Best Things to Do in Sorrento

The historic center and the beating heart of Sorrento, spending at least a day wandering through the Old Town with its cobbled streets and narrow lanes is a must. It’s primarily pedestrianized with only those who have special access allowed to drive vehicles here so you’ll need to explore on foot. The area is full of life, complete with Instagrammable pastel-hued houses, historic churches, boutiques, gelato shops, and restaurants. Jump into the hustle and bustle, haggling for bottles of limoncello and lacework, or just aimlessly stroll. A walk along Via San Cesareo, one of the oldest streets in town, will bring you to Sedil Dominova, once the gathering place for high society. Today it serves as the headquarters for the Societa di Mutuo Soccorso. No matter where you go, it’s so photogenic here you’ll find photo-ops around nearly every corner. If you want to capture them without countless tourists, explore early in the morning.

Located in the city center just a 5-minute walk from Piazza Tasso, Villa Comunale is a small but stunning park with beautifully manicured gardens. It’s a favorite place for locals and tourists alike to enjoy a tranquil walk among the fresh salty sea air or just relax with a view. There’s no fee to enter and you’ll enjoy one of the best vistas in all of southern Italy from its high perch on the clifftop. From the terrace, you can look out to the Gulf of Naples and landmarks on the horizon like the islands of Procida and Ischia with Mount Vesuvius looming in the background. At sunset, the view is one of the most romantic you’ll find in Sorrento. The perfectly manicured lawns also serve as a popular concert venue and there’s also a small bar nearby where you can sit outside and admire the view with a drink.

Just steps from Villa Comunale is another one of the must-visits in Sorrento, Chiostro di San Francesco. The serene 14th-century cloister sits next to a pretty baroque church and an 8th-century monastery that’s been beautifully restored and has an especially romantic atmosphere that makes this a popular wedding site. The church was erected by the Franciscan friars in the 14th century and it was modified later in baroque style except for its marble façade which dates to 1926 and the inlaid door which was added in the 16th century. The single-nave interior preserves a 17th-century wooden statue of San Francesco. The monastery near the church is still inhabited today while the cloister with its arched structure is a harmonious fusion of various styles to do multiple restorations taking place in different eras. With plants and flowers added, it’s especially picturesque, best known for the art exhibitions and summer concerts that it hosts.

Vallone dei Mlini translates to the Valley of the Mills. An abandoned valley near Piazza Tasso, it houses an atmospheric industrial mill. It’s a lush grouping of ruins, that are tucked into the bottom of a deep crevasse that was the result of a massive volcanic eruption some 35,000 years ago. Built from stone as far back as the 13th century to take advantage of the stream at the bottom of the valley, the mills were used to supply wheat to the Sorrentine people in the surrounding area. There was also a washhouse used by women for laundering clothes and bathing. When the flour milling was shifted to pasta mills nearby, it became obsolete with the buildings abandoned in the 1940s. The greenery that surrounds the ruins have slowly taken over, creating a very photogenic sight that can be viewed from Viale Enrico Caruso, which is suspended over the canyon at the intersection of Via Fuorimura.

Sorrento isn’t known for its sandy beaches as it has a rocky coastline, but “The Bay” as in the Bay of Naples is a great place for a refreshing dip. You can reach it by heading toward the harbor via the steep road from Piazza Tasso. There are also bathing platforms and beach clubs for sunbathing, with umbrellas and beach chairs for rent. Leonelli’s Beach on Via Marina Piccolo is run by the Leonelli family who’ve been running this bathing establishment for three generations. It sits next to the Port of Sorrento and the water here is a stunningly brilliant turquoise hue. There are multiple facilities here, with pedalos and canoes for rent along with a water gym course, a water polo field, a children’s swimming pool, a snack bar, and beachside restaurant. If you go to historic Marameo Beach with its retro changing boxes and elegant restaurant/bar, skip the food and enjoy a cocktail instead.

There are tours available that will teach you how to make pizza in the very place where it was birthed. Learn the secrets behind traditional Italian pizza making with an authentic pizzaiolo, traveling to a farmhouse in the hills of Sorrento. Upon arrival, you’ll get an overview that includes learning how to select the ingredients before donning an apron and digging in to help prepare the dough. Roll and toss it with some guidance from your pizzaiolo and then get creative, having fun with the toppings by choosing what you like best and then putting it in the oven. You’ll be guided throughout the entire process from start to finish in the wood-fired oven. Once it’s ready, you’ll get to enjoy your own creation and sample slices from other alongside a libation or two. A variety of appetizers made with local ingredients will also be served for a full and satisfying meal.

One of the world’s most scenic drives follows the Amalfi Coast, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. It hugs the cliffs around hairpin bends while the turquoise sea crashes below. A mountainous coastline, along the way there are picturesque fishing villages, grand architecture that’s been preserved for centuries, and dramatic cliff faces. The 36-mile stretch of coastal road from Sorrento to Salerno is particularly magnificent. Little homes cling to the green cliffsides, painted in pastel hues of yellows and pinks that create a gorgeous contrast while the occasional tiled dome of a church glistens in the sun. It will bring you through some of Italy’s most famous seaside resorts along the way, including Positano. Colorful Positano will welcome you with a stunning vista of flowers, trees, and lemon, orange, and olive

groves. Stroll through and you’ll experience its timeless beauty that looks much like it did a century ago.

Pompeii is less than a 17-mile drive from Sorrento and many tours can bring you there if you want an expert guide. One of the most intriguing destinations in all of Italy, here you’ll get a good glimpse of life nearly 2,000 years ago in the famous city that was destroyed by the massive Mount Vesuvius volcanic eruption. It was buried under blankets of ash and stayed that way for nearly 1,700 years before it was rediscovered. The explorers who found it were surprised to find that beneath all the debris and dust, Pompeii was mostly still intact. The ash had kept it incredibly well-preserved, bringing the opportunity to marvel at everything from a bakery, meat and fish market to an amphitheater, temple, villas, and even brothels. While you walk through the centuries-old streets, look down as ancient chariot tracks are still visible, with the Romans using chariots for transport.