Salerno Tourism

Salerno a small port town in Europe, is a part of Campania in Southern Italy. Salerno is located on the extreme end of Amalfi coast on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Salerno is a historical town lined with religious buildings of medieval times, museums and cathedrals.

Salerno boasts of the Scuola Medica Salernitana, an esteemed medical institute of Europe. It was founded in the 9^th century and contributed extensively to the field of medicine. However, Salerno functioned briefly as Italy's capital during Second World War due to its convenient geographical features.

Italy is famous for pizzas and Salerno offers some of the best versions. The center of the city is lined with many restaurants serving local cuisine and variety of wines.

Travel to Salerno

The nearest airport is in Naples, an important town on Amalfi coast which is about 100kms from Salerno. From here you can take road, rail or water route to reach Salerno. Train is one of the convenient ways to travel to Salerno. This town is an important stop for the trains passing through south Italy. SITA buses connect Salerno to all major Italian destinations. The dock at Salerno is just 5 minutes walking distance from the city's railway station and there is a regular boat service running between the towns lined on the Amalfi coast. The boats operate only between Easter to early October and the service is closed during winters.

Salerno tourist spots

Salerno has many interesting tourist places. Most visitors step into the town en route Paestum, an archaeological site situated 30 miles away from the main town. This historical site has collections of Greek ruins including beautiful Greek temples (of which The Temple of Poseidon (Neptune) is very popular), a Basilica of 6^th century and an archeological museum on Paestum history. This place is also surrounded by serene sandy beaches.

Giardino della Minerva is located in the heart of Salerno town. It exhibits eighteenth century style elements characterized by cross plan pilasters, with stucco decorations supporting a pergola. It claims to be one of first botanical garden in Europe.

Cathedral of San Matteo is one of the major attractions within the town of Salerno. Located in the center of the town, Cathedral of San Matteo is celebrated for its grandeur, mesmerizing architecture and magnificent doorway leading to the huge altar. It houses the tomb of St Matthew. Its huge bell dominates the city center.

Castello di Arechi, a castle constructed during the medieval period for defense purposes draws significant tourist attention. It stands 300 mtrs above sea level and is an important landmark of Salerno town. Presently this castle is public property and hosts exhibitions and shows.

Museo Provinciale, a museum established in the year 1927 offers interesting glimpses into past history and the location offers a beautiful view of the entire city.

Palazzo di Città di Salerno (city hall), Terracena Castle, Palazzo Copeta, Chiesa di San Giorgio (church) Minerva garden (first botanical garden of Europe) are some of the other interesting tourist spots of Salerno.

Things to do in Salerno

The Lungomare Trieste or the Promenade is much like that of the French Riviera, lined with palm trees and stretching for about five miles. You can indulge in scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing and kite surfing along the azure coastal waters. Take a boat trip to see hidden coves and sea caves. The Grotta dello Smeraldo, or Emerald Cave, is a wonderful experience with many stalactites and stalagmites, seen amidst diffused sunlight adding to the overall effect. The Grotta Azzurra is one of the many sea caves carved out of the jagged coast of Palinuro. Do not miss the Cilento e Vallo di Diano National Park.

Do not miss Centro storico di, a historical section of downtown Salerno. Here you will come across Vai Mercanti (also called Merchant Street) and Vittorio Emmanuele Street, where you can shop a bit. Amalfi paper and Moda Positano clothes, ceramics of Vietri sul Mare and objects made with olive tree leaves of the Cilento region are popular souvenirs.