Photo by Michael Paraskevas. The small town of Sorrento , built overlooking the sea, is one of the favorite destinations for both Italian and international tourism. Chosen for its beauty and for the convenience of connections to other destinations in Campania, it is always particularly crowded at any time of the year.
Influenced over the centuries by Greeks, Romans, Normans and Aragonese, all the peoples who followed one another in the domination of Sorrento have left tangible proofs of their passage. Among the colors and scents of the sea, the thousand steps and the luxuriant vegetation, it is in fact possible to admire important monuments and archaeological sites, which give the tourist the opportunity to choose between history, culture, beach, relaxation and good food.
What to see in Sorrento
1 – Corso Italia and Piazza Tasso
Photo by Berthold Werner. Bars, restaurants, shops and always a lot of people, because Sorrento is not just a seaside resort, but a city to be enjoyed all year round. In this stretch of the urban route, everyone shows off, from the shops to those who frequent them or those who simply come for a stroll. In short: the classic good living room.
- How to get there: from the Sorrento Centrale railway station, take via degli Aranci and in about 6 minutes on foot you will arrive at the beginning of Corso Italia. The center of Sorrento is almost all pedestrianized and being very small and can be visited on foot without problem – Get directions
- Hours: always accessible
- Ticket cost: free
2 – Cathedral of Saints Philip and James
Photo of Mentnafunangann. In the historic center of Sorrento and finished to restore in the 20s, it has a Baroque style interior with works of great value. We find paintings by Giacomo del Po ‘, marble statues, the wooden choir in the presbytery and the large organ. The bell tower with the 18th century ceramic clock rises imposingly on Corso Italia.
- How to get there: in via Santa Maria della Pieta, in the historic center, is 650 meters from the station, reachable on foot in 8 minutes – Get directions
- Hours: always accessible
- Ticket cost: free
3 – Basilica of Sant’Antonino Abate
Photo by Berthold Werner. Built in the 11th century, the facade is in Romanesque style and internally in a Latin cross. The crypt and the sacristy are very beautiful, but also the marble interiors, the monumental altar and the statue of Sant’Antonino completely in silver.
- How to get there: in Piazza Sant’Antonino, very close to the Duomo, you can arrive from the station in 7 minutes on foot – Get directions
- Hours: always accessible
- Ticket cost: free
4 – Villa Comunale and Cloister of San Francesco
Photo of Mentnafunangann. With a breathtaking view, the Villa Comunale in Sorrento and a stone’s throw from Piazza Tasso. Small and tidy, it has the possibility of reaching Marina Piccola via a comfortable lift. The Cloister is attached to the villa and is a must see in Sorrento. It still preserves the fourteenth-century architecture along with other decorative motifs added in the following centuries. Arcades of crossed arches and round arches resting on magnificent columns.
- How to get there: in via San Francesco, it is a 9-minute walk from the train station along Corso Italia and Via De Maio – Get directions
- Hours: every day from 8:00 to 23:00
- Ticket cost: free
5 – Villa Fiorentino
Photo by Mister No. This beautiful 1930s building is managed by the Sorrento Foundation which organizes exhibitions and cultural events. The program of the foundation is always very rich and the events take place both inside and in the beautiful garden outside the villa.
- How to get there: about 850 meters from the station, 11 minutes on foot – Get directions
- Hours: access times depend on the scheduled events
- Ticket cost: the cost of the ticket varies according to the type of event on the bill. Please refer to the official website www.fondazionesorrento.com
6 – Museo Correale di Terranova
Photo of own work. From a private bequest to the city, the Correale di Terranova Museum is spread over three floors, with twenty-four rooms, a library and a beautiful garden. Inside are on display precious furniture, Capodimonte porcelain, 17th century paintings, still lifes, many books and other documentary material on the history of the Kingdom of Naples. The garden is beautiful and can also be visited.
- How to get there: from the station it is 500 meters on foot for a 6-minute walk – Get directions
- Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 to 18:30 – Sunday from 9:30 to 13:30 – closed on Monday
- Ticket price: full € 8.00 – reduced € 5.00 – school groups € 3.00 – under 10 free
7 – Vallone dei Mulini
Photo of Mentnafunangann. Within a very narrow valley, in the 17th century, a small “industrial” pole was built which included a large mill, a sawmill, a quarry and cisterns, all functional to the grinding of grain. In 900 it was abandoned and now it is inaccessible but of indisputable charm. It can be admired from the road that cuts through the valley from above.
- How to get there: from the station it is only 600 meters away on foot in 8 minutes – Get directions
- Hours: always accessible
- Ticket cost: free
8 – Sedile Dominova
Photo by Mister No. The Palazzo del Sedile, or the Seat, is a building, common in some cities of southern Italy, where the meetings of the noble council for city administration were held.
Built in the 14th century as a noble seat for public administration, it became the meeting place of the workers’ society in 1877 and used for mutual aid. The fresco at the entrance and the majolica dome are beautiful, and the only evidence of a noble seat in the whole of Campania.
- How to get there: the building is 700 meters from the train station along Corso Italia for 8 minutes on foot. Get directions
- Hours: from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 20:00 – closed on Monday.
- Ticket cost: free
9 – Bagni della Regina Giovanna
Between the city center and Capo di Sorrento there is this picturesque inlet which looks like a completely rocky natural swimming pool . The difficult access does not make it a beach suitable for children, but the setting it offers to the visitor and perhaps even better than the splendid and crystalline waters that bathe it.
- How to get there: in Traversa Punta Capo Sorrento, it is 12 minutes by car following the SS145 or by bus of the EAV and Sita companies at a cost of € 1.20 each way and departing from the train station – Get directions
- Hours: always accessible
- Ticket cost: free
10 – Marina Grande and Marina Piccola
Photo by Ross Elliott. Marina Grande is a very small and colorful village , full of clubs, restaurants and bathing establishments, made famous by some films. Very busy and crowded, if you want to come by the sea it is advisable to arrive early.
Marina Piccola and the tourist port of Sorrento , not far from the center. From here the ferries that connect the towns of the whole coast leave and arrive.
- How to get there: Marina Grande is about a kilometer from the station and can be reached on foot in less than 20 minutes (Get directions). Marina Piccola can be reached from the station by taking Villa Comunale, 9 minutes on foot from the station, then with the lift that goes down directly to the marina. The cost of the ticket is € 1.20 – Get directions
- Hours: always accessible
- Ticket cost: free
Sorrento itinerary in one day
Sorrento is a city that must be visited on foot and slowly, to fully enjoy the colors of the port, the coolness of the gardens and the noise of the historic center.
Morning : an itinerary that manages to touch the main points in the space of a day, can start with the Vallone dei Mulini, reachable at the railway station. Access to the valley is forbidden but there are marked pitches from where you can see the ruins from above.
From the valley take the direction of the historic center, where you arrive in 3 minutes, to visit the Cathedral and the Sedile Dominova building in series, not far from each other, and then continue to Marina Grande.
Once at our destination we will find the same atmosphere of the historic center, accentuated by the noise and colors of the sea, beautiful colored buildings that are reflected in the water and many bars and restaurants that open up along the pier. Here it is possible to stop for lunch to enjoy, perhaps, a nice fried fish and fresh fish.
Afternoon : after lunch, you can proceed to the Villa Comunale to admire the view overlooking the sea and the Cloister of San Francesco; if you want, it is possible to go down to Marina Piccola directly from the villa using the lift. The Basilica of Sant’Antonino Abate is only 5 minutes away and another 10 minutes are needed to reach the Correale di Terranova Museum. Here, in addition to visiting the beautiful rooms of the museum, you can relax in the beautiful garden that surrounds it.
Evening: for dinner you can decide to stay in the surroundings, and then throw yourself into the evening confusion of Corso Italia and Piazza Tasso.
One day itinerary at a glance
- Breakfast : Pasticceria Monica, a stone’s throw from the Vallone dei Mulini, offers exclusively homemade desserts
- Vallone dei Mulini : always accessible – ticket price: free
- Cathedral and Sedile Dominova : opening hours Cathedral: always accessible – ticket price: free. Dominova Seat Hours: from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 20:00 – closed on Monday – ticket price: free
- Marina Grande : always accessible – ticket price: free
- Lunch : Trattoria da Emilia
- Villa Comunale and Cloister of San Francesco : every day from 8:00 to 23:00 – ticket price: free
- Basilica of Sant’Antonio Abate : always accessible – ticket price: free
- Correale Museum : from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 to 18:30 – Sunday from 9:30 to 13:30 – closed Monday – ticket cost: full € 8.00 – reduced € 5.00 – school groups € 3.00 – under 10 free
Where to eat in Sorrento
- Trattoria da Emilia : on the small harbor two meters from the sea, it offers simple dishes of fresh fish. Excellent fries and desserts.
Average price per person: € 30.00
Address and contacts: via Marina Grande, 62 (Get directions) – tel: 0818072720 - Lieve : renowned pizzeria in the city, one of the best, where you can taste the typical Neapolitan pizza. Good selection of beers.
Average price per person: € 25.00
Address and contacts: via Degli Aranci, 13 (Get directions) – tel: 0818774853 - 100 Grams Restaurant: restaurant with a modern design but with traditional cuisine. The famous and celebrated “gnocchi alla sorrentina” are excellent.
Average price per person: € 35.00
Address and contacts: viale Nizza, 45 (Get directions) – tel: 0815339289 - 86 Bistro : creative and quality cuisine, innovation and tradition meet.
Average price per person: € 35.00
Address and contacts: Via dell’Accademia, 30 (Get directions) – tel: 0818073375 - O ‘Puledrone : catch of the day cooked following traditional recipes
Average price per person: € 30.00
Address and contacts: Via Marina Grande, 74 (Get directions) – tel: 0810124134
SEE ALSO : 10 Things to eat in Sorrento and where
What to do in the evening: nightlife areas and best clubs
Photo by Michael Paraskevas. Sorrento is a very popular destination all year round and always manages to satisfy the most varied requests of the people of the night. You can start with the classic aperitifs in Corso Italia , dinners in the most diverse restaurants and continue until late at night in one of the many clubs or disco offering all kinds of music.
- Fauno Night Club : known and appreciated discoclub, opens at 11.00 pm and dance until 4.00 am. Young but elegant atmosphere, selection at the entrance.
Address: piazza Tasso, 13 – Get directions - Filou Club : elegant setting for live music evenings and excellent cocktails. Opens at 10pm.
Address: via Santa Maria della Pieta – Get directions - Shot : great pub to meet up in the late afternoon. Good selection of wines and appetizers with hearty appetizers.
Address: via Santa Maria della Pieta, 26 – Get directions - Banana Split : Wide choice of carefully prepared and quality cocktails.
Address: Corso Italia, 244 – Get directions - Daniele’s Club : small old style disco that offers fun evenings with karaoke.
Address: Piazza Torquato Tasso – Get directions
Plan your stay in Sorrento: info and useful tips
How to get there
- By plane : the closest airport to Sorrento, only 50 km away, is that of Naples (Capodichino). The airport is connected with the major Italian and European locations by various airlines and from the airport you can reach Sorrento with the Curreri company buses at a cost of € 7.00 – Flights to Naples from € 33.00 – look at the offers
- By train : Napoli Centrale station is connected to Sorrento by local Circumvesuviana trains at a cost of about € 3.50. From Rome, to Naples, it takes a minimum of 2 hours and 40 minutes by train at a cost of € 12.75.
- By car : from any direction you arrive, take the motorway towards Naples and continue along the A3 motorway towards the Sorrento Peninsula and exit at Castellammare di Stabia. From Castellammare di Stabia continue along the state road until the Sorrento exit – Get directions
- By bus : the Flixbus and Duemari companies connect Naples with the main Italian cities with costs starting from € 29.99 each way.
How to move and where to park
- Getting around : the best way to get around Sorrento is on foot. The center is very small and all the important places to visit are easily reachable both from the train station and from the Piazza del Duomo. To reach the more distant beaches, such as that of Bagni della Regina Giovanna, it is possible to move with the buses of the Sita company and the EAV company.
- Where to park : convenient and the Central Parking car park , in Corso Italia 319 (Get directions), central and very close to both the station and the historic center. Open 24 hours every day, it offers personalized rates based on the period of parking of the car. Parking Stinga and instead in via Degli Aranci 25 (Get directions), which is a few minutes walk from Marina Grande and offers rates from € 2.00 per hour.
Where to sleep and what to see in the surrounding area
- Where to sleep: Hotels and b & b from € 60.00 per room – see the offers
- What to see in the surrounding area : you cannot miss a trip to the Amalfi Coast or at least to the most popular locations such as Vietri sul Mare (53 km / 1h 5 min), Amalfi (31 km / 60 min) and Positano (16 km / 34 min). Half an hour by circumvesuviana are the archaeological sites of Pompeii (26km / 40 min) and Herculaneum (40km / 55 min), while Naples (50km) is only 1 hour by car. It is also possible to leave by hydrofoil from Marina Piccola to Capri and Anacapri with return in the evening at a minimum cost of € 16.90 each way per person; some hotels organize excursions directly from their reception.
