Amalfi to Salerno

May 15, 2023

Amalfi Coast - Part 2

The weather in Italy this spring has been setting records for rainfall, so we are not seeing it in its full glory. Instead of postcard picture perfection, we are seeing it draped in misty cloud which gives it more of a moody look and feel. Fortunately, the temperatures are quite normal for this time of year and as long as you can stay dry, it is comfortable.

We could hear the rain throughout the night and this morning, it was still drizzling. It really is an exceptional weather system and it has a firm grip on Italy. We would have loved to have breakfast on the large terrace looking over Amalfi, but instead Micheala and his mom welcomed us to breakfast in his gorgeous cucina. He offered us a printed menu to select what we wanted for breakfast and by the time we listed off what we wanted, he said, ah -- so everything! We replied, Si!

Who wouldn’t love this setup for cooking?

He proceeded to make and serve us cheese omelettes with toast, followed by yogurt, fruit salad, blood orange juice, cappuccino and cakes made by his sister. By then, it was time for a second coffee because why not? It was still raining.

We struck up a conversation with two ladies from Vancouver sitting at the next table. They had just finished a two-week fully guided cycle tour in Puglia and found the itinerary constraining (and wet). They were all ears as we explained our method of travel to them so who knows, maybe we will have another duo writing on Cycleblaze in the future?

I stepped out to take a photo of the valley behind the B&B and noticed an elderly man walking down a stairway across the valley. It made me wonder if any of the homes nestled among the lemon orchards (under those shade cloths) had car access. Well, no they don’t. The residents truck up and down the stairs many times daily. They may however, have a car parked along the roadway, which ends about 200m up the valley.

I remarked to Michaela that North Americans are fixated on the Mediterranean diet but what seems to be missing is the activity level in daily living here. He nodded and said, Italy is a natural gym. Exactly.

View up the valley from the B&B balcony.

Today’s route from Amalfi to Salerno finishes off the Amalfi coast segment of our tour. We were not as concerned about heavy traffic today since much of the traffic enters and exits the coast via a road that’s not far from here so when the deluge had dropped off to a drizzle, we set off down the stairs to the main street.

I bumped down the stairs; David carried his bike.

We passed through Minori, Maiori, Cetara and Vietri sur Mari en route. The road was convoluted and hilly. Oh how we wished we were seeing it on a sunny day! Traffic was heavier and the road narrower than yesterday. We got wetter and wetter as the kilometers ticked by.

This is what happens when a tourist van meets a delivery van. There were just cm’s separating them.

The local ferries are an important mode of transport here as the roadway gets blocked so frequently.Today, the seas are calm but yesterday was a different story!

Sure glad we brought booties. The roads were drenched.

The lemon trees were dripping in lemons under the shade covers.

The last town on the coast is Vietri sul Mare. It looked so inviting and we would have loved to explore further but each time we stopped, we got a chill. The roadway got considerably busier and more complicated so we took shelter under a large elevated highway to decide on the best route to our B&B. The most obvious route was a one way road (going the wrong way) but when a truck barrelled past us against the flow, we decided to follow suit. The oncoming traffic was oblivious to our ‘violation’. 🤷‍♀️

We bee-lined in to the main core of Salerno and the hunt for our B&B ensued. We were both ready to put the GPS in the naughty corner by the time we arrived at the doorway, a couple of cold drowned rats.

After warming up and a short rest, we headed out to see one of Salerno’s premiere attractions, the Salerno Cathedral. It was built in 1085.

The bell tower was added in the mid 12th century.

The crypt, which houses the relics of St. Matthew was restored in 1608. The frescoes depict scenes from the Gospel of Matthew and the seige of Salerno, and look like they could have been painted yesterday. Every inch of the crypt’s floors, walls and ceiling is decorated.

Next up was dinner which was recommended by our host, Paolo. Oh my, it was one of the best we have come across and that’s saying something. If you ever come to Salerno, you must try Al Dente Spaghetteria. Here are the drool-worthy photos.

My new favorite is Spaghetti Amatriciana. The secret ingredient was guanciale.

This was over-the-top in deliciousness, bruschetta with 4 kinds bufala mozzarella and a honey drizzle.

We chatted with the two lovely young women seated next to us. They had each recently graduated from medical school in Windsor (Western University) and are travelling before starting their careers in pediatrics. It is a small world indeed.

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Today's ride: 28 km (17 miles)
Total: 67 km (42 miles)

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Rachael AndersonSorry you had such miserable weather for the ride!
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11 months ago

Anne AnastasiouSorry the weather didn't cooperate for you. We've never experienced riding in that but we have had our share of walking days like that and know it can be disappointing. The view from your B&B and your food and people experiences sound great.
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11 months ago

Kathleen ClassenFeeling so much sympathy and hoping the meteorologists have it all wrong. I am also thinking of our wet gear conversations!
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11 months ago