Italy Vacations: Sorrento

Sorrento, Italy is a small city in southern Italy with about seventeen thousand residents. It overlooks the Bay of Naples and can be easily reached from either Naples or Pompeii. Naples, Capri, and Vesuvius can all be viewed from some parts of the city. There are regular ferries and hydrofoils that run between Sorrento, Naples, and Capri. The closest large airport is Aeroporto Capodichino in Naples. The climate is Mediterranean with hot, dry summers, and cool, wet winters. Although coming into its own as a tourist destination, it is best known for its lemon liqueur, limoncello. 

The center of town is Piazza Tasso, which has a statue of the Italian poet of the same name in the corner. This makes a great starting point for wandering around this beautiful old city. Sorrento has some very nice museums, including the Correale of Terranova, which holds a lot of historical displays about the region as well as some of the fine inlaid wood that the area is known for. The museum is located in a former palace of one of the local counts. For the wood craft lover, there is also the Workshop of Wooden Tarisa. For a relaxing rest with a view, try out the gardens in Villa Comunale, with vistas overlooking the sea, or visit the church of San Francesco nearby. In the summer a large music festival is held, the Sorrentine Summer Music Festival, which brings music and dance from all over Europe. 

Despite being located on the sea, there isn’t much of a beach in Sorrento, but there is a small one at the Marina Piccola lido, which is below the Villa Comunale gardens. There are steps leading down to the beach or a lift is available. There is also the Marina Grande about a mile away, west of the Piazza Tasso. Both beaches charge three euro for admission, and they tend to stay very crowded. To avoid the crowds, you will need to venture further out along the coast to Marino Puolo.

For a restful vacation among a warm and friendly people, yet away from the larger tourist attractions in Italy, Sorrento is a hidden jewel on the coast.