10 things to see and do in Sorrento… in a single day!
THE AMALFI COAST’S MOST ROMANTIC TOWN: 10 CAN’T-MISS ATTRACTIONS.
Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast’s most romantic and charming vacation spot, is surrounded by places rich in attractions. The town’s visitors have an embarrassment of delights to choose from: Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, and Naples are just some of the most famous examples of the excursions that can be organized starting from Sorrento.
The city deserves the time to be appreciated and experienced fully, without neglecting all the wonders the region has to offer.
Here, then, is a light-hearted guide to the 10 things to see and do in a single day in Sorrento.
1. In the heart of Sorrento. We start from the centre, which is to say from the main square, Piazza Tasso, named for the illustrious man of letters, Torquato Tasso, born in Sorrento in 1544. Here, two statues share the stage: one of the poet, and one of the patron saint, St. Antoninus, a figure particularly beloved by the town’s inhabitants. The heart of the city, Piazza Tasso is always animated and lively, with the little tables of cafés and restaurants offering a tasty pause for the visitors strolling by.
2. Vallone dei Mulini. Adjacent to the piazza is a lovely tree-lined valley looking out over one of the city’s most alluring places. A deep rift carved into the rock, in days of old the valley was linked to the port of Marina Piccola and served as a meeting place for the population. The valley owes its name to the presence of the ruins of a sawmill. The spontaneous vegetation that has grown lush over the years has increased its charm, making the view truly breathtaking ... and dizzying!
3. A visit to the Cathedral. Dedicated to saints Philip and James, the Cathedral rises upon the remains of a Greek temple, and today boasts a neo-Gothic façade. Torquato Tasso was baptized here.
4. Villa Fiorentino. While strolling along the city’s main thoroughfare, in addition to admiring the shop windows and the beautiful façades of the historic palazzi, we come to Villa Fiorentino. The Sorrentini call it “Villa Fazzoletti,” in memory of the couple that had it built in the 1930s and manufactured Sorrento’s typical embroidered handkerchiefs (“fazzoletti”) there. The dwelling with its large park was later donated to the city and is currently home to Fondazione Sorrento, the foundation that, every year, stages events connected with art and culture, including retrospective shows of artists of the calibre of Picasso, Pomodoro, Dalì, Chagall, and Bacon.
5. The Baths of Queen Giovanna. Continuing up towards the cape of Sorrento, we come upon two places of unique charm that are absolutely worth a visit. The first is the archaeological site with the remains of the Villa of Pollius Felix, the summer home of an Imperial-Age Roman aristocrat who, like many of his “colleagues,” chose the Amalfi Coast as the vacation spot par excellence. Going a little further, a short stroll much appreciated by trekkers leads to an oasis wild in appearance yet disturbingly beautiful: a small cove where, according to legend, the controversial queen known in English as Joan of Naples loved to bathe with her lovers. In this concentration of Mediterranean nature, water, rocks, and plant life create an unforgettable landscape.
6. Lunch at Marina Grande. It’s time for lunch, and a can’t-miss stroll at Marina Grande, a picturesque seaside village and the location for Scandal in Sorrento, one of the most famous films in the history of Italian cinema, starring Sofia Loren and Vittorio de Sica. Tasting traditional fish dishes in one of the restaurants just a stone’s throw from the sea is an absolute must.
7. Marina Piccola. No less charming is Marina Piccola, with the port and an abundance of restaurants and cafés, where the city’s strong bond with the sea can be clearly felt. Marina Piccola can also be reached directly from Sorrento’s city hall (Villa Comunale) – where a terrace offers the vista featured on souvenir photos worldwide – by way of a zig-zag path carved into the rock. But have no fear: there’s also a lift that gets you to the port in one minute.
8. The history of Sorrento in a museum. After lunch and a stroll on the beach, we climb back to the centre of town on our way to Museo Correale di Terranova. The eighteenth-century palazzo is home to furniture, paintings, porcelain, and statuettes of shepherds telling the story of Sorrento and beyond.
9. A visit to the shops in the historic centre. We have now earned a stroll through the historic centre’s narrow streets to look for characteristic souvenirs and pieces of local craftsmanship. Lace and embroidery, inlaid boxes, leather sandals made to order, limoncello, and an ocean of shops, boutiques, and little restaurants – a colourful festival in which you lose all sense of time. In the heart of the historic centre we come upon a small, fifteenth-century treasure, Sedil Dominova, the seat of Sorrento’s Medieval nobility, the only one left in Campania. The frescoed setting is opened by large arcades on two sides, topped by a dome covered with the majolica tiles typically referred to as riggiole.
10. Now for pizza! It’s time for dinner, and to enjoy a modern take on traditional dishes, or a classic pizza, and even a gourmet version topped with small Piennolo tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and organic extra-virgin olive oil. And for the sweet tooth, a nice artisanal gelato. What flavour? Sorrento lemon, of course!