What to do in Salerno in one day? Not only the Amalfi Coast, but a city able to offer tourists and guests art, culture and good living thanks to a very enjoyable promenade.
Stop for important cruise brands and destination for hundreds of thousands of tourists in every season of the year, Salerno has recently become an increasingly popular destination. A city that, thanks to the sea and cultural gastronomic traditions, can boast a constantly evolving tourism. If initially it was a "door" to the Amalfi Coast, now Salerno attracts and hosts decidedly more permanent travelers, leading to sold-out records in any accommodation facility within a radius of 10-20 km from the city, especially in the period Luci d'Artista.
The appeal, given by an incredible architectural revaluation of the historic center and by the very enjoyable seafront, has produced as a result a capital that looks like a respectable metropolis.
What can you do in Salerno in just one day? The answer is to enjoy the sun, the sea and the whole city which promises historical, cultural and architectural reflections of considerable interest.
For those arriving in Salerno from the station, the very first welcome is given by Corso Vittorio Emanuele: a beautiful pedestrian promenade full of shop windows, bars and clubs that offer numerous ideas for shopping and tastings. Walking through it to the end, you are kindly invited to take the historic one Via Dei Mercanti which leads the visitor to cross all the characteristic historic center of Salerno. A maze of alleys, shops and alleys that hide treasures of immeasurable architectural value. The first must is the Cathedral of S. Matteo, patron of the city of Salerno.
The main portal to access it is "protected" by two Romanesque stone lions from the XNUMXth century. You are greeted by a courtyard surrounded by finely inlaid colonnades; all around sarcophagi and tombs close to the walls. The impression is of a mixture of Byzantine and Romanesque art. Everything is a delight for the eyes.
A curiosity: perhaps not everyone pays attention to the strong "animalistic" connotation that permeates the entire cathedral. To the most attentive eyes their numerous presence will not escape. From the lions of the entrance to the birds, through the monkeys, up to horses and centaurs. A sculptural decoration of undoubted Christian symbolism that is expressed in the power of the church (lions), in the nourishment of the soul (birds pecking the vineyard) and in heresy (monkey). The interior of the cathedral hides a treasure that will leave even the most disinterested tourist speechless: the Crypt of S. Matteo where the mortal remains of the Holy Evangelist are kept.
Beautiful, bright and wonderfully baroque: there will be no way to put the Reflex back in the sheath! Marble from the 700th century and baroque paintings embellish this underground crypt oozing with stories and legends. Among these, that of a liquid with miraculous powers emanating from the tomb only at certain times of the year, or the legend of the Ceppo used to behead the three Salerno martyrs Ante, Gaius and Fortunato who were killed by the Emperor Diocletian. Well it is said that on stormy days, by approaching the ear to the block, it is possible to hear the "noise" of the flowing blood!
Leaving the Duomo and following the homonymous street that descends towards the sea, you can discover another hidden gem that absolutely must not be separated from a visit to Salerno.
In my opinion it is the most beautiful church in the city. A surprise that, judging by the rather anonymous entrance, no one would expect! I'm talking about the church of S. Giorgio: a show starting from the Vietri majolica floors to the baroque decorations, passing through the vaults and Renaissance paintings kept in it. I did not expect such an explosion of Baroque in the historic center of Salerno either.
The Salernitana day continues on the beautiful Lungomare citizen. The sea, the quiet and the view of the first stretch of the Amalfi Coast satisfy eyes and soul. The Lungomare promenade ends with the lovely beach of St. Teresa, recently redeveloped and returned to the city. A very enjoyable wooden staircase allows you to sip a "DOC" Campania coffee close to the sea, between the sight of palm trees and sailing boats.
Leaving the small beach of S. Teresa on the left, cross the road again to enter the Villa Comunale, another treasure chest of art and tranquility that Salerno gives us. You cannot imagine the coolness and quiet that this garden emanates during the heat of the summer months! A walk among the numerous botanical species and a refreshing drink at the eighteenth-century fountain of Aesculapius are absolutely a must.
At the end of the year, the Villa Comunale literally transforms itself into an “Enchanted Garden” thanks to the event Luci d'Artista when, as if by magic, the characters of the most beautiful fairy tales light up to illuminate Salerno's Christmas.
Resuming the walk in the historic center, the next stop is themedieval aqueduct of Salerno, known to the citizens with the disturbing name of "I Ponti del Diavolo". The history of this imposing and mysterious construction has its roots in the Lombard period between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries. Born with the aim of supplying water for some monasteries, in reality it also had the dual function of solving the problem of the hydrogeological structure (channeling the water) and defending the city from above (considering the height of the structure). As expected, a brilliant and so ancient work did not take long to give rise to legends and mysterious facts, also thanks to the pointed aspect of the pointed arches.
Legend has it that the aqueduct, with its ghostly silhouette, was built overnight by the devil. Another story tells that the four founders of the Salerno Medical School they found shelter under the arches of the aqueduct. Wounded and wet due to the stormy night, the Arab Adela, the Greek Ponto, the Hebrew Elino and the Latin Salerno treated each other, taking note of their respective and different healing methods.
It is not difficult to glimpse in this legend the metaphor of the multi-ethnicity that then, as today, characterizes the city of Salerno.
After nourishing the spirit with a historical cultural walk, all that remains is to refresh the stomach with the rich and varied local gastronomy. In Salerno there is certainly no shortage of restaurants and inns, as well as the young and frugal street-food, perfect for those who want to get their fill while continuing to look for the hidden treasures of this beautiful city.
