Cetara

The guide

What Cetara is like.

In 879 AD, Saracen pirates chose it as their raiding base; the watchtower still stands as a reminder. Less touched by international tourism than anywhere else on the coast, Cetara is where the sea still rules daily life. This is where colatura di alici — the heir to Roman garum, liquid gold pressed from anchovies aged in chestnut barrels ('terzigni') — is made. The local tuna is so prized it’s exported to Japan for sushi.

Good to know

1. Buy colatura di alici directly from Cetara — the stuff in Amalfi tourist shops is often mass-produced. Real colatura takes 3+ years in chestnut barrels.
2. Sagra del Tonno (July) is Cetara at its finest — the whole town becomes a street food festival with fresh tuna.
3. Try a 'cuoppo' of fried fish as street food — the local version of fish and chips.
4. The beach gets full sun until late afternoon — unusual on this coast where cliffs steal the light early.
5. Best fish-to-price ratio on the entire Amalfi Coast. What costs €35 in Positano costs €18 here.