South of Naples, at the west end of the idyllic stretch of coast that runs from Sorrento through Positano to Amalfi, stands Salerno. It’s a good base for exploring the Sorrentine peninsula, either along the tortuous but breath-takingly lovely, corniche road, or by boat from Salerno’s harbour. In town Via dei Mercanti snakes through the old quarter, where you’ll find the Duomo, a remarkable 11th-century cathedral, founded by the Norman king Robert Guiscard. It’s a superb Romanesque-Arab building with ancient columns, Islamic arches, a mullioned loggia and bronze doors brought from Constantinople in 1099. Outside Salerno and high on a hill, is the Castello di Arechi, a superb Norman structure with fabulous views. Back in town, you can stroll along the 2km-long Lungomare Trieste running beside the sea to the tourist harbour, pausing to visit the Giardini Minerva, the oldest botanical garden in the world, and the Villa Comunale, a cool green park.