Sorrento and the Sorrentine Peninsula

The Amalfi Coast may be the jewel in the crown, the rest of the coast is no less impressive. Sorrento and the Sorrentine Peninsula which juts out into the Tyrrhenian Sea with its rugged shores and spectacular beaches is a perfect example.

The Peninsula is named after its main town Sorrento. Located on the north of the Bay of Naples overlooking Mount Vesuvius. The Amalfi Coast is located to the south. The Lattari Mountains forms the backbone of the Peninsula. The island of Capri lies off the western tip of the peninsula.

Sorrento

A small resort with a big reputation. Know for is plunging cliffs, high class hotels and not forgetting lemons. It’s a place to explore on foot discovering the old town and soaking up the the best views and vantage points.

Although Sorrento is the main visitor centre. Look beyond Sorrento and you will be rewarded with some less well-known towns that are home to intriguing historic sites, beaches, fantastic bars and restaurants.

Sorrento has a long history of tourism going back to the 19th century as it was a compulsory stop on the “Grand Tour” it has long inspired a long list of literary geniuses Byron, Dickens and Tolstoy to name a few. With ferry connections to Naples and Capri, the western gateway to the Amalfi Coast, as well as a rail connection to Pompeii makes this an ideal base to explore the larger area.

Where do I start my Sorrento adventure? with lemons. Lemons are the most iconic symbols of Sorrento and the Campania region. There is even a variety of lemons named after Sorrento. Such is their importance Sorrento lemons have a PGI Protected Geographical Indication and have grown in the area for over two millennia. It’s used in every aspect of cooking, even the peel is not wasted as this is used in the process of making limoncello.

Piazza Tasso

This is the beating heart of Sorrento named after Renaissance poet Torquato Tasso who was born in Sorrento. Today this busy square will be full of people, cars, vespas and the occasional horse and cart taking visitors on a ride around the old town.

Piazza Tasso is surrounded by cafes and bars and is the perfect location to people-watch as everyone seems to walk through the square, whatever the time of day morning, noon or night the square is always a hive of continuous activity.

Just of the Piazza Tasso, you will find Sorrento’s historic centre a maze of narrow streets that run back from the cliffside. Medieval alleyways that twist and turn past cafés, bars and shops with churches, historic buildings and secret gardens intermingled amongst them. A confusing layout but you will have fun uncovering something different around every corner.

Just from the old town down towards the cliffside, we came across Piazza Della Vittoria. A shaded area of the town with trees and manicured gardens. Several of Sorrento’s most exclusive hotels are situated here. It is a very popular location to view a sunset as there are fabulous views of the sea looking over the Bay of Naples.

One thing you can rely on as with the rest of the Sorrentine Peninsula is the fantastic views of the bay. Although in reality many of the best viewing points are taken up by upmarket hotels and restaurants. There are a few areas in Sorrento where you can do this for free.

Sant’Agnello

I was staying in Sant’ Agnello. It’s one of the smallest towns on the Sorrentine Peninsula. It’s ideally situated if you want some peace. Only a 20-minute walk to Sorrento if you do want to enjoy its busier neighbour.

The main square Piazza Sant’Agnello with its distinctive church sits aside from the main road to Sorrento. It’s a bustling area and a perfect place to people-watch.

It’s not a major tourist centre like nearby Sorrento. The town has a laid-back vibe and a very authentic feel about it. There are a few bars and restaurants here which are very authentic and reasonably priced. It’s probably the best place for a few post-dinner drinks in Sant’ Agnello.

The other main centre in Sant’Agnello is Piazza Matteotti. This is in the historical part of town. There is one traditional cafe here and you will find the railway station very close by as Sant’Agnello is on the Naples to Sorrento line.

Sant’Agnello is the perfect retreat to get away from the hustle and bustle of Sorrento. It’s easy to fill your days here exploring the town, enjoying a walk to neighbouring towns or taking a walk to the nearby hills which surrounds Sant’Agnello.

Like the other towns of the Sorrentine Peninsula Sant’Agnello sits on the tufa stone directly over the sea. This offers fantastic views of the Bay of Naples. Where you can admire the clear blue sea as the sky meets the sea on the horizon.

One of the best locations to view this is the Marinella a scenic overview with a fantastic panorama that stretches from Mount Vesuvius to the Sorrentine coast. A lot of Sant’ Agnello’s hotels and more upmarket restaurants are situated here. You will have access to the La Marinella beach club located at the bottom of the cliff.

Piano de Sorrento

Just a short walk from Sant’Agnello is the town of Piano de Sorrento. This is the main commercial centre for local people who come here to shop and socialise.

Although not a popular visitor centre it’s grown in popularity in recent years due to the growing Airbnb market. There is a marina and two beaches located in the town.

You will find the Villa Fondi which is probably the main attraction in the town. Due to its waterfront location on the top of a cliff with stunning sea views, it’s a very popular location for weddings. As you enter the property we were surrounded by lush gardens which surround the villa with a fabulous vista of the bay.

Piano de Sorrento is not a busy destination, but if you are looking for an authentic feel of a typical Italian town then this is a perfect location. Prices at bars and restaurants are less expensive than you will find at popular locations such as Sorrento. The atmosphere is more laid back here.

Exploring Sorrento on the water

To fully appreciate Sorrento’s natural beauty a trip on the water is in order. There are two marinas in Sorrento Marina Piccolo and Marina Grande. Confusingly Marina Piccolo is the largest marina, as piccolo is little in Italian and Grande is big.

If you are going to go on a ferry it will be from Marina Piccolo and most commercial boat trips depart from this location, it’s about a 20-minute walk from Piazza Tasso. Marina Grande is essentially a fishing port and is located further away from the main town.

Boat trips to the bay are an excellent way of viewing all the main sights of the bay. This will include the cliffside waterfront of Sorrento, Mount Vesuvius and Capri.

During our boat trip we docked just of Marina di Puolo. This is just on the outskirts of Sorrento and by Sorrento, standards have a big beach. It was a very pleasant spot for a swim with the backdrop of the town behind us.

On our return journey back to Marina Piccolo we passed the other marina in Sorrento, Marina Grande. Which is instantly recognisable from the bright coloured buildings on the front of the marina.

Drinks with a view and aperitivo?

Tottering on a cliff edge overlooking the Bay of Naples, the colourful buildings hide a myriad of bars for an evening tipple, if that doesn’t appeal then what about a rooftop bar or a romantic lounge. One thing for sure we were certainly spoilt for choice for an early evening drink.

It goes hand in hand with aperitivo a uniquely Italian tradition, a pre-meal drink is very much a cultural ritual. Derived from the Latin aperire, the tradition is meant to open the stomach before dining. With such beautiful settings who was I to refuse tradition.

Aperitivo is usually taken between 7 pm and 9 pm as Italians eat very late, with our drink, we were provided with some “nibbles” typical aperitivo fare includes crackers, olives, meats cheeses and bread. Depending on the cost of the drinks, it can be as simple as a few peanuts at a local bar to very lavish small plates at more expensive establishments. The classic aperitivo drink is a spritz made with Prosecco, Aperol or Campari, bitter soda or tonic water.

If the drinks and nibbles weren’t enough at this waterfront location we were treated to fabulous panoramic views of the Bay of Naples taking in Mount Vesuvius and Capri. The better the view the higher the prices is the general rule.

If beautiful waterside locations aren’t enough there are several rooftop cocktail joints complete with panoramic views. We were lucky enough to be staying at a hotel with its very own rooftop cocktail bar complete with a selection of over 200 cocktails to select from.

Although the cocktails were very agreeable it has to be said the real inducement is the unique rooftop location, with views of Mount Vesuvius, the Bay of Naples and the stunning backdrop of the Lattari Mountains. It was a fabulous location to watch the sun setting on another great day.

It’s not all about the aperitivo either after our meal and the sun had set it’s time for a post-dinner cocktail. In sophisticated bars or romantic lounges, there will be no shortage of tastefully decorated establishments to frequent. Bars stay open very late in Italy so there’s no need to rush many bars staying open till the early hours.

Finally, this being Sorrento home of the lemon 🍋 you will find Limoncello everywhere. A sweet liqueur, high in alcohol made with local lemons. Unlike an aperitif, this is traditionally drunk after dinner ice cold as a shot. However it’s equally delicious in a spritz with Prosecco, Aperol spritz pre-dinner and limoncello spritz after dinner sounds good to me.

Catch a Sorrentine sunset

Sorrento’s cliffside setting is a charming location and catching a sunset over the bay is a fantastic thing to do.

When the sun goes down, the hustle and bustle of Sorrentine life come to a stop, as people gather to watch the fat old sun dip into the sea, a perfect end to a summer’s day.

We are in Italy so don’t be surprised to see varying levels of emotions on display at these locations from strolling hand in hand to full-on petting as couples enjoy these romantic, scenic overlooks.

Beach club days

When visiting this part of Italy the beach clubs are an institution. A trip to this part of Italy wouldn’t be complete without visiting one to enjoy true Italian style and luxury.

As beautiful as Sorrento is if there is one minor downside it’s not full of pristine sandy beaches. What free beaches there are tend to be noisy and very crowded. What you will most likely find are cliff faces and rocky perches built into the rocks.

However, beach lovers need not worry what Sorrento lacks in beaches it makes up for with some rather unique beach clubs. You will find the Sorrento coastline teeming with long pier-like beach clubs that stretch into the Bay of Naples. Where you will see rows and rows of coloured umbrellas and sun loungers.

The beach clubs can make life easier, as your body isn’t full of sand from the day out at the beach. As Sorrento is made up of rocky shorelines, you can relax in the comfort of renting a lounger and umbrella, taking full advantage of all the amenities on offer, rather than sitting on a crowded beach under the full glare of the hot sun.

Fancy a swim? The beach club we were visiting had a small beach where you can swim, which was shaped like a small bay, it also had ladders on the seafront where you can climb down straight into the sea.

The beach club we visited was in Sant’ Agnello just outside Sorrento. Although compared to some other beach clubs this did feel rather grandiose. It’s less busy than some others in the area and had a feel of some of the more expensive beach clubs to be found in Capri or Positano. At €38 for the two of us plus lunch, it’s not cheap compared to sitting by the hotel pool for free, but you have to visit a beach club at least once to get the quintessential Italian experience.

After a very busy time discovering what the area has to offer it was nice to have a relaxing day doing nothing. The facilities are top notch with a lovely bar with soft furniture and a restaurant located over the sea for a nice lunch overlooking the Bay of Naples, there is a small beach area here which is very unusual. There is even a lift to get you down if you don’t fancy the walk down.

One thing that took me by surprise was the many outside full-length mirrors, for people to be able to look at themselves, only in Italy would this vanity pass as normality.

Eating and drinking

One thing is for sure there are plenty of great dining options in Sorrento. You will be spoilt for choice with prices to suit most budgets.

I will start with the humble pizza. Although in this part of the world they take their pizza very very seriously as Naples is the birthplace of pizza. There is even a pizza association to guarantee quality. So rest assured you will be eating fresh expertly made pizzas. Although they will always be thin crust rather than the deep pan variety I am more familiar with.

If you tire of pizza! What about sampling a calazone. For myself, this is perfection on a plate. This is a popular Italian dish oven baked inside-out pizza. Calazone are made from pizza dough folded into a half moon shape and traditionally filled with mozzarella, ricotta cheese, vegetables, ham or salami.

If that pizza seems a bit too much what about a Caprese salad. Simple but delicious mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and olive oil. Usually served as a starter and can be eaten any time of the day. It has been said that the red, white and green pay homage to the Italian 🇮🇹 flag.

If you are expecting bacon and eggs then you will be disappointed. Breakfast in Italy is a very simple affair. The traditional breakfast in Sorrento is a cappuccino and a sfogliatella an Italian pastry usually filled with ricotta, almond or candied lemon peel. A word of warning Cappuccino is only served at breakfast, if you order after breakfast you will receive some funny looks from Italians.

Another traditional food of Italy is of course pasta. There are numerous pasta shapes and sizes to enjoy with fresh local ingredients. A local specialty which I ate was pasta Genovese which is beef, onions, tomatoes and wine very slowly cooked down and served with oversized penne pasta. A popular dish in the south of Italy although it would be unfamiliar in the UK and to many Italians living in the north.

Don’t forget to leave some room for some scrumptious desserts. I could mention the ice cream but I’m not a fan, but judging by the queues were very popular, freshly picked cherries and peaches were also delicious. My personal favourite was Delizia al Simone, a dome-shaped sponge-based cake filled with lemon custard “Bellissimo” they can be found everywhere as it’s the traditional dessert in the region.

Another important part of Italian culture is coffee, where British people will partake in a cup of tea, and most Italians won’t turn down the opportunity to enjoy a coffee with friends. Nonetheless, the choice can be a bit bewildering as there are over 21 varieties to choose from😲 think I will stick to my expresso.

As I have previously mentioned aperitivo is an Italian ritual. Still, it’s not restricted to early evening, early afternoon drinks were generally offered with some snacks. We mostly skipped lunch and partook in the aperitivo instead. It doesn’t have to be an alcoholic drink either a bitter lemon soft drink works well.