Sorrento in 11 Pictures

After taking you to Gargano and Cinque Terre, we’d like to show you another amazing Italian location; Sorrento. It’s so beautiful, that I don’t think words can do it justice.

Sorrento in 11 Pictures – Prepare to be Amazed!

1) The Cliffs

Italy Sorrento Coastline
The legendary cliffs of Sorrento

Sorrento was the legendary cove of the Mermaids, beautiful creatures that bewitched sailors with their beautiful singing, causing them to crash their boats onto vertical cliffs.

Ulysses was curious of listening to the Mermaids’ singing, so he plugged his sailors’ ears with wax and tied himself to the mast.

2) The Beaches

Italy Sorrento Beach
A Sorrento beach

Sorrento is surrounded by cliffs, and beaches are scarce. Private beaches take up most of Sorrento’s premium coastline, with umbrellas and sunloungers arranged in neat rows. There are a couple of free beaches; a swim in the clear blue waters is the perfect way to cool off after a day sightseeing.

3) The Coast

Italy Sorrento Albergo Londres
Beautiful hotels atop Sorrento’s cliffs

One amazing hotel after another, perched on top of the high Sorrento cliffs. I’m sure you’d get a million-dollar view from those.

 4) The Fruit

Italy Sorrento Fruit Stall
A greengrocer’s in Sorrento’s old town

Walking around  the alleyways, you’ll find greengrocers like this with a bounty of fruit on display. Try pesche saturnine (bottom-right corner) a delicious local variety.

5) Marina Piccola

Sorrento marina piccola
Marina Piccola and more amazing hotels

Marina Piccola is the harbour where ferries to Naples, Capri and Ischia arrive and depart. It is dominated by the beautiful Hotel Excelsior-Vittoria; on the right corner of the picture it is possible to notice Sorrento’s ravine, a narrow opening in the cliffs caused by volcanic activity.

6) Marina Grande

Sorrento marina grande
A view of Marina Grande

In our opinion, this is the most picturesque area; an old fishing village by the sea, with far fewer tourists than the narrow streets of the historical centre. There are steps leading down to Marina Grande from the centre; it is about a fifteen-minute walk.

7) Pizza

Italy Sorrento Pizza
A pizzaiolo preparing the dough for the day

Don’t forget we’re close to Naples; this is prime pizza territory. If you’ve had too may pizze, try saltimbocca – cured ham and mozzarella sandwiches, oven-baked in bread made from pizza dough. Here’s our article on the Sorrento Food Tour we took!

8) Lemons

Italy Sorrento Unwaxed Lemons
Look at these lemons!

Giant, knobbly and deep yellow, Sorrento lemons are a delicacy. Try limoncello, lemon sorbet or lemon granite, or even eat them as they are to appreciate their unique tangy sweetness.

9) Valle dei Mulini

Italy Sorrento Valle Dei Mulini
A view of Valle dei Mulini from the top

My very own favourite, this place spells fairytale. Remember the ravine we mentioned before? A stream runs through it, powering a watermill that was used to grind wheat. Until, in 1860, access to the ravine was blocked to allow the construction of Piazza Tasso, Sorrento’s main square. A new microclimate was created; cool and humid, allowing ferns and carnivorous plants to grow and envelop the watermill, now a ruin. It is impossible to access the valley (even though there are steps leading down!) but you can get a great view from above.

10) Sunset

Italy Sorrento Bagni S Anna Sunset
Sunset from our beachfront restaurant

There’s no better way to end a day in Sorrento with a seafood dinner at sunset in a beachfront Marina Grande restaurant.

11) Mount Vesuvius

Italy Sorrento Vesuvius
Vesuvius across the bay

She’s always there, across the bay, reminding everyone that it is her who created and shaped the land around Sorrento.

 

5 thoughts on “Sorrento in 11 Pictures”

  1. We’ll be in Italy in the spring and I’m so excited about going back. I was wondering if you had a favorite food stand (or if they were all pretty much the same?) and a favorite spot to get some pizza.

    • Hey Maya! Thanks for your comment! My favourite snack in Sorrento was probably the saltinbocca, followed closely by the pall’è riso. The tour was amazing! I didn’t have pizza in Sorrento but I can recommend two great places in Napoli: Da Mario and Da Ciro al Trianon! Hope it helps

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