Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
passed by international tourists, it's a laid-back, authentic place worth a quick stopover, if
only to sample some of the famous pizza by the metre. General information on the area's
attractions is available from the helpful
Tourist Office
(
081 801 57 52;
www.vicoturismo.it
; Piazza Umberto I;
9am-2pm & 3-8pm Mon-Sat, 9.30am-1.30pm
Sun)
in the main square.
The town is easy to explore on foot. From Piazza Umberto I, the 19th-century focal
point, take Corso Filangieri along to the small
centro storico
. Here, on a small balcony
overlooking the village of Marina di Equa, you'll find the
Chiesa dell'Annunziata
(Via
Vescovado; 10am-noon Sun)
, Vico's former cathedral and the only Gothic church on
the Sorrento Peninsula. Little remains of the original 14th-century structure other than the
lateral windows near the main altar and a few arches in the aisles. In fact, most of what
you see today, including the chipped pink-and-white facade, is 17th-century baroque. In
the sacristy, check out the portraits of Vico's bishops, all of whom are represented here ex-
cept for the last one, Michele Natale, who was executed for supporting the ill-fated 1799
Parthenopean Republic. His place is taken by an angel with its finger to its lips, an ad-
monishment to the bishop to keep his liberal thoughts to himself.
Eating
Ristorante & Pizzeria da Gigino
( 081 879 83 09; Via Nicotera 15; pizza per metre €12-26; noon-1am; )
Run by
the five sons of pizza king Gigino Dell'Amura, who was the very first to introduce pizza
by the metre to the world, this barn-like pizzeria produces kilometres of pizza each day in
three huge ovens to the right of the entrance. There's a large selection of toppings and the
quality is a crust above the norm. Although it seats around 200, you may still have to wait
for a table. No reservations are taken.
PIZZA
HISTORIC HAMLETS
Dotted around Vico's surrounding hills are a number of ancient hamlets, known as
casali
.
Untouched by mass tourism, they offer a glimpse into a rural way of life that has changed
little over the centuries. You will, however, need wheels to get to them. From Vico, take
Via Roma and follow Via Rafaelle Bosco, which passes through the
casali
before circling
back to town. Highlights include
Massaquano
and the
Capella di Santa Lucia
(open on
request), famous for its 14th-century frescoes from the school of Giotto di Bondone (re-
cognised as the forerunner of modern Western painting).
Moiano
is also worth checking
