The fishermen's village and its ancient condiment
Between Vietri and Maiori, Cetara is the most authentic fishing village of the Amalfi Coast. Its fleet is one of the most important in southern Italy for bluefin tuna and anchovies, and its life still revolves around the sea, the small harbour and the beach dominated by a sixteenth century Viceroyal tower built against pirates.
Cetara is famous for the colatura di alici, an amber coloured liquid obtained by pressing anchovies salted in layers in wooden barrels for months: the direct descendant of garum, the fish sauce of the ancient Romans, rediscovered by Cistercian monks in the Middle Ages. A few drops are enough to flavour a dish of spaghetti with garlic, oil, parsley and chilli, the local classic, especially at Christmas. In the shops of the village you can buy colatura, salted anchovies and tuna in oil, and the restaurants serve tuna and anchovies in a thousand ways.
Tip: the Festa della Colatura di Alici is held in December; climb to the church of San Pietro, with its majolica dome, for a view over the harbour.
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