Salerno, Italy

After a solid night’s sleep, we woke up to a day that could best be described as fifty shades of gloomy. Rain, gray skies, and that special kind of dampness that whispers, “Maybe don’t go to the Amalfi Coast today.” Since we’ve already been to Amalfi and Naples—and because we value staying at least partially dry—we decided to stick to Salerno.

By 9:00 AM we were bravely geared up and ready to face the elements.
Our first stop: the Church of St. George, a beautiful Baroque gem with stunning frescoes and impossibly detailed decoration. Hard to believe it began as a monastic settlement back in the 9th century—those monks really knew how to pick a spot.

Only three minutes (and several raindrops) away was our second stop: the Salerno Cathedral. Founded in 1076, it’s the main church of the city and absolutely impressive. The highlight, of course, is the Crypt, which holds the remains of Saint Matthew—yes, that Saint Matthew. Not exactly your everyday neighborhood attraction.

By the time we finished, we had achieved peak sogginess and decided it was time to retreat back to the ship before moss started growing on us. We had lunch onboard, dried out a bit, and then—because I apparently like to live dangerously—I went for another walk in town. And came back wet. Again.

We wrapped up the day with a lovely dinner at the Polo Grill, where at least the food was dry, warm, and completely unaffected by the weather.Read more