Cetara

The small town of Cetara, situated on the coastline between Maiori and Vietri sul mare, is renowned for its highly developed fishing traditions .

The houses here all seem to wilfully lean towards the sea, the smell of processed anchovies wafts through the town and the harbour is always full of fishing boats.

The name Cetara in all likelihood comes from the Latin word cetaria, which was the name of the ancient tuna–fishing boats.

The town extends around the Church of San Pietro (St. Peter) with its characteristic 13th century bell-tower and mullioned windows with two light.

Lying at the eastern most corner of the Republic of Amalfi, Cetara bordered on the Lombard territory of Salerno.

Chronicles relate two episodes of the town being occupied by the Moors: the first one by the Saracens in the year 879, and the second by the Turk, Sinàn Bassà in 1551. Living proof of the town’s past battles can be found in the ancient tower, which consists of two separate constructions: one is cylinder –shaped and dates from the Angevin period, while the other is square in design and was built during the latter half of the 16th century. Cetara was jointly administered by Maiori and Cava dei Tirreni until 1883 when it became an autonomous municipality .

Today, the quaint beauty of this town, which appears like a miniature mountainside carving comes under siege by hordes of tourists at various times of the year .