The pace of life slows in Sorrento – this is not a place to dash around. The vibe is best summed up by the passeggiata, the pre-dinner stroll taken by the locals, while many of the hotels have balconies and terraces hewn from the rockface – the perfect place to enjoy the sun and serene setting.
Strolling Sorrento
With the city centre closed to traffic, this is an invitation to dress smartly and join the passeggiata. It generally takes place along Via S. Cesareo and Corso Italia from 5-7pm each evening, with families walking together, stopping to greet friends or grab a gelato from the parlours that line the streets.
The walk will take you to Piazza Tasso, the city’s hub and the heart of the historic town. The cobbled side streets are lovely to explore, slowly revealing their artisan shops, shuttered mansions and welcoming trattoria.
The unassuming exterior of the Basilica di Sant’Antonino hides a fascinating interior that includes whale ribs, an 18th century crypt and Roman artefacts.
Grande and petite
Sorrento isn’t really a ‘beach’ place. This stretch of coast is studded with ‘beach clubs’ that usually consist of decked areas over rocky promontories where you can hire a lounger for the day.
Marina Grande almost passes for a beach though. It sits beneath Sorrento and is a charming marina with a lived-in feel.
Studded with restaurants serving the fresh catch of the day, it has a couple of jetties where you can enjoy a fritto misto or gnocchi alla Sorrentina in the sunshine, while others have loungers to hire.
Rival ruins
Using your Sorrento hire car you can take a day trip to see the famous ruins of Pompeii, swamped in AD79 by the lava that flooded out of Mount Vesuvius. The volcano is almost always in your eyeline when in and around Sorrento.
Pompeii’s scale and the level of preservation here never fail to surprise. Excavations over the centuries have unearthed houses, a vast amphitheatre, temples, a brothel and a laundry.
Wall decorations remain, faded but legible, which gives you even more of an acute sense of how people lived their lives here before the fateful eruption. You can wander freely or hire a guide to steer you around the main sights and bring the ruins to life.
Its size means Pompeii seldom feels too busy, but if you are looking to get away from the crowds, head for Herculaneum. This is the fun-size version of Pompeii, and just as interesting.
Around 4,000 people called this fishing bay home when it was engulfed by the erupting Vesuvius and much of it has been left frozen in time, including a villa once owned by Caesar’s father-in-law.
Discover the best of this fascinating destination and the rest of the Amalfi Coast with car hire in Sorrento from Hertz.