar.
What to see in Salerno
What is generally considered to be the historical center of Salerno is more or less located within a triangle with the Castello degli Arechi, the Porta Nova and the Villa Comunale as its points. From the train station, it is but a short walk to the center. The shortest route is via the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, which runs parallel to the Lungomare.
The Piazza Flavio Gioia is a lovely little round square with a central fountain, just before the beginning of downtown proper. Until the construction of the Porta Nuova around the middle of the 18th century, together with the Piazza Portanova it used to form one big square.
At the point where Corso Vittorio Emanuele narrows, the real center begins. The main street, and main shopping street, is the Via dei Mercanti.
The city’s most famous church is the Cathedral with its beautiful quadriportico. The Evangelist Matthew is buried in the crypt of this Duomo.
One of the most memorable sights of Salerno is the tiled dome of the Chiesa della Sanitssima Annunziata.
The church of San Pietro in Vinculis (in the Piazza Portanova) is where condemned prisoners went to pray before being executed.
One of Salerno’s greatest attractions is the Castello di Arechi, which sits high above the city and offers a magnificent panorama that even includes the Amalfi Coast. It is also the seat of the Museo Storico di Salerno.
The Santa Maria de Lama Basilica in the medieval part of town is known for two fresco cycles in the crypt.
The main feature of the late Baroque Palazzo Conforti is one of Ferdinando Sanfelice‘s exuberant staircases.
The Palazzo di Città was built during the fascist era and is the current town hall of Salerno.
The Villa Comunale is a small public park near the Palazzo di Città. The most interesting green part of the city, however, is the Giardino della Minerva, with its beautiful panoramic view of the coast line.
Salerno Festivals and other events
Festival of St. Matthew (September 21)
San Matteo is the patron saint of Salerno. On September 21st, a two-faced bust, together with busts of several other saints, is carried through the streets of the city. The procession both starts and ends at the Cathedral. In the evening, fireworks are lit at the beach. The festival coincides with a big street fair, of course called Fiera di San Matteo is held in the Piazza Flavio Gioia.
Luci d’Artista (around Christmas)
One of the best periods to visit Salerno is around Christmas, when the entire historical center is illuminated, thanks to the famous Luci d’Artista (“Artist Lights”) Festival.