Sun In Sorrento: What To Do & See In Sorrento

Greek mythology states that Sorrento was home to the sirens, who lured passing sailors onto the rocks with their beautiful songs. And it still pulls in the visitors today — though today it’s the panoramic views across the Bay of Naples, sunny weather, classic Italian food and laissez-faire atmosphere that do the luring. This was the first time I had visited Sorrento which some people found shocking as it’s probably the most popular holiday spot on the Neapolitan Riviera. Pulling in such large numbers you can’t exactly call it an undiscovered gem, but although it might be a bit touristy in spots you can’t help being charmed by the town.

I would highly recommend ditching the travel guides and binning your tourist map and instead wander the backstreets. Sorrento is a maze of narrow streets which run back from the cliffside — they’re supposedly pedestrianised but don’t be surprised if you see someone trying to squeeze a car or moped down there. The medieval alleyways twist and turn past trattorias, bars and shops. As well as the usual tourist shops there’s also an artisan district where you can buy local crafts from workshops making lace, leather or intarsia — inlaid wood carvings.

With its steep cliffs, Sorrento doesn’t have much of a beach, but down along the waterfront there are piers jutting out into the water where you can swim or sunbathe during the summer months. Most are owned by hotels or restaurants so you might have to buy a drink or hire a deckchair to bag a prime spot. But there are a few patches of sand in between where you can dip your feet in the Bay of Naples.

Food and drink play a very important part of life in Sorrento. The area is known for its volcanic soil which produces a great variety of fresh produce, such as olives, tomatoes, peaches, cherries, oranges and lemons. These are used in many delicious dishes that you will find on restaurant menus all over Sorrento like caprese salad, pizzas, pastas, and Delizia al Limone — cream-covered lemon cakes. You’ll be spoilt for choice by the number of restaurants and cafes all serving “the finest local food”. Have a peruse of the menus as you walk around during the day to find your perfect eating spot come the evening. And don’t forget a gelato stop — there are gelateria scattered across town or you can learn to make your own at Gelateria Davide. The local lemons used to make the famous limoncello grow in pots or gardens wherever there’s space in the town as well as in huge netted orchards on the outskirts. You can find even them in soaps and bath oils which fill the shops here.

Sorrento is in a great central spot for visiting a great deal of other sights in the area. To the north are the ruined cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, easy to get to on the Circumvesuviana train line (30 minutes to Pompeii or 50 minutes to Herculaneum), or you can climb up to the crater of Vesuvius (I did all three). Heading east is the gorgeous Amalfi Coast, although to avoid the crowded roads you can take a ferry from Sorrento harbour to Amalfi or Positano (30 and 50 minutes respectively) or head across the bay to the islands of Capri and Ischia (20 minutes to Capri or one hour to Ischia). Why not even charter a boat to explore some of the hidden coves nestled beneath the cliffs yourself?