5 Must-See Places near Campania
Our native English speaker team member, Nina Chamlou, wrote a blog post about her favorite destinations in the region of Campania, where our business is located. Enjoy reading about her top five favorite places and the see some photos she’s taken along the way.
After living in the southern Italian region of Campania for a year, I’ve had the chance to visit a lot of the towns both on and off the coastline. Of course, there is still an endless list of places that I still have yet to see. But because of the quarantine, which has made it more difficult to travel between regions, over the time that I’ve been here, I’ve really gotten a good sense of the region that I'm in: Campania.
I may be biased, but I think any trip to Italy would be incomplete without spending at least a week — if not a few — down in the south, on the beautiful Amalfi Coast.
Naples
A view of Mt. Vesuvius and Naples from above the city.
Naples, the biggest city in the southern region of the country, is said to be the most misunderstood town in all of Italy. For the last century, tourists have avoided it as a destination because it is home of the region’s mafia, the Gomorra.
Little did wary tourists know that they were missing out on one of the most romantic city’s in Europe. Located at the base of the infamous Mt. Vesuvius, Napoli (as it is known in Italian) is filled with hidden treasures to be discovered around every dusty cobblestone corner and down every narrow alleyway lined strewn with hanging laundry. I would bet that Naples has as many churches per capita as it does pizzerias – speaking of which, this city is the original birthplace of pizza.
There is just something about Naples that makes you want to come back. When I first visited on a whim in summer of 2019, I promised myself that I would return – and just a couple of months later I was back again – this time to stay.
If you find yourself in Naples, visit Di Matteo’s for a perfect pizza. You can also try fried pizza here. It is as tantalizingly delicious as it sounds.
Salerno
A view of Salerno’s lovely Lungomare.
My heart has a soft spot for Salerno, a town located right on the sea, a few miles down the coast from Naples. If Naples is a badass punk rock chick, Salerno is like her straight-laced little sister. It’s a great place to get away from the chaos of Naples, do some shopping on the Via Mercanti and take a stroll down the breathtakingly picturesque lungomare (boardwalk) while you enjoy a nice, cold spritz.
Hot tip – Salerno is also a great (and slightly cheaper) place to stay if you want to tour the Amalfi Coast because it’s only 15-30 minutes away on a scooter!
Cetara
Walking through the middle of town in Cetara.
Cetara is one of my favorite little beach towns on the Amalfi Coast. There is something unique about it that I just can’t quite put my finger on. It’s not as famous (or pretentious) as many of the other towns, but just as great of a place to stop by for a glass of wine or to spend the day on the beach. They are famous for their colatura di alici here, which are kind of like canned sardines, but 10 times better. Makes sure to pick up a little jar to take with you and make some delicious pasta for dinner.
Matera
A view of Matera’s central historic district.
I’m so glad that me and my partner decided to make the three-hour trip out east to Matera. This town is an exception to the rest of the town’s on this list, as it’s located outside of Campania. But it’s reachable if you are touring around in the region. For a history buff, this town is mecca. Most of the buildings are thousands of years old and have been kept in pristine condition. It’s especially gorgeous to take a walk here at night and look at all the buildings illuminated by the soft light of the stars. As you’re walking through, you feel like you could be in Jesus’ era. Speaking of which, the movie The Passion of the Christ, was actually filmed here!
Erchie
In Erchie, you can rent kayaks and explore the coastline.
If you’re looking for a place to chill for a beach day on the Amalfi Coast, Irchie is our go-to spot. When I first visited Erchie, I was absolutely blown away by how beautiful the views are. Once you find parking on the street above, you have to climb down a hill to reach the actual coastline, which feels like descending into heaven, as you walk through Mediterranean jungle and get teasing little peeks of the paradise below you. At the bottom, you have two small beaches to choose from. At one of them, you can rent kayaks and explore the coastline. (There are some tiny, water-access only beaches to be found!) And no need to bring beer and sandwiches – there are stores and bars that have you covered near the beaches.