Overview to Sorrento: Travel Guide and Tourist Information
Settled prettily on the Bay of Naples, Sorrento is a fairly quiet little place even at its busiest. Not only does it manage to avoid the traditional resort excesses, but it neatly combines the attractions of a top seaside town with the outstanding nearby site of Pompeii.
Lying at its center, and lined with a couple of sun-soaked cafés, the Piazza Tasso is the town’s noisily beating heart. Elsewhere, there’s a pleasant port area, a charming church (San Francisco) and a generally agreeable pace to proceedings. And that’s about it…
Beach-wise, the Marina Grande and Picolla tend to be a bit on the crowded side in peak season. A little further to the west of the town, however, yields better results in the form of the Marina Puolo. Here, there are also a number of nice places for a long, lazy lunch.
But it’s back in the town itself where the majority of the better restaurants and bars can be found. Corso Italia, the main street, is lined with a number of boisterous pubs, while quiet trattorie and cafés can be found all over the town.
Then, of course, there’s Pompeii, the main reason why most people come to Sorrento. Buried by an eruption of Mt Vesuvius, Pompeii is one of the most important (and famous) Roman remains, and is easily accessible on the Circumvesuviana train (which takes 30 minutes).
In addition to the wonders of Pompeii, Sorrento also makes an excellent jump-off point for the nearby islands of Capri and Procida. According to legend, Capri was home to the Sirens, who once tried to lure Odysseus to his death, while Procida is a wonderfully scenic spot.
Compared to most other places in Italy, Sorrento has a singular lack of anything to do. But this isn’t a failing – quite the contrary, in fact. After the frantic sightseeing involved in backpacking around Italy, it’s the perfect place to put your feet up and enjoy doing nothing.