Sorrento, Italy

Sorrento, just an hour or so south of Naples, is an ideal location if you are wanting to explore the Amalfi Coast, the romantic island of Capri and even fascinating sites like Pompeii. From Sorrento, it is very easy to access all you want to explore by train or boat and this is why staying here is strategically beneficial, the charm and romance of the town is a bonus.

Sorrento has no world-class sights, but it will easily give you hours of enjoyment. It is known for its panoramic water views and dramatic clifftop setting. Sorrento is also known for having the best lemons in Italy and is the birthplace of Limoncello! Every time I see a lemon, I’m immediately reminded of Sorrento. Images of lemons are splattered on everything. The residents are very proud of their lemons, and you will have ample opportunities to try some homemade lemon sorbet, lemon drops, and lemon cookies.

The town itself is walkable and very charming. I recommend strolling the cobblestoned streets in the evening when the temperatures are more comfortable. Explore Old Town and all its shops, bars, and boutiques. Enjoy an aperitivo (a pre-meal drink, which is very traditional in Italy). Be sure to grab a dinner table with a view; the people-watching will not disappoint, and neither will the food. You can walk down to Marina Piccola to catch a ferry or spend the day at one of the Lidos (beach clubs). I felt very safe in Sorrento; 90% of the town’s economy is tourism, everyone seems to speak fluent English, and most restaurants have English menus available. All these factors make Sorrento a very easy place to explore and relax. Sorrento is dead in the winter, so it’s best to plan your visit during the warmer months.

Every time I visit a new town, the first thing I do is check out what I call its ‘living room’, otherwise known as the town center, town square, or in Italy, the Piazza. Piazza Tasso is the town’s center, with the main drag, Corso Italia, running through it and parallel to the sea. Most of this main drag is pedestrian-only and gets very lively at night. Sorrento is a relatively small town, and as I said earlier, everything is walkable. Keep in mind that most streets are cobbled, and being set on a cliff, you will have to climb up and down a considerable number of steps to get to and from the sea/marina. Wear good comfortable shoes! Tip: There is an elevator you can take for €1.10, and also minibuses/shuttles for €1.30 (cash only) down and, more importantly, up, to and from the water. However, in the summer, you can expect lines. My husband and I still have good knees, so we opted to take the stairs. Plus, burning the calories justified our nightly gelato!

Where to eat? Without a doubt, Fauno Bar on the Piazzo Tasso is where all the action is. This is where people go to see and be seen. It has a great menu and gets very busy at night, so I recommend going there for lunch. There are plenty of places to choose from, but for a quieter local spot, try Sugo. It’s more on the east side of town, past the train station and away from the tourist areas, and the food is fresh. Try the house wine; it’s good and easy on the budget. P.S. the meatball appetizer is everything.

Swimming and sunbathing? There are no real beaches to speak of in Sorrento, but there are several Beach Clubs. Really, what they are is giant wooden decks or piers packed with sun loungers and pretty umbrellas. There is access to the water at various points, which involve going down stairs or a ladder. The water is very clean, clear, and an amazing turquoise blue. I have a list of the three most popular below. They all serve decent food and drinks, with showers and lockers available. There typically is a small fee to enter the club, about €2; then, if you want to rent lounge chairs, they will cost around €20, with umbrellas around €10. They all take credit/debit cards. A lot of the time, this fee will include a drink or snacks at a discount. If you go early, you can usually get a chair without having to make a reservation. All three Beach Clubs listed below have websites.

Peter’s Beach

Leonelli’s Beach

Bagni Salvatore

Where to sleep in Sorrento? Given its location, hotels are plentiful here. If it’s in your budget, you can find several with beautiful sea views and balconies. You should have no trouble finding rooms anytime except in August. I book all my hotels/B&B on Booking.com or Expedia.com. I’ve never had any problems with any of my reservations. That being said, I always try to book a reservation that has a free cancellation option. Also, I always try to pick a location that is close to the central train station in whichever city we go to. Our goal is to be able to walk easily from the train station to our hotel, keeping in mind that we will be hauling luggage with us. For this trip, we stayed at Room Center Sorrento Baby (Booking.com). It was right on the main drag, less than two blocks from the train station and right next to a café. When booking a room, my priorities are: cleanliness, safety, and location, not decor. Do your homework, read the reviews, and check out the location on a map. You can always search by proximity to, for example, the old town, or in my case, to the train station. Remember, hotels in Europe are smaller than what we are used to in the States. Try to manage your expectations; you will save money by booking from small independent family businesses rather than the big chains.

How to get to Sorrento.
The closest international airport to Sorrento is Naples Capodichino Airport (NAP). From there, I recommend taking the train to Sorrento. For details on how to get from the Naples airport to the Naples Central train station, please see my post on Naples, Italy.

Train travel is extremely affordable in Italy. You can download the train app on your phone and purchase tickets that way. You can use the Trenitalia app or Trent! app. Using an app will save you a lot of time versus standing in line at the train station to buy a paper ticket. Also, paper tickets need to be validated prior to boarding your train. Mobile app tickets get validated automatically. I feel you get the best views of the countryside from train travel. It is my preferred mode of transportation in Europe. When available, I purchase first-class carriage tickets. Why? Bigger seats, more leg room, the carriages are cleaner, usually quieter, and are definitely less crowded. A first-class ticket is usually $10-$20 more than a 2nd class ticket and is well worth it, especially if you are on a longer train ride. You can reserve the seat you want (facing forward or back and/or with a table between you and your companion). There is also usually a bigger storage area for large luggage too. Trust me, get the first-class ticket. A train from Naples to Sorrento takes about an hour and 15 minutes. Time depends on whether you take a direct train or an intercity train. The main train station in Sorrento is called Stazione di Sorrento or Sorrento Central, and it’s located about a block off the main street of Corso Italia. The station is about a 15-minute walk from the Marina Piccola, where you can hop on a ferry to other destinations. The train station does have a luggage storage service, which is handy.

Make sure you check out… for amazing and sweeping sunset views, walk to the city park: Villa Comunal. This public park overlooks the harbor, where you can literally belly up to the banister for epic sea views, you can even catch the skyline of Naples on a clear day. This is a popular spot for sunsets, so make plans to get there early for a ‘front row’ spot. By the way, if you are looking for the elevator to the marina, you’ll find it here.

An easy and popular day trip destination from Sorrento is Capri. I recommend booking a day trip tour off GetYourGuide or TripAdvisor. There are dozens of options at every price point. We did the Capri with the Famous Blue Grotto Boat Tour. Click on link for details.

https://www.getyourguide.com/sorento-I391/sorrento-exclusive-capri-boat-tour-and-optional-blue-grotto-t396686/?utm_source=getyourguide&utm_medium=sharing&utm_campaign=activity_details