Southern Italy

Salerno, the Amalfi Coast and Naples

As I wrote in my Catania post, Catania and an Itinerary for Sicily, my 2025 itinerary in Sicily left a lot to be desired and I would do it totally differently if I had to do it over.  Part of the reason my trip involved too much travel was that I thought I could use Salerno as a base to see the towns of the Amalfi coast from Amalfi south to Vietri sul Mare. 

Getting There

Palermo to Messina to Villa san Giovane

Since I was staying in Palermo, I took a bus to Messina and then a ferry across the Messina Straits to a tiny village, Villa san Giovane.  Ever since taking the bus from Rome to Sorrento in 2021, I check bus schedules as well as train schedules when traveling in Italy.    Frequently the bus is more convenient and cheaper although it may take longer than the train.  In this case I think the cost and time was about the same for each mode but the bus had a stop that appeared to be closer to the ferry port from Messina to Villa San Giovane.  (The ferry port to Reggio Calabria is closer to the train station and I originally planned to go there but then realized Reggio Calabria was much further south than I thought.)

The bus trip itself was beautiful, following the coast all the way to Messina, with gorgeous views of the Mediterranean.  It was a bit scary too, constantly crossing deep gorges on bridges that had me praying to my higher being plus going in and out of tunnels. 

I got off at the first stop in Messina and dragging my 2 suitcases, I first found my way to a little park near the lungomare or street along the harbor and stopped there to eat a sandwich.  I was feeling pretty proud of myself for finding my way to the street that led to the port but then realized it was a very long walk, at least a couple of miles to the actual port.  Then I turned in at the sign for the ferry but got lost wandering around in the area that is for cars going on the ferry. 

Seeing an open door, I stepped inside, startling a guard. But he did point me in the right direction and I found the ticket office.  Thank goodness I’d already bought my ticket online because they were sold out.  The man in the ticket office pointed me to the place where pedestrians waited and I got there a few minutes before the ferry arrived.  And mama mia it was huge.  At least three levels.  And as I watched buses and 18 wheelers as well as hundreds of cars drive on to the lower level, I definitely had some heart palpitations.  At the same time I was annoyed with myself for not taking a bus across the straits to Villa San Giovanne or more logically, a ferry to Salerno.

I followed the other foot passengers on to the ferry, wondering how I was going to get my suitcases up to the passenger level.  There was an escalator but I didn’t think I could wrangle my suitcases on it.  But then I stumbled on an elevator and was amazed when I got off to find a restaurant, a large comfortable seating area as well as restrooms.  I stashed my bags by a ‘couch’ and immediately went out to the deck and started taking pictures.  I stayed on the deck for about half the trip then went back inside to make sure I could get off quickly.

While I regret my itinerary and wish I’d gone directly from Palermo to Naples and done day trips from there, I don’t regret seeing the spectacular views across the Messina Straits of mainland Italy. (Sadly much of Messina was destroyed by Cyclone Harry and I have not heard if the ferries are running again.  You can find lots of Instagram posts on the destruction and the incredible power of Harry.)

 

Villa San Giovane and Villa Princi

https://www.guestreservations.com/villa-princi/booking

When I chose Villa Princi, (which you can find on all the major booking sites) it looked to be a fairly easy walk from the port.  About a week before my arrival the owner texted me on Whatsapp saying she would pick me up.  A few days before leaving Palermo, I texted her, giving her my arrival time in Villa San Giovane but didn’t receive a response.  I texted again, with the same information plus the fact that I couldn’t send texts via Whatsapp without wifi.

So, when I got off the ferry and saw no one who seemed to be waiting for me, I was at a loss as to what to do.  Google maps indicated that the train station was fairly close to the port so I started walking in that direction, listening for the train whistles.  I had to zig zag through streets hoping I was going the right way and then finally started seeing the tracks and the station.

My plan was to get a taxi at the station and while there was one parked in front, the driver was nowhere to be seen.  I asked a couple of people if they knew where he was, just getting head shakes.  I finally met a young guy who understood me well enough to call the driver and he arrived fairly quickly.  While it cost me 15 euros, I was glad I took the taxi.  The maps indicated the B&B is fairly close to the port and I probably could have walked there, but it is not easy to find.  There’s a small sign at the base of the driveway, where the taxi driver let me out.  I then had to haul my bags up the long driveway where I faced two steep flights of stairs.

I left my bags at the bottom of the stairs, hike up to the main entrance and knocked and called out several times.  But no one answered.  After 10 minutes I saw a woman on the lower level and called to her, asking if someone could help me.  She eventually brought out a man who I learned later is the son of the owner. 

He checked me in and helped me to my room.  I was somewhat freaked out to realize I was completely alone.  While the room and bath were clean and comfortable, the wifi strength was poor and I had to  run downstairs several times to send messages to the B&B in Salerno and to make train reservations for my trip to Salerno the next day.  On the plus side the owner’s son did recommend a pizzeria for dinner and offered to take me to the train station the next day.

But Villa San Giovanne is tiny with almost nothing going on.  It might be a good base for someone with a car who wants to explore Calabria but there’s no other reason for going there that I could discern.

Dinner in Villa San Giovanne

Mauni Pizza, via Monsignor Santo Vescovo Bergamo

While Mauni Pizza is not exactly a gourmet spot, I was thankful for the suggestion since as I walked to the pizzeria it appeared that Villa San Giovanne was completely deserted.  It was a dark, windy, chilly walk to the pizzeria and I almost missed Mauni because their light wasn’t on initially.  I later laughed to myself because I had imagined walking along the lungomare and having a nice dinner at a seafood restaurant. 

The staff definitely wasn’t ready for customers but seated me in the back where it was warm and cozy and brought me a glass of red wine.  I had a decent pizza marguerita and another glass of wine.  

Later I wrote that walking back to the B&B in the dark, in a strange town, was not the smartest thing I’ve ever done.  But at least I made it and was able to get a decent night’s rest in a warm comfortable bed.

The next morning I woke early stressed over getting to the train on time.  The owner told me I could have breakfast at 8:15 am and of the 4 B&B’s I stayed in, it was the best, a huge cappuccino, juice, croissant, fruit…   But it wasn’t until I was leaving that the signora realized I was trying to speak Italian and we more or less bonded and parted warmly.  She and her son took me to the station and not only showed me the ascensore (elevator) but took my bags to the binario where it was cold and windy. I had to wait 40 minutes for my train and was a frozen windblown mess by the time I got on. 

Salerno

Getting there

It’s a relatively long train ride from Vill San Giovanne to Salerno, at least 4 hours but the scenery was gorgeous along the coast where at times we only seemed to be a few yards from the sea. The city itself reminds  me of Naples in that it sits in a semi-circle facing the sea on one side with the mountains at its back.  There’s a large harbor with normally quite a few ferries up and down the Amalfi Coast which is one of the reasons I decided to spend 4 days there, hoping to use it as a base to see some of the Amalfi Coast, my major interest being Ravello.  But that was not to be.  The seas were too rough while I was there for the ferries to go out.

There’s a pleasant park/lungomare along the harbor and a large pedestrian mall through the heart of the lower part of the city. 

 

I realized the next day that it was a fairly easy walk from the train station to my B&B but being unfamiliar with the city I took a cab to the hotel  It seemed like he drove all over hell’s half acre to get there, presumably because of one way streets, but it only cost 15 euros.

Where to Stay?

Suite 39, B&B,

Via Principati 39, Salerno

https://www.suite39.it/en

It seemed like I spent hours and hours on the various hotel websites trying to find something centrally located and not too expensive before coming across Suite 39.  It seemed to be a good location and price, 72 euros/night plus tax and when I saw the Lonely Planet recommended it, I decided it was the one.

It’s on the 4^th floor of a building, thankfully with an elevator and my first impression was positive.  I thought the owner was pleasant and the room comfortable and large with a nice balcony looking towards the harbor. 

But Suite 39 turned out to be not that great.  This trip was the first time that I stayed in B&B’s where there was either no breakfast and/or no services; one in Palermo, one in Agrigento plus Suite 39.  I didn’t see the owner again until the end of my stay, there were frequently weird noises at night and ‘breakfast’ was a stale cake plus a coffee machine that was out of water and milk by 7:30 am. 

It was convenient and I did enjoy sitting out on the balcony when it was nice.

Dining out in Salerno

I didn’t have particularly good luck finding places to eat or even have coffee in Salerno.

Dòmo i’ vinaino Wine Bar – Enogastronomia

via Duomo

My first evening in particular didn’t go well.  I decided to take myself out to a little enoteca because I didn’t want to wait until 7:30pm to eat and was trying to keep my costs down.  When I came out of the B&B, it was raining so ran back up and got my umbrella then had a really hard time finding it.  It is super tiny,  super expensive, probably the most expensive meal since I’d been in Italy.  And calling it a meal would be a stretch, a small ‘tagliere’ and 2 glasses of wine. 

The latter was not a good idea since I, then, had to walk through the dark, streets in the rain hoping I’d find my way back to the B&B.

The next morning, after seeing the ‘breakfast’ set up, I looked on Google for a nearby café and of course it sent me on a frolic and detour that ended up nowhere.  But I, then, realized the pedestrian mall had cafes ever few feet.  I found one where I had a cappuccino and brioche which got me through the morning.   I also ran to the coop and got wine, water and chips which I was glad to have on hand.

That evening, after getting back from Vietri Sul Mare,( see Day Trips below) I just picked up what I described in my journal as ‘mortadella/burrata concoction on focaccia, maybe.’ 

My third night, after the hideous trip to Amalfi, (see Day Trips below) I wandered down Corso Vittorio Emanuele just past Via Principati where there are dozens of bars and restaurants most with outside seating.  I chose one at random, 089ZeroOttoNovecorso I think, and had a great time listening to American music having a couple of glasses of wine and watching the sunset.  I even posted a Happy Hour in Salerno picture on Instagram.   I also ordered a ‘piadina’ which is like a wrap. I think I had a ham and cheese piadina and loved it.  

I liked it so much I went back my last night after wandering around Salerno most of the day, arranging to take the bus to Naples and making sure I knew how to get to the bus stop.  It had been raining off and one all day but the sun came out late afternoon so I walked up and down the mall, then stopped at the bar.   That time the waiter was less than friendly so I must have broken some Italian aperitivo law.  Still I enjoyed a vino and got another piadino, this time to go.  It was vegetarian and absolutely amazing.

Day Trips from Salerno

As I mentioned initially, seeing some of the towns along the southern Amalfi coast was the major motivator for staying in Salerno.  I had done a day trip to Positano from Sorrento in 2021 and thought it was fabulous.

Vietri Sul Mare

I didn’t write in my journal why I decided to walk up to the tourist office near the train station but I think I wanted to clarify some of the information the B&B owner had given me.  In the process I discovered that Vietri sul Mare is a 5 min./1 euro train trip from Salerno.

What had started out as a rainy and somewhat chilly day Tuesday turned out lovely, so I walked up to the train station around noon and bought my roundtrip (biglietto andato e ritorno) ticket and left within 30 minutes, I think.  (The trains run quite often, stopping in Vietri sul Mare on their way up the coast.)

The station is rather odd, in that it sits above the town (and the sea) and you have to take an elevator that holds 3-4 people down to the main street.  There are beautiful views from the lookout next to the station, so I stopped there first taking multiple pictures.

After taking the elevator to the town, I took some pictures to orient myself for the return trip, then walked over to the wall at the edge of town, taking more photos of the views.

 

Vietri sul Mare is known for its ceramics and they are stunning.  As I continued down Corso Umberto, I  walked past shop after shop selling absolutely gorgeous pieces. The town itself is tiny and I walked up and down the streets multiple times, window shopping and admiring all the beautiful ceramic and clothing shops.  I bought some small pieces, espresso cups and bowls that I could pack easily, for my sister and daughter.  And they loved them.

 

 

Amalfi

Getting There

Since the ferries weren’t running, I decided to take the bus to Amalfi on Wednesday which looked to be (and was) the warmest day of the week.  I hadn’t noticed a lot of tourists so I headed to the bus pick up in front of the train station around 9:30 am.  Mama mia!!  There was a line about two blocks long, made up mainly of German tourists, which I found to be the case throughout Sicily and southern Italy.

I later wrote in my journal that it was ‘the worst trip I’ve ever taken.’  It was nearly an hour before the first bus came and filled up quickly then another 45 minutes at least before the second bus arrived.  (As an aside I got to talking with a couple who were waiting with their young daughter.  They were from Germany and asked me how I’d been treated as an American.  Interesting.  My one good deed of the week was telling them about Vietri sul Mare and they left and headed to the train station.)

People were pushing and shoving and crowding and as a small person I ended up standing on the bus for the entire trip.  Traffic was horrific; stop and go, and by the time we arrived in Amalfi I was an exhausted sweaty mess. 

I walked around the harbor area taking my usual pictures, then rested ‘my dogs’ and had a Peroni at a ‘seaside’ restaurant.  I prayed it would be  better by 6:00pm but that went unanswered.

From the seaside restaurant I walked up and down the main street of Amalfi, taking photos and looking for a good spot for a late lunch.  I had seen so many lovely photos on Instagram that I expected to be wowed with both the town itself and the cafes and bars.  But Amalfi did not impress me.  I later wrote that it put the T in touristy;  crowded, overpriced food. Some of that may have been because it was a cool, overcast day (although it had been incredibly hot on the bus) as you can see in the gallery below.

 

My biggest disappointment was not being able to go to Ravello.  From Amalfi your options are a bus (and I had bought a ticket at the same time as I bought my Amalfi ticket), driving, or something like 300 steps.  But the chaos at the bus stop never got better and it was impossible to see where to pick up the Ravello bus.  I so wish now that I’d gone to one of the smaller towns, Atrani, Maiori, or Minori.

I finally gave up and went back to the bus stop around 4:00 pm and it was just as bad if not worse.  Hordes of people at the bus stop shoving and pushing.  I was one of the last people on the bus and stood, sweating and dying for about 40 minutes until a young guy took pity on me.

 

Naples

Getting There

As mentioned above, I spent most of my last day in Salerno, trying to decide between the bus and the train to get to Naples, finally choosing the bus, booking the 10:30 am bus on https://www.omio.com/buses/italy, a site I found very useful in Sicily.  The bus leaves from Piazza Concordia which is on the main road coming into Salerno, right next to the lungomare.  

As usual I was at the bus stop early, but had no issue getting on. (And word to the wise.  Make sure you check your ticket because it will tell you which city will be showing on the bus.  In this case Bari, not Naples.)  There were very few passengers so I quickly moved to a seat by myself and enjoyed the scenery.  The bus travels on a highway inland from the Amalfi coast (not surprisingly) and I was surprised to see several fairly large towns, probably where the worker bees from the tourist towns live.  But it was green and pretty and the trip went quickly. 

The bus depot is right next to the train station in Naples so I walked to the front of the station, got my bearings, then walked down Corso Umberto to via Duomo, turned left towards the harbor and arrived at the B&B’s  building after a couple of blocks. 

Where to Stay

B&B Ottocento

I chose B&B Ottocento mainly for location since it’s easy to find your way around Naples from Via Duomo, one of the few straight streets in Naples but realized when I arrived that it is in the same building as the B&B where I stayed in 2021, a B&B I did not like.  See, Where not to Stay, Italy

But B&B Ottocento is light years away from that mistake. The owner met me at the main door and ushered me upstairs on the elevator. 

The apartment is actually a large suite with a  living area, a huge bedroom and large bath, apparently carved out of the signora’s original apartment.   Both the living area and the bedroom have walls of books and art which the signora said date back to the 18^th century.  The owner lives in the back half of the apartment and was both super nice and helpful. My first night when she came to my room to help me get some heat and realized I hadn’t eaten, she called a neighborhood bar and had a huge panino delivered.

Breakfast was at a café across the street where I had the most amazing white chocolate brioche and cappuccino ever.  I posted the picture below on Instagram, labeling it ‘Breakfast of Champions.

Walkabout in Naples

Let me preface this discussion with one of my biggest regrets of this trip.  I decided to squeeze in Naples because I wanted to do a day trip to Ischia, a lovely island in the bay of Naples.  But when I got settled and started checking fares, the ferry trip was 46 euros one way.  Since I was already facing a nearly $100 train trip to Firenze on Sunday, I  decided not to go.  What I should have done, is either have spent fewer days in Salerno or gone to Naples directly from Palermo saving me travel time and money. 

Friday afternoon in Naples

After getting settled and taking a shower, I headed up via Duomo to my favorite areas of Naples, Spaccanapoli and Decumano Maggiore. Spaccanapoli runs north from Corso Umberto and east from via Duomo to Corso Umberto I, crossing that street at Piazza Nicola Amore, continuing up via Duomo (probably the straightest street in Naples) northwest to via Tribunali.     

As I walked up via Duomo, I was shocked to find the street completely torn up for some type of renovation or construction.  And equally shocked to find the area wall to wall tourists, again mainly German. The streets of Spaccanapoli and Decumano Maggiore are extremely narrow and winding and it was challenging wandering through them, trying to find my goal, via San Gregorio Armeni.  I wrote about this street and its wonderful Christmas shops in my Three Days in Naples post but have to add a bit more here.

After finally finding via San Gregorio, I walked south along the shops hoping to find the little store where I bought a cornicello and presepe in 2021.  It was tough going in the crowds and I started to feel like a salmon swimming upstream.  Finally I found the shop I was looking for, Antonio Pepe, and just like in 2021, the owner/artisan was in the back of his shop making handcrafted Christmas items.  That day I bought a presepe and a cornicello, then came back the next day and bought two more.  I gave the presepe to my daughter and she loved it.

 

While I was in the shop, it started raining and the crowds thinned, so I just put up my umbrella and walked up and down via San Gregorio, checking out the shops and the amazing artisans.

I, then, walked south to via San Biagio dei Librai, turning east and walking until I found a little bar that I had enjoyed in 2021.  Bar Decumano is near Piazza San Domenico Maggiore and I remembered the staff as being exceptionally fun.  But everything changes.  Since it was rather cool, I went inside but wish now I’d sat outside where everything was happening.  I ordered a bottle of rosé, planning to take most of it back to my apartment and also to order an aperitivo.  But the waiter never came back.  So I finally got up, grabbed the bottle, paid at the bar and headed back to the B&B.  All that led to the signora ordering me a panino when I got back to the B&B but still it was worth it.  It’s a really cute little place.

A somewhat wasted Saturday

Saturday dawned blue and beautiful but I was no closer to a decision on going to Ischia than the day before.  I walked to the train station to get my ticket to Firenze confirming what it said online, almost $100 for the high speed train with no changes.  When I got back to via Duomo, I stopped at the cafe for my wonderful white chocolate croissant and cappuccino, then went back to he B&B and struggled with the issue for another hour.  The deciding factors were time and money.  Contrary to what my guide book said, the ferry websites said a ferry to Ischia was $46.  Plus it took 90 minutes and of course I was worried about getting back late when I had an early morning train reservation.

So I gave up my dream, and main reason for stopping in Naples, and spent most of the day just walking around.  I first decided to go to the Orto Botanico and did the 2-3 mile hike up via Duomo to Piazza Cavour and then northwest to the gardens on via Foria.  Of course, it was closed.  So I back tracked to Piazza Cavour and continued to the Archaeological Museum which I visited and loved in 2021.  Nope.  Closed.

So I headed south back into Decumano Maggiore finding my way to Piazza Bellini.  This is a lovely piazza with tons of bars and cafes with outside searing. I wandered around settling on what looked to be a fairly casual bar (and later was laughing to myself for choosing Caffe Arabo.  I ordered the standard aperol spritz and wrote: But I’m mellowing out a bit; sun and spritz are helping plus telling myself that it was too cool and breezy to spend 3 hours on a ferry. 

I made my spritz last as long as possible then wandered around Spaccanapoli trying to find an enoteca that I’d seen online.  Nope.

 

Food and me and Naples

Naples is known for its pizza and street food and from Instagram posts I’ve seen there are many good places to eat.  But I’ve yet to find one.  In 2021 the rainy chilly weather dissuaded me from trying one of the many trattoria along via S. Biagio dei Librai and surrounding streets.  My only real find was Bar Decumano.

Traveling alone, I look for enotecas where I can sit and enjoy a ‘tagliere’ and a vino without feeling awkward.  And both in 2021 and 2025 I had a list of possible places to try.  But either Google Maps is wrong or my guide book is wrong because I couldn’t find any of them.  

And that was true my last afternoon in Naples.  After wandering around Spaccanapoli trying to find an enoteca, I gave up. 

I walked back to the apartment with a detour to the street by the harbor where I saw what looked like a cute seafood restaurant.  I went back to the B&B for a while, then returned to the restaurant where I asked for risotto and got a huge slab of inedible lukewarm lasagne and got charged 20 euros for it.  I should have listened to the couple next to me who said they got ripped off, overcharged for a couple of beers.