Sorrento travel guide

Italy - Sorrento is a beautiful small Italian town sitting atop high cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples. It is clean, safe, friendly, and a great jumping off point for day trips to surrounding locations in the Italian state of Campania. We were pleasantly surprised with Sorrento. It was a first stop on a 15-day vacation to Italy that my wife and I took to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. Our 25-year-old son, 21-year-old daughter and their respective boyfriend and girlfriend accompanied us. We spent 5 days here. Subsequently we visited Rome, Venice, and Lake Como. Reports that Sorrento would be overcrowded and overpriced seemed to be exaggerated. Perhaps our visit in late May helped us enjoy great weather, while still avoiding the summer crowds. Sorrento is a very tidy, beautiful, and friendly place. They have been welcoming European tourists for over 200 years, and are very good at it. The scent of the abundant lemon groves coupled with the stunning views of the bay of Naples including Mount Vesuvius and topped off with quaint side streets made our stay a memorable one. Commuter trains from Naples easily reach Sorrento, and the train station is centrally located. The main street (Corso Italia) is intersected by Piazza Tasso, which is the centre of the town. From here you can easily walk down through a gorge to the beach or into the historic district for a wide variety of watering holes and restaurants. Just off the main Piazza there is an ancient building built in the gorge. It is lit with different coloured flood lights in the evening and is a very nice sight. The beaches would not be described as stunning Mediterranean beaches. There are a myriad of beach clubs offering chaise lounges and umbrellas atop cement piers and wooden platforms. Although not as typically ITALIAN as many other destinations, it is a great place to get your fix of sun, partying, limoncello, and ferries or buses to a wide variety of locations for day trips. Sorrento can visited on a budget staying in an Apartment and eat at moderately priced restaurants, or you can stay and eat very expensively.... but the views and memories are the same no matter what. We rented a three bedroom house located 900 meters from the train station and a 5 minute walk to Piazza S.Agnello: Sorrento Holidays House La Terrazza (http://www.SorrentoHoliday.info). It was clean and convenient and very roomy. There we several grocery stores and restaurants close by. I highly recommend this apartment - 100% residential and surrounded by lemon groves!

2009-06-27 / follow sorrento / report abuse