Things To Do in Vietri sul Mare
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Vietri sul Mare Attractions
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.
Vietri sul Mare Shopping
Famous for their quality and vivid colors, the local ceramics make for a perfect souvenir for yourself or a gift for someone at home. The town feels like an open-air showroom, with walls along the main streets lined with beautiful tableware, ceramics of all kinds, and shelves burgeoning with variously shaped bowls and vases. After an initial pass-through, you'll begin to see stylistic differences and be able to spot individual artists, each characterized by a proprietary pattern and color palette. Most artists sell directly from their premises in town, or in the nearby suburb of Molina, due north past the train station along Via Enrico De Marinis. In town, some of the showrooms belong to individual artists, while other boutiques sell pieces from a variety of artists. Some of them specialize by technique, depending whether the terra cotta is thrown or pressed (the latter uses a mold).
Recommended studios include Ceramiche Artistiche Pinto, Corso Umberto I 27 (tel. 089-210271); Vietritaly, Corso Umberto I 45 (tel. 089-211122; www.vietritaly.it); Solimene Ceramica, Via Case Sparse, Fontana Vecchia (tel. 089-210188; www.solimeneceramica.com); Tortora & Giordano, Via Travertino 17 (tel. 089-211894); and Antonio D'Acunto, Via Enrico De Marinis 33, Molina Di Vietri Sul Mare (tel. 089-211143). For pressed terra cotta we also recommend Cotto Artistico Vietrese, Via Travertino 17 (tel. 089-211894); Alfonso Fasano, Via E. De Marinis 45, Molina Di Vietri Sul Mare (tel. 089-211598); and Giuseppe Landi, Via Chellavanna 51, Molina Di Vietri Sul Mare (tel. 089-211819), whereas for thrown terra cotta, try Il Vasaio Vietrese Di Apicella Benvenuto, Via D. Taiani 110 (tel. 089-761152). We are very fond of the little goats that are the trademark of D'Amore, Via De Marinis 64; they have been imitated by many, so look for his signature on each piece. Most shops will ship your purchases home for you, but ask before buying.
