Salerno
Italy
When we hear the name Salernitana, we immediately reminisce about the nineties when the club from the South of Italy played in Serie A for a year. The beautiful thing about Salerno – only 45 minutes beneath Napels – is the fact that it appears as if time has stood still since.
Salernitana
There have been times when Salernitana’s fans were more than happy about the fact that Salerno even had a football club, as they have gone bankrupt twice in the 21st century. But things quickly turned around. Within ten years the club climbed from Serie D all the way to Serie A. But the people in Salerno, which is a rather large port city, want more. They want to secure a place amongst Italy’s elite clubs. The club surprised many when they signed Franck Ribéry, who claims to have come to Salernitana because of his love for football. We understand why if we watch their home games.
Stadio Arechi
Just as Italian as the pizza and the hand gestures of Pippo Inzaghi are the large concrete arenas which the country is filled with. The more south you go, the more rundown they are. We love it. The Stadio Arechi, which is near the coast, is a part of this category: A two-tiered square stadium without any roofs with a capacity of 37,800. The first tier is small, but the second one is gigantic. The higher your seat, the better the view of the sea. Add the extremely passionate crowd on top and you have a memorable day.
Via Mercanti 67
The city centre of Salerno is a typical Italian maze of narrow alleyways and streets where recently washed clothes are dancing in the wind above the streets. In 1919, Salernitana was born on one of these streets, at Via Mercanti 67. A plaque on the wall reminds us of the place’s history.
Stadio Donato Vestuti
Salernitana played its home games in the Stadio Donato Vestuti until 1990. The former home ground in the centre of Salerno is abandoned and rundown but is still fantastic. What a football temple. It is built between dozens of apartment buildings from where you have a clear view of the stadium. The club has not played here for years, but the stadium on Via Nizza is still the beating heart of the club and the place where fans celebrate their achievements. As they did in 2021 when they were promoted to the Serie A.
Street art in granata
Some parts of Salerno could use a splash of paint here or there, to say the least. But the railway tunnel on Via Santi Martiti Salernitani, close to Stadio Vestuti, is a great start. Here you will find a 180-metre-wide mural which takes you on a trip through the important milestones of the club’s history. The background is ‘granata’, the recognisable burgundy colour which Salernitana uses for its home kit.
Fan’s Shop di Nasti Giuseppe
At Via Torrione 135, you will find Fan’s Shop Di Nasti Giuseppe, a different kind of football store than we are used to. There are a lot of things from Salernitana, but also from other football clubs. The more passionate supporter who loves the ultra-culture could even buy torches and drums.
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased on the club’s official website. It can take a while before the sale goes online, but when it does it is easy to get your hand on a ticket.
How to get there
The Stadio Arechi is in the south of Salerno. The stadium has its own train station, which is also called Stadio Arechi. You can take the train here to Salerno’s central station, which can also take you further into the country. It only takes half an hour to arrive in Naples.
Images: Shutterstock
