Salerno: what to see in the city of Arechi

Salerno has experienced a real tourist boom, especially in recent years. It is the terminus for Italo and Frecciarossa trains, and recently the city is very lively and full of attractions. Salerno has a very large province, the biggest in Campania. The Amalfi Coast, the Cilento, the Vallo di Diano, the Sele plain and the archaeological area of the ancient Greek city Paestum represent the crown jewel of the entire Salerno province.

Salerno was dominated by the Lombards, particularly administered by the Duke Arechi II. In the 9th century “the Salerno Medical School” was the first and most important medical institution at the European level. Salerno also saw the dominations of the Normans and then the Swabians, before falling to the Spanish. The Gulf of Salerno was the scene of Allied landings (Operation Avalanche) during World War II, in September 1943. Let’s see what there is to see in Salerno.

Salerno what to see

Salerno is a splendid seaside city. The alleys of the old town still retain the characteristics of a fishermen’s place. It is an ideal destination both in summer and winter. Thanks to the mild climate because it is located on the sea, the old town of Salerno and its Trieste waterfront, among the longest (and most beautiful) in Italy, during the warmer months and Christmas holidays, are packed with people. Salerno is also called “Garden City” thanks to the public green spaces that grow year after year. Since 2006, Salerno hosts a mega attraction during the Christmas period: Luci d’Artista, also known as the Salerno Light Displays.

Salerno: cultural points of interest

1 The Salerno Cathedral

The Salerno Cathedral was built in the 11th century when the city became the Norman kingdom capital. The discovery of the relics of Saint Matthew, Salerno’s patron saint, also present in the city’s coat of arms and banner, dates back to the same period. The Salerno Cathedral underwent major restoration in the 18th century, especially inside. Outside, the Cathedral features a bell tower of Arab influence (12th century). The Lions’ Gate, accessible by stairs, opens onto the atrium, whose style is also Arab-influenced. The Cathedral has a classic three-nave structure with mosaics, like the apse mosaic, of Byzantine influence. On the sides of the central nave, a series of chapels with art treasures and tombs. At the start of the left nave is the tomb of Queen Margherita of Durazzo, dating to the 15th century.

2 The Diocesan Museum of the Salerno Cathedral

The project for a Diocesan Museum of the Salerno Cathedral dates back to 1935 by Mons. Arturo Capone, a member of the Primatial Chapter. Important are the series of illuminated manuscripts from the 13th-14th centuries, among which the Exultet, a long parchment scroll from the 13th century, embellished with fine miniatures, which was unrolled by the deacon during liturgical ceremonies on Holy Saturday. The museum is located in the former Archiepiscopal Seminary of Salerno, also once home to the Salerno Medical School.

3 The Provincial Archaeological Museum of Salerno

At the rear of the Cathedral is the San Benedetto convent complex, since 1927 the seat of the Provincial Archaeological Museum of Salerno. Inside, divided over two floors, there are prehistoric finds from excavations throughout the province and a permanent exhibition of the Campanian Etruscan center of Fratte. One area is entirely dedicated to finds from ancient Salernum, a Roman colony founded in 194 BC. In the Gulf of Salerno, in 1930, a bronze head was found and is displayed in this museum.

4 The Salerno Museums

The city of Salerno hosts several other very interesting museums. Among these stands out the Virtual Museum of the Salerno Medical School, the Roberto Papi Museum linked to the Salerno Medical School located in Palazzo Galdieri on Via Trotula de Ruggiero, and the Alfonso Tafuri Ceramics Collection.

5 Creative City Museum

The Creative City Museum of Salerno is a dynamic center for experimentation, exhibition, and documentation of ceramics. It is located at Via Ogliara, 127/143 and is rooted in a territory with a historical-artisanal background distinguished since the Middle Ages by the extraction, export, and transformation of clay. Unique sites such as the fascine kilns, which survived until the 19th century still active, are visitable. Two of these have been restored and are periodically activated following the ritual of the 19th century. The old municipal-owned terraced warehouses have become the museum site and various urban furnishings and occasional exhibition events (biennials, experimental shows) involving artists, architects, and associations have taken place there.

6 The Arechi Castle

The Arechi Castle has Roman-Byzantine origins and dominates the city of Salerno. Located on a hill facing the Gulf of Salerno, the Arechi Castle was expanded by the Lombard prince Arechi II because it was important in his defensive strategies and maritime outlet of the kingdom. The castle was also extended in Norman, Angevin, and Aragonese periods. A wing of the castle exhibits recovered materials and is often used for exhibitions or conferences. The Medieval Monumental Complex of Salerno includes the castle with the historical part and some halls where it is possible to hold conferences and private ceremonies, the natural park, the medieval museum, the multimedia museum, and it also hosts the seat of the Salerno Provincial Wine Cellar and a characteristic refreshment point.

The Arechi Castle is open every day from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM and from 4:00 PM until one hour before sunset (Tel. 089.481014).

7 Fratte Archaeological Area

The Fratte archaeological area extends over 4,500 square meters. It is all open, enclosed by walls, and preserves the remains of the Etruscan-Samnite settlement and necropolis. It is set as a park leaving the most substantial remains of the structures exposed. The Fratte archaeological area is located on the northeastern outskirts of Salerno, along the Irno river, in the present-day Fratte district, near the Cappelle and Matierno hamlets. The area is about one kilometer from the A2 Salerno-Fratte junction and is served by city buses and the Fratte Villa Comunale train station.

8 San Pietro a Corte Monumental Complex

This complex was founded by the Lombards. The San Pietro a Corte monumental complex was commissioned by the Duke of Benevento, Arechi II, who in 774, after the defeat of the Northern Lombards by Charlemagne, moved his residence from his city, then the duchy capital, to Salerno. Between the 13th and 16th centuries, a chapel dedicated to Marian worship was created. It was one of the seats of the Salerno Medical School.

Salerno Tourism what to see

9 The historic center of Salerno: medieval districts

The historic center of ancient Salernum was located between the Fusandola stream (“Portacatena”), the beach, the hill of Arechi Castle (“Monte Bonadies”), and the historic Carmine climb (near “Portanova”). The ancient city was divided into four historic districts: Curtis Dominica, Locus Veterensium, Orto Magno, and Plaium Montis. The historic center of Salerno preserves its medieval origins. Narrow streets, churches, and buildings of Lombard and Norman origin characterize this city corner that originates from the well-known Via dei Mercanti which begins at the Arechi Arch dating back to the 8th century.

10 Verdi Theatre of Salerno

The Verdi Theatre of Salerno was built on the Italian model with 71 boxes, an orchestra pit, and a gallery. The theater is municipally owned and is mostly used for operatic or classical music performances. It was designed shortly after the Unification of Italy, in 1863, following the closure of the San Matteo theatre (about 20 years earlier) but was only inaugurated in 1872. After restoration following the 1980 earthquake, it reopened in 1997. The Verdi Theatre has a capacity of about 610 seats. It is located in the old town of Salerno, next to the Villa Comunale.

11 The Villa Comunale of Salerno

The Villa Comunale of Salerno was designed by architect Casalbore at the end of the 18th century. Historically, it was one of the main connection areas between the ancient city and other urban centers located to the Northeast, first and foremost the capital Naples. Famous is the Don Tullio fountain, or the Asclepius fountain, built at the end of 1790 for passersby. Over the years, the Villa Comunale has been enriched with other monuments dedicated to prominent historical figures and plant species, becoming a meeting and gathering place. In recent years the Villa Comunale has been expanded and new decorative monuments have been added. The Villa Comunale is connected to the Verdi Theatre by a pedestrian walkway. Since 2006, it has hosted the Enchanted Garden of Luci d’Artista, the light displays that adorn the city during the Christmas period.

12 The Minerva Garden: botanical garden of the Salerno Medical School

Between the Villa Comunale and Arechi Castle lies this splendid botanical garden that was used by the Salerno Medical School: the Minerva Gardens. The botanical garden is open all year round with afternoon hours varying by season. In February, the Minerva Gardens are only open in the mornings, from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM. The Minerva Gardens host various educational activities and are visitable with guided tours. Entrance costs 3 euros with discounts for groups. Children under 6 years old enter free, as do tourist guides.

13 Trieste Waterfront

The Trieste Waterfront of Salerno is one of the longest (and most beautiful) in Italy. It starts at Piazza Amendola where the Villa Comunale, the Verdi Theatre, the City Hall, and the Prefect’s office are located. The Salerno waterfront, dotted with palm trees, borders the sea on one side and elegant buildings on the other. The waterfront is a city landmark. It offers a safe and wide pedestrian path where you can enjoy beautiful views of the Gulf of Salerno and Vietri sul Mare which marks the start of the Amalfi Coast. Along the Waterfront, you encounter the famous Piazza della Concordia and the city’s marina (contrasting with the commercial port further north), from where boats depart for the Amalfi Coast.

14 Salerno Light Displays: Luci d’Artista

Salerno Luci d’Artista. The historic center of Salerno and some nearby areas are decorated with special light displays with different themes each year. Inspired by what already happens in Turin, the event in Salerno has become a major attraction, filling the city with tourists and day-trippers during this period. The Luci d’Artista are enriched every year with collateral events that blend well with the usual Christmas period events. The event starts at the beginning of November and ends in early January, just after Epiphany.

15 How to get to Salerno

Salerno is well connected by motorway, train, air, and sea. By car, from the North: A1 Naples – Salerno: exit Vietri sul Mare or Salerno; A30 Caserta – Rome: exit Fratte/Salerno center; from the South: A2 Salerno-Reggio Calabria: exit Fratte/Salerno center; A2 Salerno Reggio Calabria: Pontecagnano exit direction Fratte/Tangenziale: exits from the Industrial Zone to Fratte. By train (Salerno station): high-speed trains (Italo and Frecciarossa) also available. By ferry: daily connections from Salerno Port to Messina, Catania, Palermo, Olbia, Tunis, Malta, and Valencia. By air: Naples Capodichino Airport 50 km away; Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport about 20 km away.

What to do in Salerno

16 Things to do in Salerno and surroundings

Salerno is a very lively city. The alleys of the historic center and the waterfront are always full of people, especially in good weather. From Salerno, links depart for the Amalfi Coast, which represents the noble province of the city of Arechi.

There are many things to do in Salerno and its surroundings, we suggest some attractions and tours not to be missed.

17 Where and what to eat in Salerno

The city offers a wide selection of food and wine. The Salerno cuisine is a daughter of Campania cuisine. Therefore, tasty are the seafood first courses but also the pizza, which can also be chosen with a stuffed crust (almost always with ricotta). In the streets of the historic center, especially in summer, you can eat fried fish served in paper cones. A true delicacy representative of Salerno street food. The historic center of Salerno also thrives with venues offering a wide variety of choices.

A typical Salerno dessert is the “Scazzetta del Cardinale” (the cardinal’s galero). It originated in 1920 in the Ancient Pantaleone Confectionery on Via Mercanti 7. Mario Pantaleone is the owner of this ancient confectionery whose structure was once a chapel dedicated to Saint Antonello, deconsecrated by Murat in 1807.

Another exquisite dish is the “pizza filled with escarole” whose recipe is derived from the Campania tradition. Another Salerno specialty is the gelato brioche. This can be found in several gelaterias (recommended bar Nettuno, on the waterfront, at number 136).

18 Where to stay in Salerno

The city offers several accommodation options, from budget B&Bs and holiday homes to hotels also located on the waterfront. Staying in Salerno is not expensive even during the summer period and especially during the “Luci d’Artista” event in the Christmas season.