Salerno sits at the northern end of the Amalfi Coast, a working Italian city that most visitors rush through on their way to Positano or Ravello. That is a mistake. Salerno has a handsome historic centre, a spectacular waterfront promenade, and a fraction of the crowds — and the prices — of its famous neighbours.
The old town is a tangle of narrow lanes, small churches, and medieval arches centred on the Via dei Mercanti, once the main commercial street and still lined with shops and cafes. Above it all, perched on a rocky spur, the Castello di Arechi commands views across the entire Gulf of Salerno. The city's greatest claim to history is the Schola Medica Salernitana, founded in the ninth century and considered the first medical school in Europe — a place where Greek, Latin, Arabic, and Jewish scholars worked side by side long before that was fashionable. The Giardino della Minerva, a medieval botanical garden terraced into the hillside, is directly connected to this medical tradition.
The lungomare — the seafront promenade stretching from the old port to the newer parts of town — is one of the finest in southern Italy, especially at sunset when the light turns the water gold and the locals come out for their evening passeggiata. If you are using Salerno as a base for the Amalfi Coast, you will find it far more affordable and more authentic than staying on the coast itself. Ferries and buses leave daily for Amalfi, Positano, and the islands, making it an ideal starting point.