Salerno, a provincial capital of Campania, is a thriving coastal resort which overlooks the homonymous enchanting gulf and the Tyrrhenian Sea. A privileged holiday destination, Salerno's coastline gathers a remarkably wide array of accommodation options and tourist services and facilities which are able to catch the attention of increasing numbers of visitors who are also attracted by Salernos' beguiling sea and fascinating old town.
Salerno hosts plenty of accommodation facilities which are able to welcome large numbers of tourists from spring up to late autumn. Elegant 4-star hotels and 3-star guesthouses follow one another along the fascinating street which flanks the beautiful Trieste Sea Front, which is scattered with excellent restaurants and lively pubs and clubs which are able to suit the requirements of both families with children and young people looking for utmost fun. Traditional inns give guests the possibility to taste the best specialities from Salerno and the surrounding area. The old village, which nestles on the slopes of the sweet hill dominating the hinterland, is peppered with bed and breakfasts, cheap guesthouses and former aristocratic residences which now host luxury hotels.
Provided with an important commercial port and a busy tourist harbour which can host up to 2000 boats, Salerno's coastline develops along over 7 kilometres of beaches gathering both well-equipped bathing establishments and rough public beaches. The beautiful sea front stands out as an elegant pedestrian tree-lined avenue which connects the two ports of the city.
Besides being an appreciated holiday destination for the lovers of sea and tan, Salerno is a traditional tourist mecca for the lovers of historic cities cherising precious monuments and works of art. Salerno's city centre is dominated by the sumptuous Castle of Arechi, an impressive defensive bulwark which was erected in the Byzantine Age and subsequently enlarged by Lombard Prince Arechi II in the VIII century. The city's old town nestles just behind the castle, and is made up of narrow medieval streets peppered with Norman palaces and churches.
The visit of Salerno's old village could start from the central Duomo, an impressive Arab-Norman building erected in the XI century which cherishes precious works of art, Roman and Medieval sarchopagi, XII-century mosaics, XVI-century frescos and the relics of Apostole Matteo, the city's patron saint. Next to the Duomo are the Provincial Archaeological Museum, the Diocesan Museum and the Educational Museum of the Medicine School of Salerno, the prestigious medicine school which was founded in the X century and kept on working till the XIX century. The village' s main street, Via dei Mercanti, hosts the Church of St. Gregorio, which in turns contains the Museum of the Medicine School, as well as the provincial picture gallery and further beautiful churches, such as the Baroque church of San Giorgio and the Romanesque Church of the Crucifix.
Walking down the streets of the city centre, tourists will have the possibility to explore small and intimate workshops selling local products, taste mouth-watering traditional specialities served by local restaurants and trattorias and go shopping in the glamorous boutiques of the city centre. Salerno's night life revolves around Via Roma and Via Giovanni da Procida, which are both scattered with trendy discos, pubs and glamorous night clubs. In summer, Trieste sea front and Santa Teresa beach offer guests the possibility to enjoy utmost fun while dancing and striking up new friendships.
Saturday 04 July 2009
