Sorrento city guide: what to see and do

Where is Sorrento in Italy?

Sorrento is in the Campania region on the southern part of the west coast of Italy. The town sits on the Bay of Naples and is around 30 miles from Naples itself, 18 miles from Pompeii and around 20 miles from Amalfi.

What’s the weather like in Sorrento?

Sorrento stays warm year-round, with temperatures rising to the mid-30s in July and August, but with pleasantly warm highs of 15-17C from December to February as well, and lows rarely dropping below 10C even in midwinter. November is one of the wettest months. Spring and autumn are the best time to visit Sorrento if you’re looking for sunshine without the soaring heat of summer, especially April-May and late September-October when temperatures hover in the mid-20s.

Dressing for Sorrento

Loose lightweight layers and natural fabrics are the best option for Sorrento’s sun and summer humidity. You’ll be expected to cover up if you’re visiting churches, while it can feel cooler in the evenings during spring and autumn, especially if you’re by the sea at Marina Grande. Comfortable footwear, such as sandals with straps, are best to deal with Sorrento’s winding cobbled streets and hills.

How big is Sorrento?

The town of Sorrento stretches for just under four square miles, although the centre is much more compact, making it easy to explore on foot. If you’re planning to visit Marina Grande, this is still walkable from the main centre, although there are also buses which run to and from Piazza Tasso to avoid the walk back up the hill. You can also find a cliff lift to the busier Marina Piccola if you’re planning to catch a ferry to Capri. Bus tickets should be bought in advance, and are sold at tabaccaio (tobacconists/newsagents) – look out for the blue T symbol – and need to be validated on board.

Is Sorrento expensive?

Although southern Italy tends to be cheaper than the north, Sorrento is one of the more expensive corners of the south, named among the most expensive seaside resorts in Europe. However, it’s still cheaper than Capri or the Amalfi Coast nearby and it’s certainly possible to explore without blowing the budget. Accommodation is one of the bigger costs, especially during peak season, while taxis can also be surprisingly expensive. However, much of Sorrento is walkable, while buses fares cost around 1.20 Euros.

If you avoid the more touristy areas in the city centre, you can also find well-priced food and drink, while many of the city’s sights either won’t cost a penny or will only set you back a few Euros, whether that’s soaking up the beautiful views, relaxing by the sea, visiting the historic churches or even jumping on a train for a day trip to Pompeii or Vesuvius.

Does Sorrento have a tourist tax?

Yes, Sorrento operates a tourist tax for overnight guests aged 18+ who stay between April 1 and October 31. Priced 4 Euros per person per night, it’s applied for stays of up to seven nights.

How much time should you spend in Sorrento?

Allow at least three days to enjoy Sorrento’s charms, soaking up the sunshine and the views in this corner of southern Italy. But Sorrento also makes a great base to explore the region, including Pompeii, Vesuvius, Capri and the Amalfi Coast, so if you have the time to spare, a week is ideal to include several day trips on top of your time in the town itself.

What to do in and around Sorrento

Whether you’re hoping to spend a few days enjoying the atmosphere and the scenery, or planning to explore further afield, there’s plenty to keep you occupied – here’s our pick of what to do in and around Sorrento.

Stroll the Centro Storico

Sorrento’s historic centre is made for strolling, wandering down cobbled lanes, stopping to people-watch in the piazzas and marvel at the elegant palazzi, home to 17th and 18th century nobility. You’ll amble along narrow alleys, walk in the shadow of pastel-coloured buildings and find a new sight to photograph around every corner. Pedestrianised Via San Cesaro is one of the oldest streets in town and shouldn’t be missed during the day to pick up souvenirs and gelato, or at night, when you’ll be tempted by the string of restaurants.

Basilica di Sant’Antonino

This Baroque basilica has several quirky touches to set it apart from the usual lavishly decorated Italian church, including a set of whale ribs, linked to the legend that in the 6th century the abbot of the local monastery was able to save a boy who had been swallowed by a whale – one of the miracles which led to Saint Antonino becoming patron saint of the town. You can also find Roman artefacts and medieval paintings within the basilica.

Chiostro di San Francesco

The 14th century monastery is most famous for its fairytale cloisters, a small haven of flower-filled peace in Sorrento. You’ll find plants trailing over the arches as you walk through the cloisters listening to the sound of birdsong. Another unmissably photogenic site, it’s unsurprisingly popular with wedding parties, as well as hosting occasional exhibitions and concerts.

Villa Communale di Sorrento

This little park has some of the best views in Sorrento, if not the whole of Campania, looking out to the Gulf of Naples where you can spot Mount Vesuvius and the islands of Ischia and Procida. Popular at sunset, the beautifully-kept gardens make a lovely place to walk or relax at any time of day.

Marina Grande

A working fishing village, Marina Grande is simply idyllic with its colourful buildings stretched around the sparkling turquoise water, little wooden boats bobbing on the waves. Cliffs rise up behind the harbour, with views of Mount Vesuvius on the horizon, and you can take tours to the nearby Blue Grotto and Anacapri. Marina Grande’s biggest attraction is its timeless charm; amble through the sunny streets before stopping for a drink or meal overlooking the waves. Well worth the walk down the steep hill from Sorrento’s historic centre. Not to be confused with the bustling ferry port at Marina Piccolo, which is, despite its name, the bigger of the two.

Relax by the sea

Despite its position by the coast, Sorrento doesn’t have many beaches and most of those charge a fee – the Spiaggia Pubblica between Marina Grande and Marina Piccola is one of the few free ones, but is often reserved for locals during the summer months. There’s also a small black sand beach at Marina Grande, accessed through a tunnel in the rock which was dug in the third century BCE, as well as a string of beach clubs in Marina Piccola; take the steps down from Villa Communale Park or use the lift.

Vallone dei Mulini

In the area around Sorrento, you’ll find a string of little gorges carved out of the hills by water, time and volcanic activity, once home to a series of 13th century stone watermills. Abandoned shortly before the Second World War, the ruins still remain, lost in lush greenery at the bottom of the valley. One of the most unusual sights in Sorrento, you can look out from Viale Enrico Caruso and Piazza Tasso onto the crumbling, overgrown buildings.

Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea

Sorrento is known for its inlaid wood carving, known as intarsia, with craft workshops dotted throughout the town. And there’s a chance to discover more about these carvings, also known as marquetry, at the Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea. Housed inside an 18th-century palazzo, the museum has historic examples of intarsia, as well as collection of paintings, prints and photographs of 19th century Sorrento.

Sip limoncello

Sorrento is famous for its lemons, which are bigger, juicier and sweeter than average – and perfect for making limoncello. You can walk through the Giardini di Cataldo orchards where the lemons are grown, to learn more about harvesting and for a tasting of locally-made citrussy treats, or pick up a bottle in one of the shops in town. You’re not limited to the liqueur either, with plenty of lemon gelato on offer too.

Day trip to Pompeii

Only a short way from Sorrento, the Roman town of Pompeii sits frozen in time since 79CE, when a massive eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried it under thick layers of ash and lava. One of the best places to get a sense of everyday life in this once thriving Roman town, you can see everything from graffiti to shop signs, as well as learning more about customs, art and trades as you wander the silent streets.

Day trip to the Amalfi Coast

One of the world’s most spectacularly beautiful coastlines, Italy’s Amalfi Coast stretches for 50km from Sorrento to Salerno, past pretty Positano, Amalfi and Ravello, where pastel-painted houses cling to the cliffs above the turquoise-blue waves. You can venture along the vertiginously curving clifftop road, but you shouldn’t miss the chance to see this coastline from the water too for some unsurpassably lovely views.

Day trip to Mount Vesuvius

Looming on the horizon across the Bay of Naples, Mount Vesuvius has shaped the whole area, from the eruption which buried Pompeii to the mineral-rich soil which makes the area so fruitful. Wineries grow their grapes on the slopes of the volcano itself, creating the Neapolitan wine, Lacryma Christi (tears of Christ). Or walk to the top to look into the crater, where smoke hisses from the vents and the ruins of the world’s first volcanological observatory are still visible, along with views out to Naples and the blue waters of the bay.

Day trip to Capri

The ‘jewel of the Bay of Naples’, Capri was once an imperial retreat for Roman emperors, and it’s still beloved by the rich and famous. You can get a taste of this glamorous lifestyle during a visit from Sorrento, with ferries and boat trips whisking you across the sparkling blue water, before taking the funicular up to Capri Town to perfect your passeggiata, the traditional pre-dinner Italian stroll, or visit some of the historic villas and gardens.

Discover the beautiful Sorrento for yourself on one of our escorted tours of Italy, including our Highlights of the Beautiful Amalfi Coast tour