An enchanting little village in the Amalfi Coast, alive with majolica decorations and colorful small houses overlooking the sea
Vietri sul mare is a small and charming village, one of the most ancient and lesser–known in the Amalfi Coast. Those who get there by train heading south, can catch sight of the majolica decorations of the dome of the Church of San Giovanni Battista, which is the city’s most relevant monument. It does look like a picture, with all the gardens and the colorful little houses overlooking the sea.
If you get there by car, on the so–called Nastro Azzurro (Blue Strip) county road, you will lose yourself while gazing at the views of the typical Coast terracings, with their vineyards, citrus groves and the typical Mediterranean scrub.
The Vietri ceramic production, which dates back to the 1400’s, is kept alive by the many workshops in the city center, being definitely one of this site’s calling cards, with the majolica covering the walls of the buildings and portraying some of the main elements of the Mediterranean culture, the sun, the sea and lemons. Don’t miss the local handmade coffee cups! If you want to get to know the history of ceramics, all you have to do is visit the Museum located inside the park in Villa Guariglia in Raito, with relics dating back to the 1700s until the 1900s, where you can also see the original samples of designs used in many houses and restaurants in Naples. If you walk down to the shore of Vietri, you will find many clubs and restaurants where you can enjoy a cocktail in the sun or taste spaghetti with seafood as well as a “paranza” of small fried squids, perfectly matched with a nice glass of white wine with a view on the sea!
For those coming from Salerno, Vietri is the first city of the Amalfi Coast. For those coming from Naples, you can drive through the A3 highway directed to Salerno and take exit Vietri sul Mare.
Villa Guariglia
Villa Guariglia is a must–see for many reasons, it is an elegant noble palace, a symbol of the Amalfi Coast. Along with the Ceramics Museum, it also housed a TV production, that is, the “Capri” series and every summer it houses events such as the International Piano Competition “Vietri sul Mare – Costa Amalfitana” and the “Summer concerts in Villa Guariglia”, luring many tourists and music enthusiasts to this extraordinarily beautiful place.
Cetara
Cetara is a must for food lovers: only 6 kilometers away from Vietri, here you will find some delicious seafood dishes from the local traditional cuisine, for seafood is always fresh in this area. Most specifically, anchovies preserved in oil are the perfect dressing for a typical pasta recipe, since the Roman age. If you want to taste this specialty you can take a break at the small port, where you can also have tuna bottarga and figs. Or desserts such as the so-called delizia al limone (lemon delights). Let your senses guide you through this heavenly journey!
