Overlooking the Bay of Naples, amid citrus scents, breathtaking cliffs and views that look like paintings, Sorrento is more than just a tourist destination-it is an experience that touches the soul. This small town in Campania is a perfect blend of history, nature, gastronomy and art. Whether you are a romantic dreamer, a lover of culture or a tireless traveler, you will find something in Sorrento that will win you over.
Sorrento is not only to be seen, it is to be experienced. It is a city that embraces you with its beauty, pampers you with its flavors and enchants you with its colors. A place where every detail tells a story, every glimpse is a postcard and every moment leaves an indelible memory.
Get ready to lose yourself … and find yourself again, among the scents of citrus groves and the deep blue of the Mediterranean. Starting with its historic center.
1. The historic center: among alleys, crafts and tradition
The historic center of Sorrento embodies the true essence of this city, including colors, smells, scents, beauty and liveliness. Walking through the historic center of Sorrento is like taking a journey back in time.
The narrow, paved alleys, full of colors and scents, the artisan stores selling products of all kinds, from wonderful hand-painted ceramics, to lemon products, to local liqueurs, that tell the authentic story of this town. To the many establishments selling tasty gastronomic products.
Whether it is art, gastronomy or simply a scenic walk, Sorrento is a treasure trove of traditions and culture that enchants and leaves a mark on the hearts of those who visit.
2. Tasso Square
Tasso Square is the centerpiece of the city, surrounded by historic buildings with colorful facades, flower-filled balconies and stone porticoes. It is the vibrant heart of the bustling city both during the day and at night.
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It is named after the famous poet Tasso, who was born here in 1544, and where there is still a monument by Gennaro Calì dedicated to him and inaugurated in 1870. In Tasso Square you can also see the statue of St. Antonino, patron saint of the city, and the Carmine Church with its unmistakable yellow facade.
The latter is one of the most important churches you can see in Sorrento, dedicated to the Madonna del Carmine, richly frescoed with sumptuous gilded stucco decorations and a beautiful high altar.
From Piazza Tasso going up Viale Enrico Caruso you can also see the very famous Valley of the Mills.
3. Valley of the Mills
Sorrento’s Vallone dei Mulini preserves with it an extraordinary history. The Vallone originated following a very violent eruption of the Phlegraean Fields 35,000 years ago. The accumulation of debris and the subsequent erosive action of water from two streams, the Casarlano and the Sant’Antonino, determined the formation of this valley.
It was not until 1600 that a mill was built at the bottom of the valley used for grinding grain and later also a sawmill. But as a result of the construction of today’s Tasso Square, the activities of the valley stopped functioning with the consequent closure of the outlet to the sea. This caused a lack of water and increased humidity in the area to peaks of 80 percent.
This element no longer allowed men to continue living and working in the area. So both the activities in the mill and the sawmill stopped working. Today, only ruins covered by vegetation remain.
4. Wandering among churches and domes
Sorrento, like all major cities, is home to numerous churches.
Among the most beautiful to see are: in addition to the Church of the Carmine in Tasso Square, the Basilica of St. Antoninus, the patron saint of the city, which preserves numerous paintings depicting the miracles performed by this saint.
Basilica of St. Antoninus
Baroque and Romanesque in style, the basilica houses the remains of St. Antoninus its patron saint. He is credited with several miracles.
One of the most important is that of having saved a child swallowed by a whale. A miracle evidenced by the presence of an urn containing the bones of a whale in a corner of the basilica’s portico.
In the nave, in the space between the two arches, instead, are placed ovals, within which are frescoed scenes from the life of St. Antonine. The right side depictions of St. Antonine saving a mason who fell from the bell tower, the deliverance of a possessed woman, the escape of the Saracen fleet, the delivery of fish to his devotees, and the rescue of a boat from shipwreck.
On the ceiling, decorated with gold rosettes on a blue background, are three canvases by Giovanni Battista Lama, made in 1734. The depiction of St. Andrew Avellino, the deliverance from the devil of Prince Sicardo’s daughter, and finally the portrait of St. Gaetano di Thiene.
Sorrento Cathedral
Sorrento Cathedral, dedicated to Saints Philip and James, on the other hand, is located on Corso Italia, the city’s main street.
Built in Baroque and neo-Gothic style, it features a ceiling decorated with paintings by Giacomo del Pò made in the 1700s depicting the Assumption and St. Philip and James.
The interior is Baroque in style, mostly built in the 18th century, with an imposing wooden choir (in the chancel) and the large organ above the main entrance portal. Outside, on Corso Italia, is the famous bell tower with an 18th-century ceramic clock.
5. The municipal villa and the San Francesco cloister
In visiting Sorrento, one cannot fail to see the most striking, the most exciting, the one that takes one’s breath away in this city, the Villa Comunale.
The villa in Sorrento is not just a villa, it is much more than that. It houses one of the most enchanting terraces overlooking the sea, from which it is possible to admire the entire Gulf of Naples, the Sorrento coast, the seaside villages of Marina Grande and Marina Piccola, and Vesuvius. An overlook that gives unique emotions both by day and by night, with its myriad of lights, colors that are reflected in the blue of the Gulf of Naples. It is a thrill not to be missed when visiting Sorrento.
And right next to this paradise is the wonderful Church of St. Francis with its cloister. A small architectural jewel characterized by a portico of crossed tuff arches alternating with round arches. One of the city’s oldest monuments.
How to get to Sorrento from Naples
Getting from Naples to Sorrento is really easy!!! You can reach it comfortably by train, by car, but also by hydrofoil.
If you are staying near the Naples Central Station in Piazza Garibaldi. Just go to the lower level of the station, where you will find Circumvesuviana trains that take you directly to Sorrento. The Circumvesuviana is the fastest, most convenient and cheapest way to get to Sorrento.
The route is Naples-Sorrento and you must get off at the last station. Schedules are listed here NAPLES-SORRENTO
Otherwise you can opt for a car, in which case you have to take the A3 Naples-Salerno freeway, direction Salerno, exit at Castellammare di Stabia and continue straight following the “Sorrento” signs for the SS145.
Here on the way you can pause and take a few photos among the wonderful panoramic curves overlooking the spectacular Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. A truly spectacular view!!!
If, on the other hand, you are staying near the Port of Naples or the historic center. I recommend using either the ferry or the hydrofoil. The trip takes about 35/45 minutes depending on the company.
From the hydrofoil you will be able to enjoy an exclusive and wonderful landscape. And it is one of the most beautiful and relaxing ways to comfortably reach Sorrento.
The Naples – Sorrento line runs year-round, with trips departing from Molo Beverello, inside the port.
