The city

Salerno: History, Culture, and Beauty
“Another vision was born that evening from the windows of Salerno, and it spared me every description of a delightful and most fertile land. Who would not have been willing to study in this town at the time when a university flourished there?”
— Wolfgang Goethe
Salerno is an ancient city, a Roman colony founded in 197 B.C., located in the center of a wide gulf embraced by mountains. Naples lies fifty kilometers away by highway, while Paestum and the Cilento coast stretch southward. To the north rises the magnificent Amalfi Coast.

From Roman Colony to Medieval Capital
Salerno enjoyed a prosperous life as a Roman colony, and in the Early Middle Ages, after the Byzantine period, it became a Lombard Principality, rich in trade and cultural prestige.
Here arose the Medical School of Salerno, the first scientific institution in Europe and the foundation of future universities.
The Lombard and then Norman period in the 11th century was the city’s most flourishing era—when it was known as Opulenta Salernum, the “Wealthy Salerno,” and served as the capital of Southern Italy before the Norman conquest of Sicily.
In the same century, Salerno saw the construction of its most beautiful and important monument: the majestic Cathedral.

A Beacon of Culture and Learning
In the following centuries, Salerno remained a prominent center of medical studies. Emperor Frederick II granted it the privilege to confer degrees as early as the 13th century.
Despite alternating fortunes and the growing dominance of Naples, which became the capital under the Angevins, Salerno retained great cultural prestige.
Here, Saint Thomas Aquinas taught; Masuccio Salernitano, the foremost Italian novelist of the 15th century, set many of his tales here; and Bernardo Tasso lived at the court of the splendid Prince Sanseverino, where, perhaps, his son Torquato Tasso was born.

The Modern Age and Beyond
In the 18th century, Salerno experienced a new period of prosperity and refinement. From that era come the magnificent palaces and monuments that still adorn the city.
In the 19th century, it participated in the Risorgimento movements, embellished itself with gardens and public buildings, and became one of the most important industrial centers in Southern Italy, thanks to textile mills, flourworks, and pasta factories.
During the 20th century, the city was the site of the Allied landing in 1943 and, for several months, served as the seat of the Italian Government and the Capital of Italy.

Salerno Today
Today, Salerno is a vibrant city, rich in cultural events and beautified by the works of world-renowned architects. Its Historic Center still preserves traces of its glorious past.
The province of Salerno offers everything: sea, art, culture, nature, gastronomy, and tradition. For those who prefer the mountains, the Alburni range provides splendid natural landscapes, while the Monti Lattari, overlooking the Amalfi Coast, offer hiking trails suitable for both beginners and expert trekkers.
Among these, the famous Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei)—from Agerola to Positano—is a breathtaking experience: a demanding yet accessible walk offering what many call “the most beautiful view in the world.” Truly worthy of the Gods.