Sorrento

A clifftop lemon town and gateway to Capri and the Amalfi Coast, with Piazza Tasso, the lanes of the old town and sunsets at the Marina Grande fishing village.

Sorrento sits atop a 50-meter tuff sea cliff on the north shore of the Sorrento Peninsula, facing the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. It is the terminus of the Circumvesuviana railway and a hub for coastal ferries. Accommodation and dining are much cheaper than in Positano, which makes it the most practical base for visiting Capri, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast. Around the central Piazza Tasso lies the old town. The pedestrian Via San Cesareo is lined with shops selling limoncello, lemon candies and intarsia (the traditional woodmarquetry craft of Sorrento). The 14th-century cloister of the Convent of San Francesco often hosts weddings. Next door, the Villa Comunale park is a clifftop lookout over the bay and Vesuvius, and an elevator (€1.1) goes down to the beach. Below the cliff lies Marina Grande, a traditional fishing village with colorful cottages, fishing boats and seafood restaurants. It is a 15-minute downhill walk from the old town, and watching the sunset and having dinner here in the evening is Sorrento's most relaxing moment. The Marina Piccola harbor is the ferry terminal: 20–25 minutes to Capri, 30 minutes to Positano and 45 minutes to Naples. Outside town you can visit the Giardini di Cataldo lemon groves, where lemon liqueur is served free for tasting, or take a 30-minute train to Pompeii. Getting there: from Naples' Garibaldi Station, the Circumvesuviana takes about 70 minutes (€4.6), or you can take the Campania Express. The SITA bus station is in front of the train station and is the starting point for buses to Positano and Amalfi. You can see Sorrento itself in half a day, but as a base, plan on 2–3 nights. In peak season the SITA buses and ferries have long queues, so set out early.

Sorrento

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Places to eat nearby