Casa di Francesca

Casa di Francesca is a lovely apartment in the heart of the Medieval old town of Salerno which marks the beginning of the world-wide famous Amalfi Coast. With short trips it is possible to reach the fabulous cliffside villas with breathtaking sea views, as well as to explore the coastal towns and islands - Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento, Ravello, Naples, Capri and Ischia.

A flight of steps leads into the upper floor. There is a living room with double sofa bed suitable for a couple. In a recess at the window there is a small corner for writing letters, with a glass table and shelves, containing guides about the region. A narrow corridor hides a pretty terracotta collection on glass shelves, with pieces from the nearby Vietri sul Mare pottery. The corridor leads to a very small bedroom with French bed (1.30 m wide) available at extra charge. There is a bathroom with shower. The eat-in kitchen is fully equipped and comfortably furnished; the sideboard is decorated with hand-painted terracotta tiles, designed by the Vietri artists especially for the owner. 

A glass door leads to the covered balcony (9 m²), where a cast-iron table with 6 chairs, pot plants, candlesticks, two stone benches and a small marble washbasin welcome the visitor. The balcony is perhaps the coziest corner of the house. This is just the place to enjoy your breakfast or to spend warm summer evenings by candlelight. One looks out onto a wide inner courtyard, where the housewives chatter from balcony to balcony and where the washing flatters in the wind - this is the flair of the south.

The apartment is located in one of the oldest historical houses in the town, a fact only recently discovered: During the restoration of the house wonderfully curved arches with star-shaped rosettes, which had been preserved but hidden for centuries, came to light. These antique window recess arches date back to the late 11th century and it has been proven, that the Castel Terracena thought to be here, in which the Norman conqueror of Salerno once lived was on this exact spot. Today, the antique decorations so suddenly rediscovered adorn an outer wall of Francesca`s balcony.

Only 200 m from the house you will find one of the best restaurants of the town and also the best bakery in Salerno. This quarter of the town boasts characteristic shops with typical local goods (a list of which can be found in the house): there is still a shoemaker, from whom you can purchase handmade, fitted sandals, a small shop with handmade candles, a boutique with exquisite linen products (towels and bed linen). The antique Via dei Mercanti, with its multitude of traditional jewelry shops, also begins here.

A 5-minute walk through the romantic streets leads to the Salerno cathedral, with its wonderful pillared inner courtyard (which boasts the same star-shaped rosettes as the balcony of Francesca!). The noteworthy San Benedetto church and the archaeological museum, with its remarkable collection of 11th and 12th century ivory, are also nearby.

The sea is also only a few hundred meters away - wander along the elegant beachside paths, bordered by palms, enjoy the lovely view of the Amalfi Coast and relax in one of the many bars, pizzerias or fish restaurants along the Corso Garibaldi. 

The next bathing opportunity is at 5 km in Vietri sul Mare - a town full of nooks and crannies, the houses decorated with elaborate archways, characteristic winding streets and a wide variety of shops selling pottery. 

For those interested in archaeology, Pompeii and Herculaneum are nearby; the Greek temples at Paestum are slightly further. Explore Vesuvius and visit the Archaeological Museum in Naples to see artifacts taken from the excavations.