This small town is wonderfully located over white steep cliffs and offers a fantastic view over the Bay of Naples. Sorrento lies on a Tufa terrace and is enclosed by impressive rocks of the limestone mountains. For 2000 years already visitors from all over the world have been attracted to Sorrento by breathtaking sunsets and fragrances of orange and lemon gardens.
Sorrento (© M. Mastrorillo – Photo archive COM.TUR Napoli)
The small fishing harbor of Marina Grande is especially beautiful in the low season, where one can sense the naturalness of Sorrento. Several Hotels are situated right next to the shore and the gastronomy is delicious.
Fresh seafood on the fisher harbor Marina Grande
Very good food offers the Ristorante Bagni Delfino (Via Marina Grande 216) at the harbor with panoramic views. Another restaurant where one can dine in a beautiful setting is the swimming restaurant “Zi’Ntonio mare” (Via Marina Grande 180). Here you can find a lot of seafood and good Antipasti. Specialties are “Scialatielli al pesce spada” (self-made Pasta with Provola and fish) and “Risotto alla pescatora” (rice with frutti di mare). A panoramic view of the gulf of Naples offers the pretty hotel and restaurant La Tonnarella (Via Capo 31 ).
Sorrento and the Amalfi coast are well known for its splendid big lemons
Typical products from Sorrento are produced with these “limoni”: Limoncello, a very tasty lemon liqueur, lemon chocolate, colorful ceramic articles with lemon motives or lemon soap. One should also try the tasty ice cream of Gelateria Raki (Via San Cesareo 48) with natural flavours in the small street Via S. Cesareo, the heart of Sorrento. In the characteristic historic center are a lot of nice shops. In addition to this there is the weekly market that takes place on Tuesdays, where one can buy real bargains.
Sorrento is very popular due to its good location as starting point to all the important surrounding sights
The summit of the peninsula of Sorrento is only about 5 km away from Capri island, which can be easily reached from the Harbor Marina Piccola. Also Ischia and Procida, of which the silhouettes can be seen on clear days, can be reached very quickly per speedboat. Sorrento is also the terminus of the Circumvesuviana, a small train with its start in Naples Italy. One can reach Pompeii and Herculaneum by this rail in about thirty minutes and Naples in circa one hour’s time.
The good location of the town unfortunately also led to heavy traffic load in the narrow streets of the town. Relaxation and silence can presently still be found in the gardens and private beaches of the hotels, the orange grove of the museum or the monastery garden. Sorrento is recommendable as a tourist destination or a starting point for sightseeing of every kind, however it is less recommendable for a pure swimming holiday.
