Salerno, 🇮🇹

Today we left Salerno by cruiser and travelled along the spectacularly beautiful Amalfi Coast to the world-renowned town of Amalfi. It is one of the oldest of the maritime republics in Italy (839-1135).

Every town dotting the coast offers medieval fortresses and towers perched high on the steep cliffs. The notorious pirate Ariadeno Barbarossa attacked Amalfi and Salerno.

The pastel coloured and sparkling white houses seem as though they have been painted into the scenery. There are terraced lemon groves etched into the rugged mountainside.

Each picturesque town along the way has a small port and an even smaller beachfront area harpooned with 500 umbrellas per square meter.

We visited the Cathedral of St. Andrew (Arab-Norman) which has a stripped Byzantine facade (9-11thC). The first church of Amalfi, which forms one Nave of the Cathedral, dates to the 6thC AD.

The Cloister has at its centre a small Mediterranean garden and was the cemetery of the nobility of Amalfi in the 13thC.

The Crypt which contains the relics of the body of St. Andrew-the first disciple of Jesus. The vault frescoes are truly outstanding and framed by rich, elegant, stucco-works depicting the Passions of Christ.

Solerno is an important ferry departure point and a major shipping container port (our veranda over looks them) in the Tyrrhenian Sea. I will remember Solerno because it has the best gluten-free pizza 🍕 I’ve ever eaten!! #Margheri Restaurant Rome has just been bumped to 2nd place.

I really enjoyed this city because it has an authentic feel of every day life in Italy. I had a difficult time finding a single tourist souvenir shop!! The lovely cobblestone streets and decorated narrow passageways added to the ambiance and overall charm of this city.