Naples (Salerno), Italy - Royal Caribbean International

ther steamed or baked. For dessert try Sfogliatella, a delicious clam-shaped
Neapolitan pastry.
The local wine is Lacrima Christi (Christ’s Tears) which comes from the
slopes of Vesuvius. Strega is a popular liqueur, it has a rather unique flavor
and is very powerful. Bottled water is recommended.
SHOPPING Artisans in this area are well-known for fine craftsmanship,
a tradition passed on from generation to generation, from cameos to inlaid
wood, ceramics to nativity puppets.
Good-bye • Ciao
Thank-you • Grazie
You’re Welcome • Prego
NOTES
© 2010 maps.com
F R A N C E
M e d
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Salerno
Naples (Salerno), Italy
As in other parts of Italy, fashion and leather items are prevalent.
It is more likely that tourist orientated stores in Sorrento and Capri will accept
U.S. Dollars. Most accept major credit cards.
A L G E R I A
PORT EXPLORER and SHOPPING GUIDE
Value Added Tax (VAT), is added to most purchases. Visitors who spend
over a certain amount may be entitled to re-claim some or all of the tax paid,
however, regulations and conditions governing the refund of VAT are subject
to change and RCCL cannot guarantee the cooperation of local authorities.
LOCAL CURRENCY The unit of currency in this port of call is the
euro. There are 8 euro coins denominated in 2 and 1 euros, along with 50,
20, 10, 5, 2, and 1 cent pieces. Every euro coin carries a common European
face. On the obverse, each Member State decorates the coins with their own
motifs. No matter which motif is on the coins they can be used anywhere inside
the Member States. There are 7 euro notes. In different colors and sizes,
they are denominated in 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, and 5 euros. The notes are
uniform throughout the euro area; unlike coins, they have no national side.
All euro notes are legal tender in all countries of the euro area.
POST OFFICE AND TELEPHONE FACILITIES There is a Post
Office in Salerno located at 130 Via Roma N.
Most public telephones take coins and telephone cards which can be purchased
at the Post Office or Tobacconists. You can also place a call with your
personal calling card using the following access codes:
AT&T: 800.172.444
MCI: 800.90.5825
TOURIST INFORMATION There is a Tourism Office in Sorrento at
Azienda Autonoma di Soggiorno Sorrento - Sant’Agnello Via Luigi De
Maio, 35.
The Salerno Tourism Information Office is also located at 130 Via Roma
N.
TRANSPORTATION A few taxis will be available at the pier. It is
important to negotiate a fare before departing.
Buses go throughout Salerno. Regional buses which go to towns along the
Amalfi Coast depart from Salerno’s Central Train Station. Train to Naples,
Florence and Rome depart from the same station which is located in the city
center. Car rentals and taxis are widely available. With taxis it is important
to negotiate a fare before departing.
USEFUL WORDS AND PHRASES
Yes • Si
No • No
Good Day • Buon Giorno
GENERAL INFORMATION Salerno has a population around
200,000 and serves as the capital of southwestern Italy’s Salerno Province.
The city looks out over the beautiful Gulf of Salerno which opens up to the
Tyrrhenian Sea. This is a gateway to the famously beautiful Amalfi Coast
(Costiera Amalfitana). The area was originally a Greek trading center which
began to seriously develop during the days of the Roman Empire. Salerno
has faced all the foreign invaders which make up so much a part of Italy’s
history. Located about 30 miles south of Naples, Salerno is not yet a major
vacation destination. Without the crush of countless tourists, those who do
visit have the opportunity to leisurely enjoy this lovely city. With its sights
and sounds, cafés, shops and inviting waterfront promenade, Salerno rests
perfectly between dark green mountains and the bright blue sea.
Perched high upon cliffs overlooking the Gulf of Naples, Sorrento and the
Sorrentine Peninsula have been attracting and welcoming visitors for over
2,000 years. Who would not love the mild weather and the scent of lemon
and orange in the sea breeze? Who could not marvel at the inspiring Baroque,
Renaissance and Romantic Period architecture? Who could possibly
resist the fine food and wine? The Piazza Tasso is the heart and soul of the
town, vibrant yet classic.
HISTORY The earliest recorded settlers to arrive in the area seems to
have been the Phoenicians who sailed far and wide throughout the Mediterranean
establishing trading out posts and colonies a thousand years before
Christ. There is firm archeological proof, however, that the region was
inhabited for thousands of years prior to the arrival of the Phoenicians. The
Greeks came to colonize and trade around 450 BC. Evidence of the Greek
town, though little of it, can still be seen. Some believe that it was from
the cliffs of Sorrento that the Sirens of Homer temped Ulysses as he sailed
past, firmly lashed to the mast of his ship.
The wealthy Romans developed Sorrento as their summer playground.
They built their palaces and villas, each larger and more opulent than
the last. The Roman poet Horace wrote of its beauty. The olive orchards
thrived and the vineyards produced great wine. The area is so beautiful
and inviting that even Emperor Tiberius Caesar Augustus decided to rule
the empire from the near by island of Capri. Some historians believe it
was more of an effort to avoid assassination rather than the desire to enjoy
the beauty of the region … for Tiberius was notoriously grumpy. Regardless,
Sorrento and the surrounding region thrived … until the morning of
August 24, 79 AD.
In his letter, discovered in the 16th Century, the Roman Statesman Pliny
the Younger would write the only surviving eyewitness account of the massive
eruption of Mount Vesuvius. “Ashes were already falling, hotter and
thicker… bits of pumice and blackened stones, charred and cracked by the
flames … broad sheets of fire and leaping flames … buildings were now
shaking with violent shocks as if they were torn from their foundations…
flames and the smell of sulfur gave warning of the approaching fire… a
dense black cloud was coming up behind us, spreading over the earth like
a flood… You could hear the shrieks of women, the wailing of infants and
the shouting of men… many imagined there were no gods left. I believed
that the whole world was dying with me and I with it.” The towns of Pompeii
and Herculaneum were, of course, destroyed. Sorrento itself, though
further from Vesuvius, was heavily damaged by earthquakes and tons of
falling ash.
By the mid 1700s it was becoming fashionable for the college age sons of
English nobility and wealth, in order to expand their horizons and education,
leave England and venture forth on The Grand Tour of Europe. The
young gentlemen were hardly roughing it. Usually they were groups of
friends accompanied by their butlers and servants. Weeks would be spent
visiting Paris, Geneva, Florence, Venice and Rome. In 1748, with the discovery
and the beginning of the excavation of Pompeii the young Englishmen
reached Naples and surrounding area.
SHORE EXCURSIONS To make the most of your visit to Salerno,
Sorrento, and surrounding areas we suggest you take one of our organized
Shore Excursions. For information concerning tour content and pricing consult
your Shore Excursion Brochure or contact the Shore Excursion Desk.
Please be advised to take only necessary items ashore and secure any valuables
onboard. Conservative dress is recommended, especially when visiting
local cathedrals and churches.
LOCAL CUSTOMS Bargaining: Most items have fixed prices, but it
may be possible to get a discount on a large purchase. It is normal to bargain
at markets and with street vendors.
Tipping: Generally a 15% service charge is added to restaurant bills, however,
as this amount doesn’t all go to the waiter, it is normal to offer a 5% tip
to the waiter in addition to any service charge.
Local Cuisine and Drink Specialties As pizza was
invented in this area there are plenty of authentic pizzerias to choose from.
Try mozzarella and tomato served with fresh basil and liberally doused in
olive oil as a starter. Spigola (Sea Bass) is the most popular of fish, served ei-
continued on back page
This information has been compiled for the convenience of our guests and is intended solely for that purpose. While we work to ensure that the information contained herein is correct, we cannot accept responsibility for any
changes that may have taken place since printing.
© RCCL 2010. All rights reserved.

SORRENTO PLACES OF INTEREST
1
Chiesa e Chiostro di St. Francisco (Church and Cloister
of St. Francis), with its beautiful crossing arches, was built
as a monastery in the early 1400s. As with many of the Catholic
buildings in Italy, much of the stone work was taken from earlier
pagan temples.
2
Palazzo Correale (Correale Palace) was built in the late
1300s as the home of the old and prominent Correale family.
It is designed in a combination of Gothic and Neapolitan
styles. Volcanic stone was used in the arched framing of many
of the windows. Two brothers, Pompeo and Alfredo, were the
last decedents of the family. According to their wills and wishes,
their collections of art and treasured collectables have become
museum exhibits.
3
Casa Quattrocentesca (Fifteenth Century House), built
in the late 1400s, is a beautiful building whose design and
construction was influenced by the style more commonly found
in the region of Tuscany.
4
Sorrento Cathedral is located along the beautiful Corso
Italia. First begun in the late 1400’s Renaissance style, the
cathedral has undergone many restorations over the years. In
the sanctuary are a number of striking paintings from the 1700s
as well as a marble throne for the Archbishop and wonderfully
crafted wood designs created by artisans from Sorrento.
5
Campanile Del Duomo (The Cathedral Bell Tower)
was begun in the 500s AD. The base of the tower was
designed in the Roman style. The rest of the tower is designed
and constructed in the Byzantine style. The area around the bell
tower is where citizens would originally meet to discuss town
business.
6
Chiesa dei Servi di Maria (Church of the Servants of
Mary) was designed in the Baroque style and built in the
1700s. On Good Fridays congregants of the church dress in
black hooded robes and carry a wooden statue of Christ through
the town.
7
Le Antiche Mura (The Old Wall) is a small segment of
all that is left of the first defensive fortification from the
original Greek town. After centuries, the wall was in the process
of being rebuilt when the Turks invaded in 1561.
8
Sedil Dominova (Seat of the Rulers), built in the 1400s,
as were many of the buildings in Sorrento, was the official
meeting place of the town’s nobles. It was from here that the
leaders worked out the town’s daily business. The dome of the
hall is covered in beautiful frescos from the 1700s. The crests
of Sorrento’s leading families still adorn the walls.
9
Chiesa del Rosario (Church of the Rosary) is believed
to have been built in the early 300s AD during the reign
of Emperor Constantine. As with many of the earliest Catholic
churches, Saint Rosary, as it is usually referred to, was constructed
upon the site using many of the materials of a Roman
pagan temple. From 11-1400 AD, known as the church of Saint
Felice and Baccolo, it was the main cathedral of Sorrento.
10
The Museo Bottega, built in the 1700s, is home to a
nice collection of art, furniture and especially the works
of intarsia, (decorative inlaid wood design). The artisans of Sorrento
have long been famous for the quality of their work. It is
the goal of the museum to help pass down the ancient skills and
techniques to the next generation of artists and craftsmen.
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7
Casa di Cornelia Tasso (House of Cornelia Tasso)
was built in the early 1500s. Cornelia was the sister
of Torquato Tasso. The Tasso family was very distinguished.
The family had all the political and religious connections and
enemies that come with such prominence. Cornelia’s brother,
Torquato, was the famously gifted yet emotionally disturbed
Italian poet.
12
Piazza Tasso is the heart of Sorrento. From this point
you can get the feel of the town that has been slowly
and graciously growing as it has welcomed visitors 9 from around
the world over millennia.
Beyond Sorrento and Salerno
8
10
11
Pompeii is 14 miles east of Naples and the eruption of Vesuvius
in 79 A.D. buried this town. Numerous excavations 12 have taken
place and it is now the best preserved specimen of an ancient
13
Roman town in existence. Visitors can see the remains of public
buildings, streets, temples, shops, theaters and public baths.
Herculaneum was once the summer resort of wealthy Romans.
It was also affected by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. and
is remarkably well preserved. Smaller than Pompeii, it offers a
unique vision of private life in the Roman Empire, and was the
inspiration for Paul J. Getty’s museum in Malibu, California.
Mount Vesuvius is the only active volcano on the mainland
of Europe. There have been many notable eruptions, the most
well-known being that of 79 A.D. which did so much damage
to Pompeii and Herculaneum. The last eruption took place in
1944, however, there are still emissions of smoke and interior
evidence of heat.
Isle of Capri – This mountainous and romantic island, beautifully
situated in the Bay of Naples, may be reached by jetfoil
and hydrofoil.
Ischia, 18 miles south-west of Naples, is the largest island in
the Bay of Naples and of volcanic origin. Over the years it
has become increasingly popular with tourists and may also be
reached by jetfoil and hydrofoil.
Amalfi Drive, east of Sorrento, is one of the most spectacular
Drives in Europe, stretching along the mountains of the Salerno
Coast. Amalfi town was originally an important Maritime Republic
and its Cathedral, built in 937 A.D., features a unique
F
grand stairway leading to the beautiful byzantine facade.
PREFERRED SHOPPING
In Sorrento
A
A&B - Pizzeria Aurora - Restaurant O’ Canonico -
Located at Piazza Tasso 7. Family business since 1898.
50 different types of genuine Neapolitan pizza made in the traditional
brick oven. Homemade pastas with seafood, meat or
JK
tomato sauce. More than 1500 types of the best Italian wines.
LM
80 Different Types of Homemade Liquors: Limoncello (lemon
liquor), wild fennel, basil, orange. Wine Shop: Take away package
located inside the restaurant; shipping available. N Advertised
on Wine Spectator for the “best selecion of wine”. English
speaking, fast and friendly service. O
B
Gioielleria Di Somma - Love and Passion for the Tradition
of Goldsmith Artistry. Located at Corso
P
Italia, 114.
Jewelry Brands: Chantecler, Pomellato, Pianegonda, Dodo,
Montblanc, Leo Pizzo, Hermes, Crivelli. Watch Brands: Mont-
E
G
H
I
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blanc, Hermes, TCM, Pirelli, Graham, Arnod & Son. Every
piece of jewelry is handcrafted and comes with a guarantee
of the high quality of the diamonds and colored gems. Their
weight is shown in carats and the gold is guaranteed 750/000
(18K). Exclusive baby jewelry collection.
C
Notturno - Inlaid Wood Works Factory and Showroom.
Located at Via Fuorimura 33; Ask your Port & Shopping
Guide for Transportation to Visit the Factory. Free demonstration
of beautiful craftsmanship. Wooden Objects: Jewelry
boxes, cigar boxes, pictures, trays, coasters, grandfa¬ther
clocks, clocks, game tables, dining rooms, bedrooms, tables,
photo albums, chess boards, chess sets, wooden toys and many
wooden souvenirs. Murano jewelry and Christmas ornaments.
Worldwide shipping available; Tax-free purchases.
D
SORRENTO
Harmony Gift Center - Located at Via Fuoro, 25 Sorrento.
Inlaid wood works. Wide selection of gift items to
take home as souvenirs. Don’t miss the famous Madame Alexander
Collection Dolls and My Doll, the doll of the heart.
9
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D
In Capri
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Chantecler - This Exquisite Jewelry Store is a Must See for
all Chic Visitors to Capri! Located at 51 Via Vittorio Emanuele.
First jewelry store to open in Capri; Specializing in high
quality and fine workmanship; Each piece is like a work of art.
Jewelry: Jewelry that is so elegant, you’ll never want to take
it off; Diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds are carefully
selected for their purity and color. Famous Clientele: Jacqueline
Onassis, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Greta Garbo, Joan
Crawford, Lex Barker and Henry Fonda. Expert gemologist
onsite.
Carthusia - Located at: Viale Parco Augusto, 2 in Capri; Via
Federico Serena, 28 in Capri; Via Camerelle, 10 in Capri; Viale
Axel Munthe, 26 in Anacapri; Corso Italia, 117 – Sorrento,
Since 1948; The smallest laboratory of perfumes in the world.
Limited production using the same methods as the Carthsian
monks. Located near the Augustus Garden in Capri with also
factory store showrooms in Anacapri and Sorrento.
Optical Capri/Capri People - Located at Via Le Botteghe 27
AB
AA
C
in Capri. The most exclusive optical shop in Capri. Handmade
sun and prescription glasses of Capri People collections with
polarized and 100% UV protection lenses. Wide Selection of
Fashion and Luxury Eyewear: Gold & wood Paris, Chanel,
Theo, Prada, Gucci, YSL, Maui Jim, Porche, Armani, Starck,
Tom Ford, Alain Mikli, Bugatti.
Please contact us at EuropeShopping@rccl.com if any
queries arise after your purchase from our preferred shops
on shore. We will do our best to facilitate a solution on
your behalf.
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