{"id":13529,"date":"2018-08-29T18:30:42","date_gmt":"2018-08-29T18:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelandpamstravels.com\/?p=13529"},"modified":"2019-05-28T07:35:59","modified_gmt":"2019-05-27T21:35:59","slug":"salerno-and-the-amalfi-coast-italy-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaelandpamstravels.com\/?p=13529","title":{"rendered":"Salerno and the Amalfi Coast, Italy 2018 \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Date:  27-28th August 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travelled:  204 kilometres from Matera in Basilicata to Salerno in Campania, both in Italy.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visited:  Salerno and the Amalfi Coast.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stayed:  Salerno Sosta Parco del Mercatello, \u20ac10 all services, electricity \u20ac5 extra.  N40.65974, E14.80454<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budget:  86 days @ \u20ac97 per day.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another cool evening, perfect for a good sleep.  Given Italian towns are noisy places at night, staying out of town in farm stays or agroturisto as they call them are great.  I would also recommend anywhere on a hill as you can catch the breeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway we do our best to be serviced and out the gate by just after 9am.  It\u2019s a long drive to Salerno and we want to be there by lunch.  We stop for some fuel as we travel south on the SS7.  I should mention the service stations in Italy.  Firstly they are everywhere and you would wonder how they survive. Secondly, how do they work ? You don\u2019t know until you drive in, many are automated, for which you need a local credit card or failing that (which we obviously don\u2019t), a machine that takes cash.  Sounds simple but it\u2019s all in Italian.  So I\u2019ll try and briefly explain, you insert your \u20ac50 note, select a pump, then select your fuel type and hopefully it works. Sound easy but it\u2019s not.  Lastly there is the service station with an attendant.  This service station will have bowsers on one side at one price, say \u20ac1.48 if you serve youself (see firstly) and bowsers on the other side with an attendant at \u20ac1.65.  If you use an attendant and pay the higher price by some form of miracle you can use any credit card.  Like many other things in Italy it defies logic so don\u2019t worry yourself about.  Just carry lots of \u20ac50 notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On the E847 westbound near Castelmezzano.  The rocky outdrops make for an interesting drive.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Italian dream gone wrong perhaps ?<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Italian drivers don\u2019t stop at red lights or stop signs, so we doubt this flag waving mannequin is going to have much luck.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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We arrive at the sosta and settle in.  It doesn\u2019t look much from here but it has a high security fence and the guard locks the gate at 10pm.  The train station is only a 100 metres away which is convenient as well.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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We roll the scooter off the Hymer and head into Salerno about 4pm. It\u2019s about 4 klms into the centro or old city.  This photo looking across to the port.  The mountains of the Amalfi coast in the background.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The 11th century Duomo is Salerno\u2019s main attraction, so we park nearby and walk up.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Duomo has a beautiful portico entrance courtyard, apparently added in the 12th century.  Never seen an entry like this before.  Note the bronze double doors, cast in Constantinople (that\u2019s modern day Istanbul, for those of you who dropped geography) in the 11th century.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Inside the Duomo is too big if anything, it\u2019s cavernous.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The fresco above the high alter. The remnants of the original 11th century Norman frescos can be seen on the surrounding wall.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The real gem in our opinion was the vaulted crypt. Every panel tells a story, the detail is amazing !<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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