This coastal town on Italy's Amalfi Coast has produced colorful ceramics since the 15th century. Its beach and medieval San Giovanni church overlook the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Vietri sul Mare marks the eastern gateway to Italy's Amalfi Coast. In the narrow streets, you'll hear the sounds of ceramic wheels spinning as artisans create their majolica works in small workshops. The 18th-century Church of San Giovanni Battista dominates the skyline, its dome shimmering with yellow, blue, and green tiles. Two distinctive rock formations, the Due Fratelli, rise from the sea near the beach, while the medieval village of Albori perches on the cliffs above, its stone houses connected by ancient stairways.
Getting to Vietri sul Mare
Take a regional train from Naples or Salerno to Vietri sul Mare - the only train station on the Amalfi Coast. SITA buses run between Vietri and other coastal towns throughout the day. If you're driving, exit the A3 highway directly into town. This makes Vietri a practical base for visiting the region while staying away from the main tourist crowds.
Ceramics and Shopping
Local artisans work in small studios throughout town, continuing majolica-making traditions that date to the 1400s. Stop by Ceramica Artistica Solimene to see craftsmen paint intricate patterns of flowers, animals, and geometric designs in characteristic yellow, blue, and green glazes. The Ceramic Museum in Villa Guariglia displays 350 historical pieces, from 15th-century plates to architectural elements that show how ceramics shaped the town's visual identity.
Beaches of Vietri sul Mare
La Baia stretches for 400 meters along the coast, with calm waters and a gradual slope into the sea that makes it safe for children. Walk south to find La Crespella beach, tucked beneath a 16th-century watchtower. Here you can swim near the Due Fratelli rocks while watching fishing boats return to the harbor.
Walking Through Town Districts
Begin at the Church of San Giovanni Battista in the town center, then walk down to Marina di Vietri to see the morning fish market and small boats bobbing in the harbor. Take the stone stairways up to Raito and Albori, where narrow lanes wind between houses built into the rocky hillside. From these elevated villages, you'll see across the Gulf of Salerno and find paths leading through olive groves.
Food and Wine
Restaurants in Marina di Vietri serve pasta with fresh anchovies caught that morning and local tuna prepared in traditional ways. Try delizie al limone, small cakes made with local lemons, soaked in liqueur and covered in citrus cream. Visit Le Vigne di Raito to taste wines made from Falanghina and Aglianico grapes grown on the terraced hillsides above town.
