BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide

Salerno and the Cilento Coast by Boat, the Alternative to the Amalfi Coast

Fewer crowds than Positano or Amalfi, the same southern Mediterranean: head to Salerno and the Cilento coast, between wild coves and a national park.

At the eastern tip of the Gulf of Salerno, where the Amalfi Coast and its summer crowds end, a different Campania begins: the Cilento coast, wilder, less built-up, protected along much of its length by a national park.

Salerno, an underrated departure port

Long overshadowed by its Amalfi neighbour, Salerno still opens onto the same sea, with a well-equipped marina and more affordable mooring rates than Amalfi or Positano in high season. It's also the natural hinge point between the Amalfi Coast to the west and Cilento to the south — enough to combine both moods in a single week. Salerno has its own history too, well beyond Amalfi's shadow: in the Middle Ages the city was home to the Schola Medica Salernitana, the oldest medical school in western Europe, still worth a visit before setting sail.

Cilento, between cliffs and hilltop villages

Designated a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape, Cilento lines up coves reachable mostly by sea, limestone cliffs and villages like Agropoli or Castellabate, which has served as the backdrop for several Italian films. Further south, Palinuro and its Grotta Azzurra — a sea cave where the light turns a deep blue in the sunniest hours — remain the coast's most sought-after outing.

Quieter sailing than Amalfi

Cilento's boat traffic stays well below the Amalfi Coast's in July and August, where the best-known anchorages fill up by mid-morning. That's a strong argument for anyone after uncrowded sailing, even if it means a day trip to Positano or Amalfi from Salerno rather than basing a whole stay there.

Budget and season

The usual ranges apply: €200-600/day for a RIB or motorboat, €300-700/day for a sailboat. June and September offer the same sea as midsummer, with far less contested anchorages on this still-unspoiled coast.

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