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Visit Sorrento

Sorrento is located on the western coast of Italy, south of Naples on the Sorrento peninsula and in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.

The large town is a very popular destination with both Italian and overseas visitors, attracted by the impressive location of Sorrento - as a result it is a lively regional centre and resort. note that although tourism is the key industry here it remains a very pleasant base for your travels in the region, and is significantly cheaper than, for example, the Amalfi Coast to the south.

There is little in the way of major sights to discover in Sorrento itself, apart from Sorrento Cathedral. The central square, Piazza Tasso, overlooks the deep gorge that divides the town acts as a hub for your wanderings through the surrounding streets. of the old part of Sorrento.

Early evening is a particularly pleasant time to join in the national pastime - an evening strolll. After ambling around the old town finish your wanderings at Villa Comunale perhaps, with a terrace where you can enjoy the lovely views out to sea. More great views can be found at Palazzo Correale and from the small Chiesa di San Francesco next to the Villa Communale.

Note that from its clifftop position Sorrento does not have easy access to local beaches. There are a couple of very small beaches in the town, but you are likely to prefer to head a little way out of Sorrento itself if you are planning to spend the day at the beach. One local alternative is the beach a couple of kilometres west of Sorrento (follow Via Capo) around the ruins of an ancient Roman villa./p>

Places to visit near Sorrento

Part of the appeal of Sorrento as a travel destination arises from the number of interesting and scenic highlights that are in close proximity to the town. These include:

• The scenic highlights of the Amalfi coast
• The island of Capri, with Ischia and Procida only a little further - ferries are available from Sorrento to all these islands
• Mount Vesuvius and Pompeiii
• The Temple at Paestum
• Naples - a down to earth town and not really a 'tourist attraction' but worth visiting anyway (accessible by ferry from Sorrento if you don't have a car)

Personal anecdote: it was in Sorrento that our daughter fell and banged her head and we had our first experience of an Italian hospital casualty department - there was nobody else in the waiting room and more than one doctor waiting to look after us. if you must have an accident Sorrento would seem to be a good place to have it!