“See Naples and die”, the saying goes, but with Sorrento it may be more sensible to stay well and return as soon as possible.

Sorrento occupies what many believe to be one of the most beautiful coastal corners of Italy and had already begun its modern career as a resort by the early 19th century, when the English began to use it as an alternative to Naples. At one time it was dubbed ‘Sorrento the Kind’ because of its mild climate and ideal setting.

Sorrento was inhabited in the Neolithic period, probably by the Teleboi, the ancient conquerors of Capri. It changed hands many times, being overrun by Syracusans, Greeks, Samnites and then the Romans who began to build a systematic town with protective walls, where wealthy families from Rome had luxurious holiday villas built. There followed other conquerors such as the Goths, Byzantines, Saracen pirates, Normans and finally the Bourbons.

Sorrento's Famous son

Torquato Tasso, the poet, was born in Sorrento in 1544. His works included the poem La Gerusalemme Liberata, based upon Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid and is considered to be the best Italian example of a Renaissance epic.

The town centre square bears his name, Piazza Tasso, and his statue. The patron saint is S. Antonio, whose monument is also in the square, as is the attractive church of S. Maria del Carmine.

Nearby is the monastery of St. Francis, whose floral and peaceful cloisters give time for quiet reflection. Next to it are gardens whose elevated position offers fine panoramic views of the Bay of Naples. There is a cathedral, rebuilt in the 15th century and modified frequently.

The Aragon coat of arms is from the 15th century and the interior contains paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries as well as the Archbishop’s throne from 1573.

Sorrento is a seaside town but because of its raised position has no promenade. Some of its best hotels are on the cliff edge, with terraces overlooking the bay. Some have lifts down to the sea and bathing platforms. There are also hotels built into the cliffs and here a request should be made for a room and balcony facing the sea or it may face a very steep cliff only a few metres away!

From Piazza Tasso one can start to explore the labyrinth of narrow, shaded streets, most of which are traffic-free. The streets are lively but not rowdy and contain the usual food and gift shops and small cafes as well as fashion shops. There are also bars and pubs, no shortage of places to eat or drink, where the local speciality, liquore di limoni, may be enjoyed.
There are street entertainers and different types of music around the town ranging from house music and rhythm and blues and Latin.

Alternatively there are musicals at the Teatro Tasso in Piazza S. Antonio – often about local people and their trades, sung in Italian but the theme is easy to understand and they are very enjoyable. Again, it would be best to book in advance, probably via the hotel.

Sorrento is famous for its marquetry and it is well worth visiting a furniture store just to view the beautiful inlaid yew patterns on wooden furniture and gifts of all sizes and shapes from dining tables and drinks trolleys to jewellery boxes.

During the summer, many shops are open until midnight and after 7 pm the Corso Italia Road and Piazzo Tasso are traffic-free.

Coastal boat trip

Book at Marina Piccola office – not far from Piazza Tasso – for a boat trip.
If you take the blue cruise the first target is the Isle of Capri. It then continues to the beautiful Mermaid Islands. One memorable stop is at the small village of Positano, before the ship goes to Amalfi.

Transports of Delight

• By train: the railway Circumvesuviana runs via Pompeii and Herculaneum and other local stops to Naples. The journey to Naples takes about one hour. From here you could get to Rome in two hours.

• By bus: you can go to Massa Lubrense, Positano, S. Agata and Amalfi. Bus tickets are available from bars and news kiosks and, as with everywhere in Italy, should be validated in the machine on the bus when boarding.

‘Come back to Sorrento’ goes the song and it would not be too difficult to accept the invitation. There are certainly no boring coastlines here – anything but – just steep hills with fruit trees and pastel-coloured buildings, plenty of food and atmosphere –Sorrento is a very pleasant place to be.