Cetara

Cetara is a small fishing village on the Amalfi Coast whose name is thought to derive from the Latin cetus ("tuna"), reflecting a fishing tradition going back centuries. It is best known today for colatura di alici, an amber anchovy sauce descended from the ancient Roman fish sauce garum; the recipe is said to have been preserved by local monks in the Middle Ages, and the product now carries PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status. Unlike the more built-up resort towns further along the coast, Cetara retains the character of a working fishing port, with a small population that has been declining in recent decades.

Cetara sits on the SS163 Amalfitana coastal road between Vietri sul Mare and Maiori, and is served by SITA coastal buses; ferries along the Amalfi Coast also call here in season. The nearest railway station is in Salerno or Vietri sul Mare.

The village is small and walkable, centered on its harbor and the main street running through town.

The harbor itself, still used by a working fishing fleet, and the compact historic center with its watchtower are the main sights; Cetara is valued more for its unspoiled, working-village atmosphere than for individual monuments.

Watching the fishing boats at the harbor, walking the village, and — outside town — hiking sections of the Amalfi Coast trail network are the main activities.

Cetara's restaurants specialize in anchovy and tuna dishes, especially pasta dressed with colatura di alici, reflecting the town's fishing identity.

Colatura di alici, Cetara's PDO anchovy sauce, and preserved anchovies and tuna are sold at shops in the village and make the characteristic local souvenir.

Vietri sul Mare, known for its ceramics, lies just up the coast toward Salerno, while Maiori and Minori are the next towns heading toward Amalfi.