Cetara has about 2,000 residents, one active fishing fleet, and no major ferry dock. And yet this small village on the Amalfi Coast quietly runs the region’s anchovy trade. The boats don’t dock for show — they dock because dinner is coming, and the fish needs to be on plates.
Cetara isn’t a tourist attraction dressed up as a fishing village. It’s a real one. The anchovy trade here isn’t a gimmick for visitors — it’s the reason the village exists. If you want to understand how the Amalfi Coast actually works beneath the Instagram surface, this is where you come.
The Colatura Tradition
Cetara produces colatura di alici, an amber-coloured anchovy sauce that’s a direct descendant of Roman garum. Historians like Pliny the Elder wrote about garum as a staple in Roman kitchens, prized for its robust umami flavour. When the empire fell, the tradition survived in the monasteries and fishing communities along this stretch of coast, where monks recovered and refined the technique. Today, colatura di alici from Cetara holds DOP protection, legally tying the product to this specific coast.
The process hasn’t changed much in centuries. Anchovies are caught with lampare — traditional light-boats — between March and August, and processed the same day they’re landed. The fish are beheaded and gutted by hand, then layered head-to-tail in small oak barrels called terzigni with coarse sea salt. A weighted wooden lid called a tompagno presses the fish under marine stones, and the barrels are left to mature. The PDO requirement is a minimum of nine months, though the best reserves rest for years longer. The liquid that drips out is the colatura — raw, amber, never heated.
In 2020, colatura di alici received EU protected designation of origin status, recognizing its irreplaceable local heritage. The DOP mark guarantees the anchovies were caught in the Gulf of Salerno and processed using methods barely changed in centuries. Cetara is the only place where authentic colatura di alici DOP can be produced. The village was also nominated Italian Capital of the Sea 2026, supported by Ravello, Positano, and other Amalfi Coast towns.
The Fishing Rhythm That Hasn’t Changed
Cetara’s fishing fleet is one of the most active on the Amalfi Coast, and it delivers its catch directly to the village’s restaurants and markets — often within hours of being hauled aboard. The short supply chain — fisherman straight to restaurant or market — is possible because of the small ports and artisanal fleet. When you order fish in Cetara, you can ask the waiter where it’s from and whether it was caught today. A good restaurant answers confidently.
Fishermen head out at night using a technique called the cianciolo, deploying small boats equipped with bright lamps to attract plankton, which in turn draw the anchovies to the surface. The anchovy season runs late March to July, with peak activity during spring night lampare sessions. The fish are landed within miles of Cetara and salted within 24 hours.
Fall and spring are the best times for an authentic atmosphere — May-June and September-October — with fewer crowds and sunny days. July-August can be hot and crowded. Winter sees many restaurants closed but colatura extraction happens in December, and the village holds an annual Sagra della Colatura di Alici that month.
Eating Cetara’s Catch
The signature dish here is spaghetti alla colatura — pasta dressed raw with olive oil, garlic, chili flakes, parsley, and a few drops of colatura added at the end. Heat destroys the delicate compounds that give the sauce its character, so it’s never cooked. A plate of spaghetti con colatura runs about €12–15, and a bottle of colatura to take home costs €8–15.
Beyond anchovies, Cetara serves a full menu of daily catch. A small trattoria near the port changes its menu based on the morning’s catch from local artisanal boats using selective tools like gillnets, longlines, and traps — which reduces bycatch. Expect grilled local squid with lemon and wild oregano, marinated anchovies served in a paper cone (cuoppo), and sautéed greens dressed with colatura and olive oil. Local Campanian whites like Falanghina and Greco di Tufo pair naturally with the seafood. Shops on the main street sell local olive oil, dried oregano, and preserved lemons alongside the colatura.
If you want to eat where the locals do, look for places that don’t advertise heavily. A family-run fish restaurant in Cetara fills up without a sign out front — that’s usually a good sign. Restaurants here are generally welcoming to children, which matters when you’re traveling with kids who might not love the idea of fermented fish sauce. My family found that the novelty of watching boats unload fish kept even the pickiest eater entertained for a good half-hour.
Many restaurants close on Wednesdays in low season. English is less widely spoken than in Positano or Amalfi, so a few phrases of Italian help. The beach is small with pebbles — water shoes are a good idea if you plan to swim.
Getting to Cetara
Cetara sits on the SS163 between Salerno and Amalfi, quieter than its neighbours with a small harbour framed by a 14th-century Saracen tower. The easiest way to reach it is by SITA bus from Salerno — the ride takes about 30 minutes — or from Amalfi. By sea, private boat excursions can dock here, though the village has no major ferry dock, which is exactly what keeps the day-trippers away.
If you’re driving, parking is very limited along the coast and costs roughly €2–3 per hour. Plan for a short visit — maybe two hours for the harbour, a meal, and a walk down the main street. A full day works if you add a boat tour from Salerno or a coastal walk to Vietri. The village isn’t a full-day destination for young children, but it’s an easy stop that adds little travel time to your coastal drive.
Two events are worth planning around: the procession of St. Peter on June 29, and the Night of the Lampare in late July to early August, when traditional anchovy fishing with lamps takes place and the harbour lights up.
Why Cetara Stays With You
Cetara doesn’t try to impress you. It doesn’t have the vertiginous views of Ravello or the glamour of Positano. What it has is a working harbour where the catch of the day lands before you eat it, a sauce that’s been made the same way for two thousand years, and a quiet confidence that comes from knowing exactly what it is. The Amalfi Coast with family doesn’t have to mean crowded beaches and overpriced gelato — sometimes the best stop is the one that wasn’t on the itinerary at all.
Sources and further reading
Amalfi Experience. “Cetara Colatura di Alici DOP Showcased at Alimentaria 2026.” 🔗
Amalfi Coast. “Cetara — A Fishing Village Steeped in Maritime Traditions.” 🔗
Amalfi Sails. “Cetara — The Authentic Charm of the Fishermen’s Village.” 🔗
Marky’s. “Cetara Anchovies — Italy’s Oldest Sea-to-Salt Tradition.” 🔗
Related reading on Emily in Italy
Cetara’s Fishing Boats Still Come In Right Before Dinner Service — A closer look at the short supply chain and what it means for your plate.
Why Cetara’s Anchovy Fame Undersells How Good the Rest of the Menu Is — The full range of food beyond colatura, from grilled squid to local wines.
Ravello’s Terrace Restaurants Serve Dinner With the Whole Coast as Backdrop — Another dining experience nearby, with a very different kind of view.