Is Sorrento the best town to discover the Amalfi Coast?
If someone mentions Amalfi Coast , the first thing we evoke are the beaches or the colored houses hanging from the cliffs of Positano, the viewpoints of Ravello, the luxury of Capri or the domes of Amalfi.
And it is that, a priori, Sorrento may be overshadowed for the rest of the charming towns that this area of Italy boasts. But nothing is further from reality, it is a destination that is well worth a stop along the way or even choose it as a base camp to discover the rest of the nearby towns.
Do you want to know the reasons? We tell you!
Your base camp looks like this
SORRENTO AND THE STARTING POINT OF THE AMALFI COAST
Legend has it that the name of the city has its origin in the sirens that captivated sailors causing their ships to be shipwrecked on the rocks. A mysticism full of magic that, to this day, still surrounds the walled city with colonial air giving away a unique, beautiful and most rewarding picture. From the top of its walls and on the clearest days ** you can glimpse the sleeping Vesuvius and the Gulf of Naples **.
And it is that strolling through its streets will become a trip to the past where you will want to spend the rest of your summer vacation forever. Try it and you will tell us!
located almost halfway between Naples and Positano, this enclave guarded by the tyrrhenian sea It is ideal to discover the coveted and hedonistic Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana, in Italian).
The best way to access the city that begins one of the most beautiful, winding and dangerous roads in Europe is to do the journey from Naples, either by car or on the old local railway line called Circumvesuviana , which will give you the feeling of having gone back a few decades when you ride it (it is the same one that leads to the ancient city of Pompeii).
From Sorrento to the world!
About 60 km of road with steep cliffs, villages with colorful houses and the brave driving of the Italians make this part of the coast, a place only suitable for driving lovers and of those who know how to appreciate true beauty.
WHY MAKE SORRENTO OUR OPERATIONAL CENTER?
- Because its strategic position makes it the ideal place to discover Ischia, Capri, Ravello, Positano, Amalfi, Praiano or Furore , the true jewels of the Amalfi Coast.
- Because if you go by car it is much easier to park, a task that will become much more arduous as we advance towards the Gulf of Salerno.
- Because accommodations are much cheaper than in the other neighboring towns. Sleeping in Amalfi or Positano can well give your pocket more than one dislike, even if the views are more than impressive.
- Because the city has a historical, cultural and gastronomic heritage worthy of the most gourmet plans and palates.
- Because You will never get bored. Thanks to its dimensions, its position and its leisure offer, nothing happens if one day you do not feel like taking the car or the bus to go on an excursion, you can stay in the city or its surroundings and enjoy it just the same!
Big Navy
WHAT TO SEE IN SORRENTO
Our recommendation is that you discover the city Sorrento style, with that dolce far niente that characterizes Italians so much. Calmly, without haste, wandering without a specific destination to find a beautiful street, a square steeped in history, an imposing church, a tasty coffee or a delicious trattoria. You know, there is nothing like getting lost to find yourself.
You can start the route from the Piazza Tasso , the main square of Sorrento and through which the main road of the same crosses, Corsican Italy . Created in honor of the poet Torquato Tasso who was born in this city in 1544, in one of the statues that guard the square you can see the figure of this famous writer from the time of the Counter Reformation.
Full of cafes with terraces, souvenir shops, local shops and tourist information stands , it is worth stopping to admire the magic of this place accompanied by its colonial-style buildings that seem to have been taken from another era.
Right in the same square is Sedile di Porta , named for its proximity to one of the main gates of the city. Converted during a period in prison, she is currently headquarters of the artistic and cultural association, Circolo Sorrentino. Also, very close to the square you can visit the Palazzo Veniero or the Vallone dei Mulini , one of the most beautiful abandoned places in Italy, where nature and time have wreaked havoc, as it has been uninhabited since 1940.
Following the Via Luigi de Maio , from Piazza Tasso on the way to the sea, you can find wonderful elements that make up the cultural heritage of the city. The Church of San Francesco and its renowned cloister full of vegetation and silence; the Piazza Sant'Antonio And the best, without a doubt, for last: the local park of Villa Comunale.
In this garden you will have an ideal panorama to witness the beautiful sunsets on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, peeking in the distance at the chaotic Naples and the sleeping Mount Vesuvius. The highest parts of the cities always give us views worthy of the most demanding travelers and those of Villa Comunale do not disappoint either.
An elevator or some steep stairs on the edge of the cliff will allow go down to the nearest beach in case we want to be by the sea.
If you also want to do the passeggiata (the traditional walk of the Italians at sunset) you have to go to Corsican Italy or until the Via San Cesareo. Accompany it with a gelato in hand of your favorite flavor and the experience will be unique.
Bathing here is magic
TIME TO TAKE A DIP
Due to its rugged landscape and the cliffs that surround the city, it is not necessary to look very hard to discover that Sorrento lacks great beaches, but if one day you do not feel like going to Positano, Amalfi, Capri or Salerno, in the town there are Marina Piccola and Marina Grande. Fishing areas near the port where they have deposited small mounds of sand with hammocks and beach bars so that people can spend a day at the beach without leaving the city.
If, on the other hand, we are called to do a morning or day trip without going too far from Sorrento, just 4 kilometers from the center is the Bagni della Regina Giovanna natural enclave, the true Sorrentine paradise known by the locals and little frequented by tourists. A hidden cove with crystal clear water surrounded by abrupt vegetation that on days of strong waves is totally inaccessible due to its rough waters. It is essential not to forget to have comfortable shoes to make the short route that leads to these baths.
THE DELICIOUS SORRENTINE GASTRONOMY
Tasting the traditional gastronomy of Sorrento becomes a journey through the five senses that is quite difficult to forget. An experience worthy of the most demanding palates full of fresh, healthy, varied and most delicious products which one cannot resist.
The Mediterranean diet with its olive oil, tomato, pasta, cheese, fish or sausages offers dishes that have even managed to cross borders, creating spectacular proposals such as the famous gnocchi alla sorrentina, canneloni, spaghetti alle vongole or scialatielli alle frutti di mare. can't fail either the famous Neapolitan pizza, so recurrent in the region.
The world famous lemons of Sorrento
Leaving aside the two most recognized dishes par excellence in all of Italy, you should know that Sorrento gastronomy also focuses on their delicious antipasti. Sausages and cheeses are the order of the day, as well as the caprese salad, whose origin lies in the Campania region with its mozzarella di bufala Campania (product with denomination of origin) accompanied by tomato and basil.
And as a main dish we cannot miss the opportunity to mention seafood and fresh fish that are obtained every day in the vicinity. Octopus, squid, tuna, mussels... simply delicious!
Last but not least, the world-renowned sorrento lemons , the great pride of Italians in this land. Sorrento and Capri are the cradle of this product that only grows in both locations and stands out above the rest for its intense yellow, its penetrating aroma, its large size and its juiciness. With it they make the typical lemon sweets and its traditional limoncello.
To taste the local gastronomy, we can visit the **ristorante O' Parrucchiano La Favorita ** _(Corso Italia, 71) _, probably one of the places that will conquer you the most on the trip.
A large establishment with a huge garden where you eat and dine surrounded by imposing lemon trees. Magical, calm, captivating and only suitable for the most demanding palates. From the street the true beauty of this enclave is not appreciated, so it is well worth stopping by and staying. The pasta dishes with seafood and fish are the most recommended.
The pizza is tried at ** Il Leone Rosso Ristorante-Pizzeria ** _(Via Marziale, 25) _, where tasting their calzoni is a ritual.
If what you have to do is give yourself a good tribute and if your pocket allows it, the restaurant ** Terrazza Bosquet of the famous Hotel Excelsior Vittoria ** _(Piazza Torquato Tasso, 34) _ is the right place: located on the edge of the cliff , with views that leave you breathless and with a Michelin star on its list of winners.
And to savor its delicious lemons? Villa Massa is the brand par excellence that has been making since 1890 the most spectacular limoncello in the region. If what you want is to try its lemon delicacies or any other typical Sorrento confectionery product, the old Faun Cafe _(Piazza Torquato Tasso, 13) _ can become your best option. Ideal for a snack or to visit after dinner and give yourself a well-deserved treat.
Il dolce far niente is waiting for you on the Amalfi Coast! Can you come with us?