Free walking tours in Salerno and what to see

Must-sees

Salerno looks out over the gulf that closes off the Amalfi Coast to the east, and it is an easy-going city with plenty of local life. Its historic centre is a tangle of alleys with churches and palazzi, crossed by Via dei Mercanti, the old shopping street. The big visit is the cathedral of San Matteo, from the Norman period, with an arcaded atrium, a Romanesque bell tower and a decorated crypt holding the evangelist's relics.

Salerno was home to the Schola Medica Salernitana, and the Minerva Garden, a terraced garden of medicinal plants, recalls that history and has good views over the rooftops. High on the hill is the Arechi Castle, of Lombard origin, overlooking the whole bay. To end the day, the seafront, the Lungomare Trieste, is where the city comes out for an evening stroll.

Free tours and guided visits

Salerno has no regular free walking tours. For the city, the guided option is a private tour. Most of what is on offer are trips leaving from here: by boat to Amalfi and Positano, by road to Amalfi and Ravello, to Pompeii, on its own or with Vesuvius, and some designed for cruise passengers. There is also a package combining the train to Naples with the hop-on hop-off bus.

How long to spend

A day is enough for the historic centre, the cathedral, the Minerva Garden and the seafront. If you go up to the castle, add a few hours. Salerno shines as a base: with three or four days you can take the boat to the Amalfi Coast, visit the Greek temples of Paestum to the south and get to Pompeii by train.

Where to stay

The most practical choice is to stay between the historic centre and the seafront, near the harbour where the boats for the coast leave and a few minutes from the station. There are city hotels, apartments and guesthouses, and prices tend to be more affordable than in Amalfi or Positano. Vietri sul Mare, known for its ceramics, is a small alternative very close by.