We will be stopping at Salerno this summer on our cruise. The ship offers excursions, but we do not like taking those if we can manage on our own. Does anyone know if we will be able to take a cruise/ferry on the Amalfi Coast from Salerno. The ship offers one to the town of Amalfi, but it is rather costly and there are 3 of us traveling. We are just looking for a short, few hour cruise. Thanks.
Posted by
Austin TX after living in Boulder CO for 25 years
1166 posts
The area is easy to navigate on your own. Look at coopsantandrea.com for ferry schedules.
You could ferry to Amalfi or Positano, and take the bus back to Salerno or vice versa. A great trip is the ferry or bus to Amalfi, bus up to Ravello - just glorious views and scenery and minutes up the hill - and bus back to Amalfi where you can take the ferry or bus back to Salerno.
Read Rick's book on the Amalfi coast to familiarize yourself with the area and all of the transportation.
Posted by
Chicago
1949 posts
Yes, by all means look at a Salerno street map. Find out the distance between where the ship docks and the Salerno Centrale train station, with the adjacent bus station. If doable, you can walk, or take a taxi.
From there, you can go anywhere. The bus to Amalfi is 1 hour each way (might be crowded that time of year, however) and costs under 3 Euro. Or, I believe the train south to the Paestum ruins is under an hour. And even from where your ship docks, there should be ferries or hydrofoils to Amalfi or Positano. I guess it all depends on the timetables and scheduling.
Finally, you could do far worse than just hanging out in Salerno, one of my favorite Italian small cities. Walk around the Old Town to an 11th-century Duomo with relics, or to the wonderful shops. And Pizzeria Trianon--which originally opened in Naples in 1926-- has my favorite Napolitan pizza in Italy to date, a practically-perfect Margherita pie for 5 Euro.
Enjoy your planning!
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
Your cruise ship may offer a shuttle to the train station. If it doesn't walk out of the cruise terminal and catch a taxi or the #4 bus to the train station.
The ferry terminal is across the street. Ferrys to Amalfi run 45 minutes and cost 8 euro.
If you want to go to ravello the bus takes 30 minutes.
Posted by
Chicago
1949 posts
If the bus schedule Salerno/Amalfi is amenable to your schedule, it may be worth the trip because you get to see all the little towns in between--Vietre sul Mare, Cetara, Erchie, Maiori, Minori, Ravello (actually only the road to Ravello, you'd have to get off and hike up the hill), and finally Amalfi. Again, it might be crowded, especially on the way back to Salerno, so you may want to take the bus there, and the ferry back.
Posted by
OP
spring
40 posts
Thank you all for your help. I'll look into your suggestions.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
You can take the local bus up to Ravello.