I was very impressed by Salerno and its Mercatini di Natale (Christmas Market) and that is not an…read moreeasy thing to do!
I lived a 40-minute drive from Salerno for three years and have passed by or through it on many occasions, but yesterday was the first time I actually visited the city. We took the train from Napoli Centrale to meet one of my wife's friends and visit Salerno's renowned Mercatini di Natale ... and am I glad we did!
Salerno, on the sea with fabulous views of the Amalfi Coast, is a city of a little over 130,000 people. The lungomare, a path along the sea next to the main road in town, is gorgeous and the buildings lining the street opposite the sea old and majestic. We walked down lungomare admiring the many Christmas vendors displaying their wares, including ceramics, local delicacies and liqueurs, sweets of every variety, puppet shows, clothing, candles ... well, you get the picture. You cannot miss it if you stay on the road that goes along the sea through downtown. They even have porta-potties, something you rarely see in Italy along with a public toilet.
The breakwater that forms a lagoon adjacent to the lungomare and market was dotted with large, oversized penguins as the lights of Vietri Sul Mare and Positano twinkled in the distance and as daylight fell behind the massive Peninsula Sorrentina. A little further up the lungomare at the north end of the market was the villa comunale (Salerno's "Central Park"), filled with objects of all varieties made of brilliant lights, from Big Ben to Cinderella's coach, even Captain Hook's ship complete with crocodiles. Above villa comunale sits the brightly lit and impressive Castello di Arechi, an 8th Century castle built atop the mountain overlooking the city and once occupied by Lombard Prince Arechi II.
CombatCritic Gives Mercatini Di Salerno And The City Of Salerno My Exclusive And Coveted 10 Bombs Out Of 10 Rating And A Spot On My "WALL OF FAME" ... More Bombs Are Better!