Brief History
The area of Salerno hosted a small Pre-Roman settlement, as witnessed by the Etruscan necropolis in the quarter of Fratte. The Roman castrum Salerni was then founded in 197 BC. In the middle ages Salerno became the main Longobard principality in the south of Italy. In this period the Schola Medica Salernitana, the oldest university in Europe, became the center of the whole European medical knowledge in the middle ages. With the arrival of the Normans lead by Robert Guiscard, Salerno was still the major center of the southern Italy, even offering protection to the pope for a few years. However, the capital of the Norman reign uniting the whole southern Italy was later moved to Palermo, and with the emperor Frederick II, Salerno definitely lost its capital role in favour of Naples.

In September 1943, during the World War II, Salerno was the scene of the Operation Avalanche and suffered a great deal of damage. From February 12 to July 17, 1944, it hosted the Government of Marshal Pietro Badoglio. In those months Salerno was the temporary "Capital of the Kingdom of Italy", and the King Victor Emmanuel III lived in a mansion in its outskirts.

Salerno today
Salerno is a very lively town that has been rapidly renewing its look in the last few years. From west to east, we find the commercial port, the old town, and the modern center ending at the train station. Beyond the station, the town has considerably grown in size in the last fifty years, reaching 140,000 inhabitants. In the old town you should not miss the Duomo, witnessing the glourious Norman age. You will certainly appreciate the shops of Via dei Mercanti in the old town and Corso Vittorio Emanuele in the modern center, stretching eastward to the train station. With fine weather, have a stroll on the beautiful Lungomare (seafront). In the evening you will find a lot of restaurants and pubs both in the old town and in the modern center. In particular, people use to cluster in Via Roma in front of the town hall. Finally, take the chance to visit the Arechi Castle on the top of the hill dominating the old town, for an enchanting view of Salerno and its gulf.

Around Salerno
Salerno lies at the beginning of the world famous Amalfi Coast with its rocky cliffs rising from the sea and the small villages populating the narrow fjords (click for timetable of bus service to Amalfi). 38 km to the south you will find the ancient Greek temples of Paestum (click for timetable of bus n.34 or regional train to Paestum). Finally, you can easily reach Pompei, the largest Roman archaeological site in the world (click for timetable of trains to Pompei).

Natural parks
Salerno is surrounded by two national parks: Vesuvio and Cilento; and two regional parks: Monti Lattari, Monti Picentini. The highest mountains, touching 1800 m, are covered by a dense forest very rich in waters. They offer beautiful views on Salerno gulf and the whole Campania region. Among the hundreds of trails in the region, the most famous is Sentiero degli Dei ("Path of the Gods"), on the top of Amalfi coast. The dominant rock is limestone, which is ideal for climbing, especially in the Amalfi coast, where many climbing sites are equipped. Finally, the small ski resort of Lago Laceno is at one hour of drive from Salerno. For hiking maps and climbing guidebooks, you may contact Valerio Bozza. For sailing in Salerno gulf and along the Amalfi coast, contact Luigi Mancini.

Climate in January
Average High Temperature: 13°C
Average Low Temperature: 6°C
Average month precipitations: 152mm
Average number of rainy days: 11