Salerno— Day 1 of a 6-Day Trip in Italy’s Amalfi Coast
Italy’s Amalfi Coast is a beautiful stretch of land overlooking the Mediterranean Sea with picturesque towns and beaches. The roads are treacherous due to the lane width and windiness, but the sea is clear and blue. We were in Italy for 6 full days and spent the time visiting the many cities along the Amalfi Coast. The closest airport is the Naples Airport and then it is about an hour drive to the first city along the Amalfi Coast.
Day 1
Salerno
We arrived at our Airbnb the night before our official Day 1 and it was our base for the entire week. It was a cute home on top of the mountain overlooking Cava de’ Tirreni, a city about 10km north of Salerno, with its own pool (a bit too cold for a swim unfortunately). The views were great and we could see Salerno on one side of the home and Mount Vesuvius on the other side.
For dinner, we ordered pizza from La Baita – a restaurant just down the hill from the Airbnb. The pizza was thin and delicious! After dinner, we called it a night as we were exhausted from the flight.
We spent the first full Amalfi Coast day in Salerno. We parked at the Parcheggio Liberta in Salerno (a large public parkade near the seafront). The parkade is beneath the plaza (Piazza della Liberta) by the beach. There is also a pedestrian walkway along the water called Lungomare di Salerno. In the distance, you can see the ruins of Castello di Arechi at the top of the mountain. Castello di Arechi was built in the 6th century and is open to the public.
From the plaza, the Salerno Cathedral (or Duomo in Italian) is only about a 10 minute walk. As this was the first cathedral we were visiting in Italy, I was taken aback by its grandeur. The cathedral was consecrated in 1084 and there is a crypt which is a must see.
After the cathedral, it was time for lunch at Osteria dei Mercanti. I ordered the spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams) and a glass of white wine. The pasta was al dente and delicious. For dessert, we walked to Giallo Limone for gelato! I ordered the lemon gelato – yum!
The afternoon was spent exploring the city. We stopped by the Medieval Aqueduct and Giardino della Minerva. The aqueduct is only about a 6 minute walk from Giallo Limone. There is not much to see other than the aqueduct, which was built in the ninth century.
The Giardino della Minerva is a botanical garden about a 15 minute walk from the aqueduct. The walk to the garden really exposed us to the city of Salerno as we wandered the narrow streets and watched the locals go about their day. The garden itself is well-kept and has nice views of Salerno.
After the garden, we headed back to the Airbnb for dinner. We picked up groceries from the local store and had wine and pasta for dinner. When in Rome!
Complete Day 1 Itinerary
*Travel times may vary. Check Google Maps for most accurate travel details.
9:00am: Have breakfast.
10:00am: Visit Castello di Arechi (17 minute drive from Cava de’ Tirreni).
11:00am: Visit Salerno Cathedral (11 minute drive from Castello di Arechi). Park at Parcheggio Liberta.
12:00pm: Have lunch at Osteria dei Mercanti (2 minute walk from Salerno Cathedral). Walk to Giallo Limone for gelato (9 minute walk from Osteria dei Mercanti).
2:00pm: Stop by the Medieval Aqueduct (6 minute walk from Giallo Limone). Wander Salerno’s inner city.
3:00pm: Visit the Giardino della Minerva (16 minute walk from the Medieval Aqueduct).
4:00pm: Walk along the Lungomare di Salerno (7 minute walk from Giardino della Minerva).
7:00pm: Have dinner. If you are staying close to Cava di’ Tirreni, I recommend La Baita.
16-Day Italy and Portugal Itinerary
Click “Download” below for an excel version of my 16-Day Italy and Portugal Itinerary. Feel free to use the excel file as a planning template for your own trip!
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