The heart of town is Via Madonna degli Angeli, closed to car traffic and lined with shops selling local ceramics. No visit is complete without a stop at the Duomo, the church dedicated to San Giovanni Battista, with its cupola adorned with painted majolica. Inside, in addition to some excellent 17th-century ceramics, is the impressive carved and gilded 18th-century ceiling and artwork that includes a 16th-century polyptych of the Virgin Mary and an 11th-century crucifix.
The most famous of the ceramic shops is Ceramica Artistica Solimene Vincenzo, Via Madonna degli Angeli 7 (tel. 089-210243; www.solimene.com), one of Vietri's historic workshops. Besides visiting the showroom and buying contemporary ceramics, admire the building itself -- a beautiful example of organic architecture from the 1930s by Paolo Soleri, who went on to work in the U.S. with Frank Lloyd Wright.
From Piazza Matteotti in the center of town, descend Via Costabile about 1km (a half-mile) to arrive at the beach of Marina di Vietri, dominated by a watchtower that was transformed into a villa; across its surrounding park is a small, more secluded beach, but it becomes crowded and dirty at the height of summer.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
