Sorrento, Italy and the UNESCO world heritage site of the Amalfi Coast, Italy
*All the work on this page including photos and videos are my own work, except for the Expedia tourism video and links.
Sorrento, the land of mermaids cascades elegantly along the side of the steep cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples with spectacular views of Mount Vesuvius.
If you are looking for a beautiful base to explore Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast, then Sorrento is the place! This town is famous for its citrus fruit trees, especially lemons as it is the birthplace of the famous lemon drink Limoncello. Ceramics, which also tend to have a lemon theme are another famous export from here as well as Wine, olives and nuts etc. Tourism is a major income, especially in the summer.
There are ferries to Naples, Positano and Amalfi as well as the nearby islands of Capri and Ischia, which are a must do experience in the summer when the roads can be very congested. The nearest airport is Naples airport, just under an hour's drive away.
Poets and writers such as Byron, Dickens and Tolstoy once strolled these streets and enjoyed the views and ambiance of this whole staggering region. The Roman emperors Tiberius and Augustus had holiday homes here, which gave it the reputation for celebrity visitors to frequent this area from then onwards.
Above Mount Vesuvius at Sunset from my room in the Hilton Sorrento palace.
Where to stay in Sorrento
In my opinion the Hilton Sorrento Palace has the best view, as it is higher up the cliff than most other hotels, but is a four star hotel so you may wish to look at the five star hotels by the coast or cheaper hotels elsewhere in Sorrento. These are other popular hotels:
Hotel Lorelei Londres, Which has a great coastal view. Palazzo Tritone Sorrento, Which has a great coastal view! Al Parco Primavera B&B Maison Blu Palazzo Spasiano Bougainvillea Relais Crime
Crime in Sorrento is mainly pick pockets and theft. Violent crime is very rare! I felt very safe in Sorrento, we walked back at night through alley ways perfectly safely and were reassured to do that by seeing local single women feeling safe to do so.
The rest of the Amalfi coast is also very safe. You have probably heard of warnings about not going to Naples, and as a large city it does have a higher crime rate than smaller towns in Italy, but is still safer than most US cities. I haven't been there, but if we had more time I wouldn't be scared to go there. Naples Airport certainly didn't feel unsafe. |
Where to eat in Sorrento
Sorrento is a culinary delight, with a large array of delicious food. As always Italian food is very regional and most restaurants will offer similar choices. Pizza, gnocchi, ravioli, treccia cheese and of course plentiful seafood are the main staple in this area. Cannelloni was invented here and the most famous desseret is of course lemon based and called Delizia al limone.
Popular restaurants include: -Enjoy the little things Bistrot, Italian/Mediterranean -Trattoria dei Mori, Italian/Seafood - Bistro Sorrento, Italian/Mediterranean -Ristorante Bagni Delfino, Seafood/Neapolitan -Ristorante Buenos Aires, Argentinian Steak house -La Locanda Del Gusto, Italian/Mediterranean -Lieve, Italian/Pizzeria (We liked this place.) -Pizzeria Da Franco Food Philosophy, Italian/Pizza (We liked this and it was good value!) - Stoviglie, Fusian/Vegetarian -Beersteak, Italian/Mexican/American -Ristorante Lorelei, Michelin Italian -Terrazza Bosquet, Michelin Central European. -The Orange Tree, Asian/Thai |
Places to visit from Sorrento
It is easy to get to other nearby places from Sorrento. We went in November, so off peak it is easy to drive around the area as long as you get a small car and are used to driving in southern Europe. In July and August it would be too busy to drive and find parking, so getting around by boat, train and bus would be a better idea.
From seeing an exhibition on Pompeii as a child in London, to recently completing a volcanology course, Pompeii is somewhere I have always wanted to visit and finally got to see. However it was a very wet November day, but that didn't stop us from visiting the site and had the place almost to ourselves!
Walking along those same streets as people did thousands of years ago, picturing the hussle and bustle of life then just totally encapsulates you into the experience for a very interesting and exhilarating day out that. I would say this is a must see place in this area. This UNESCO site is much larger than I expected and places like the amphitheater well preserved. You could combine this with nearby Herculaneum or Mount Vesuvius, but we were so wet we only managed Pompeii.
To get to Pompeii from Sorrento there is a train station actually at the site, so taking the train is an easy option, although we drove there in about 50 mins. You would need to book your entrance tickets in advance in the summer online.
Walking along those same streets as people did thousands of years ago, picturing the hussle and bustle of life then just totally encapsulates you into the experience for a very interesting and exhilarating day out that. I would say this is a must see place in this area. This UNESCO site is much larger than I expected and places like the amphitheater well preserved. You could combine this with nearby Herculaneum or Mount Vesuvius, but we were so wet we only managed Pompeii.
To get to Pompeii from Sorrento there is a train station actually at the site, so taking the train is an easy option, although we drove there in about 50 mins. You would need to book your entrance tickets in advance in the summer online.
As you head out of Sorrento along the breathtakingly beautiful Amalfi Coast (One of the most beautiful coastlines in the world) if you are brave enough to drive as we did, you can stop at many viewpoints and just breathe in the sea air and spectacular rugged beauty of this place. In the summer I wouldn't drive, either take the bus or a boat to Positano as car parking spaces were limited in November, so you wouldn't stand a chance in the summer. Picturesque, colourful towns are just dotted along this stretch of coastline, which has captivated tourists for many years. A seafood haven this coastline boasts many seafood restaurants.
Positano itself is a small sophisticated town that hugs the cliff side, selling Limoncello and beautiful ceramics to tourists. It has a small beach and lots of cafes and restaurants. It is more expensive to stay here than Sorrento though, so I would suggest staying in Sorrento and just visiting Positano.
Positano itself is a small sophisticated town that hugs the cliff side, selling Limoncello and beautiful ceramics to tourists. It has a small beach and lots of cafes and restaurants. It is more expensive to stay here than Sorrento though, so I would suggest staying in Sorrento and just visiting Positano.
The next town you encounter from Positano is the quaint seaside town of Amalfi. It was once an important maritime trading power up until the year 1200. Today it is a UNESCO world heritage site, attracting tourists from all over the world. It sits in the bay of Salerno about an hour's drive from Sorrento. The port is busy with tourist boats and ferries to Sorrento, Ischia, Capri, Grotta Dello Smeraldo, Salerno and Positano.
Ravello is a hidden gem, but unfortunately we ran out of time to see it on this trip, we just drove past it. A good excuse to return one day though! Founded in the 5th Century as a safe place from invaders as it is three miles up into the mountains from Amalfi, this would be a great place to visit in the summer as it is cooler than the lower level villages, and due to it's location affords spectacular views of the coastline.
Weather
We visited at the end of November, one of the wettest months and we had one day of heavy rain, but three other days of lovely sunshine with temperatures 13-20c
The weather is warmest in July and August with temperatures reaching 30c or above and January the coldest with temperatures 8-13C. It is very dry in the summer and can be wet in the winter. Spring and Autumn are the best times to visit. Most businesses shut up shop for January and February, so that isn't a good time to visit.
The weather is warmest in July and August with temperatures reaching 30c or above and January the coldest with temperatures 8-13C. It is very dry in the summer and can be wet in the winter. Spring and Autumn are the best times to visit. Most businesses shut up shop for January and February, so that isn't a good time to visit.
So the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento really is a destination that has something for everyone! It has spectacular views over pretty colourful small towns, access to entrancing boat trips to nearby islands, world famous historical sites and volcano, Delicious food, challenging hikes, culture or just a place to relax and unwind in the sun. For more information see this tourism website.
Did you know that Mount Vesuvius isn't the only volcano here though? I also learnt on my volcanology course that the whole bay of Naples is actually the crater of a supervolcano! Hopefully this won't erupt for thousands of years yet, and these volcanoes are constantly monitored for signs of activity, to give everyone warning of a possible eruption and avoid a repeat of Pompeii, which would of course affect millions of people next time.