Salerno, Italy: The Gateway To The Breathtaking Amalfi Coast

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The port city of Salerno is the capital of Campania’s southernmost province that bears its name. It is located on the Tyrrhenian Sea in the beautiful gulf of the same name and it is near the dazzling Amalfi Coast. Schola Medica Salernitana, the world’s first medical university is located here.

This is a vibrant city with medieval churches, brightly lit wine bars and neighborhood trattorias. The seafront is a wonderful place for an evening stroll.

A Little Bit of History

The city was originally an Etruscan colony and later it was taken over by the Romans, Goths, Byzantines, Longobards and Normans, respectively.

The Port of Salerno

It flourished during the 11th century under the Norman reign. It was made the capital of the Norman Dukedom in 1076, by Robert Guiscard and it was under his patronage that the Schola Medica Salernitana became a renowned medical institute of medieval Europe.

It was the landing site of the invasion of the WWII Allies on September 9, 1943 and this reduced much of the center to rubble. Even though it was rebuilt, its charm has never been restored.

On the other hand, the city has seen some of the greatest architects of the world build structures and buildings here, such as Renzo Piano, Santiago Calatrava and Zaha Hadid, to name a few.

Gulf of Salerno

Festival of the Crucifix is the most famous historical tradition of Salerno. The Crucifix is a large market that hosts craftsmen from all over the region. The city hosts an International Tango event during which there will be round-the-clock tango dancing in the city center and on the seafront.

The old merchant street in the historic center of the town is the main shopping center and you can find all kinds of clothing, footwear, accessories, lace, glass lamps, handicrafts and ceramic items.