Please sign in to post.

Grazie mille to JAY for Salerno

Posted by (Tel Aviv) on

Thank you, thank you, Jay.

I was not pleased with any of my hotel options for Sorrento, Amalfi, or Positano when Jay shared with me how much he had enjoyed a stay in Salerno. It was the perfect place for me. Direct train service from Napoli and to Roma, car rental next to the train station, and a good location for day trips to the Amalfi Coast and Paestum.

The town is delightful. Today, after nearly 2 weeks in Italy, I took a vacation day from touring. First I drove up to the castel on the hill overlooking the bay for some more stunning views, then dropped the car and strolled along the sea - just me and a few hundred other people, wandered up to the Minerva Gardens (not much growing in February but more beautiful views) and more walking through the streets of the historic center, taking photo after photo.

After that, I popped into my B&B and ate the baba I bought yesterday at Sal de Riso in Minori. Not laced with but soaked in rum, even though some of it had dripped out, it still left me woozy. I am so glad I didn't have one at the cafe yesterday - I wouldn't have been able to drive back to Salerno.

I would be really sad to leave, except that I'm going to Roma next.

Posted by
15809 posts

Great information, Chani, so thanks to both you and Jay! I'll file this bit away for the next adventure.
Roma next? Nothing to be sad about there!!! Looking forward to the next report. ✍️

Posted by
11613 posts

Glad you could stop at Sal's. Minori is now part of my "must return" list.

Posted by
15584 posts

Zoe, I stopped there on my first drive along the Coast and had an amazing lemon mousse cake, so it was on my must-stop itinerary for yesterday and it did not disappoint. Thank you again for recommending it.

Posted by
1944 posts

Glad that you understood and 'got' Salerno, Chani!

It's probably not for everybody. In this run-run, gotta see a zillion things world of Italian travel, Salerno would not be in the top 10 of primo destinations, not even close. It doesn't get more than a mention in the RS 'Naples & The Amalfi Coast' guidebook.

But there it is. We chose Salerno in March 2015, spending 5 nights there because of it being an easy transportation hub south to Paestum, and north to everything else--with the exception of Sorrento--on a daytrip basis. And I had to do some geneological research not only in Salerno but up in the mountains to the little hilltown of Sant' Arsenio.

But the surprise was Salerno itself. At the Salerno Centro B&B--Chani, say hi to Francesco, Pasquale and Lena Manzo for us--we met an Italian couple from Chicago that had been to Salerno many times and showed us the nooks & crannies of this wonderful little city, from the vertical Minerva Gardens to the 9th century Duomo to the absolute kick-ass restaurants, all without a speck of being 'touristed-up'. Seeing families and couples--Salerno residents--walking hand-in-hand along the lungomare in the late afternoon was a daily occurrence I won't soon forget. I enjoyed that aspect immensely.

I suspect there are many gems like this in Campania and Calabria. And of course, Sicily.

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.