Travel Diaries: Soaking up the Sun in Sorrento

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The phrase “La Dolce Vita” could have been created to describe Sorrento. This glittering town, nestling high on the clifftops of Campania, teeters over the sparkling Bay of Naples. The Lattari Mountain range provide a spectacular backdrop and the spine of the Sorrentine peninsula. The air is scented with lemon, mixed with a hint of sea salt, carried in on a warm breeze.

According to Greek mythology, Sorrento was the home of the sirens, luring in sailors with their beauty and mesmerising songs. And today, the town still lures in tourists. Including us. Unlike the sirens though, Sorrento lets us leave alive. To do anything less would result in a terrible TripAdvisor review.

After pounding the city streets of Rome, we’re ready for a little slice of that la dolce vita, with three days in beautiful Sorrento. The first time we visited Sorrento, we stayed a little out of town, at the Atlantic Palace. The walk down into Sorrento itself was not for the fainthearted. And neither was the walk back up. This time we are in the heart of the town, at Hotel Leone, tucked away in the back streets but just a ten minute walk to Piazza Tasso.

You can read more about our stay at Hotel Leone here!

You can reach Sorrento via a scenic hour-long train ride from Naples, along a jaw- droppingly beautiful stretch of coastline. Find out more about travelling from Rome to Sorrento by train, via Naples, here.

A change of pace – from city to coast

Mr Fletche looks at me expectantly. After three nights in Rome, our days packed with sightseeing and eating, what’s on the itinerary for today? Niente. Nada. Nothing. Our diary in Sorrento is a blank page. Almost. There are no gladiatorial arenas, no ancient temples, no iconic museums to visit. We have three full days to relax, people-watch, eat, drink and enjoy the Mediterranean vibes.

Naturally, just in case we get bored of having no plans, I have made plans for an Amalfi Coast tour. After all, doing nothing can be so tiring. You can read more about our Amalfi Coast Tour here!

Our first evening is spent weaving our way around the old town. The narrow Via Antonino Sersale opens up to Corso Italia, the main shopping thoroughfare running through Sorrento. Perfect for boutiques, local produce and souvenir shopping, it’s a place for the locals to take their daily passeggiata, to see and be seen. From Corso Italia, more cobbled streets lead to a winding labyrinth of bars, restaurants and shops. Sometimes the buildings are so close and the alleyways so narrow that you can barely glimpse the sky above.

I’ve barely been in Sorrento an hour and I’ve already purchased a big floppy hat. Ostensibly to keep the sun off my head and neck, but really it’s so I can create the perfect Sorrento flatlay.

If Corso Italia is the artery of Sorrento, the Piazza Tasso is it’s beating heart. This wide open square is the perfect place to wile away the hours people-watching with an espresso or spritz in hand. If you can get a seat that is. Cars, mopeds and horse-drawn carriages all try and navigate the tiny traffic island in the square’s centre. It’s busy and vibrant; one of many spots to soak up Sorrento life. It’s also the spot to get the picture postcard snap of the twisting hairpin bend of Via Luigi de Maio.

We make our way to Villa Comunale di Sorrento as the sun starts to sink over the bay. There’s a firework display off one of the Marina Grande jettys, sprays of colour welcoming us to Sorrento. At least, I think it was for us. Mount Vesuvius looms in the distance, a constant reminder of the power and destructive nature of Mother Nature.

I’m hungry. Despite all the gastronomic delights that Sorrento has to offer, I have a hankering for something simple. Queen’s Chips on Corso Italia fits the bill perfectly. A cone of chips, smothered in mayo, eaten al fresco under a tree canopy outside the walls of the Cattedrale dei Santi Filippo e Giacomo. Saints Philip and James would have given their blessing.

Lazy Sorrento Days

There are worse ways to turn 45 than spending a morning by a swimming pool in the Italian sunshine. Taking a dip. Alcoholic beverage in hand as soon as it is an acceptable time to do so. Oh, and occasionally checking in on what’s happening with the Queen’s funeral. It’s what she would have wanted. We pop down into town for a cheap and cheerful “pizza and beer” lunch at Caffe 54. From Corso Italia, we head to Viale Enrico Caruso where an ancient stone mill lies at the foot of a lush gorge, almost completely consumed by nature. Birds and butterflies swoop around the crumbling ruins of The Valley of the Mills – il Vallone dei Mulino.

I’ve been in Sorrento 24 hours and haven’t had a gelato yet. We stop at Raki, where I have a dark rum and orange/mango combo which shouldn’t work but somehow does. The rum is so potent it should come with an age limit. I need a lie down.

We have an hour or two to relax before evening birthday celebrations commence. The Queen’s funeral is still going on. I pop on a new dress that has miraculously survived being packed and repacked with very few creases. It is however heavily pleated, and I soon realise I will never be able to wash and iron it successfully. Thanks H&M dress, it’s been a blast.

Seafood is my birthday dish of choice. And the best place to find this in Sorrento is on Marina Grande. Colourful fishing boats bring in the day’s catch, straight into le cucine of the family run restaurants lining the shore. Marina Grande is like a traditional fishing village, bolted onto the side of a big resort town. It’s the best place in Sorrento for seafood restaurants hands-down. Confusingly Marina Grande (“big marina”) is smaller than Marina Piccola (“small marina”).

There are ridiculously expensive restaurants, and there are more reasonably-priced restaurants. We’re not splurging this holiday, so a reasonably-priced restaurant will do us fine. Taverna Azzurra fits the bill perfectly. We’re breaking all Italian rules and eating early evening so only a few tables are occupied when we arrive. We are seated on the edge of the terrace, overlooking the bay. It’s the perfect place to watch day turn to night, pastel pinks and blues streaking the sky as lights start to twinkle along the harbourside. The sun sets on another day, on another birthday; we finish off with a limoncello, and then another couple of drinks at Salumeria on Corso Italia.

One last day in Sorrento

It’s our final full day in Sorrento. Tomorrow we will pack our suitcases and catch the train back to Rome. We have an early morning meander around the shops, picking up souvenirs here and there. The handcrafted inlaid wooden music boxes make a wonderful gift to take home. As does anything lemon-themed. We purchase the obligatory Christmas tree bauble for the travel memento collection. It is lemon-shaped. Naturally.

We take a stroll down to Marina Piccola, Sorrento’s bustling port. This is the place to catch ferries to Naples, Capri and along the Amalfi Coast. Many of the beach clubs can also be found in this area, laid out on the private decks stretching out into the bay. An entrance fee gives you access to sunbeds and parasols, changing facilities and bar service.

You can reach the marina by way of a lift (ascensore) between Villa Comunale Park and Marina Piccola. The lift is €1,10 single, or €1,90 return. We’re feeling energetic though, and make the ascent up the gently sloping Via Luigi de Maio, squeezing against a wall to let the white Sorrento tourist road train go by.

We drop off our purchases, and then it’s pool time once again. Book. Headphones. Beer. Repeat. After all, this may be the last bit of sunshine we see this year, so I plan to soak up as much as I can. Lunch is poolside, a heaving mountain of octopus salad generous enough for two to share.

We head out for our final evening in Sorrento. We return to Marina Grande, stopping on the way to visit the beautiful courtyard of Chiostro di San Francesco. If you’re considering a Sorrentine wedding, then this would make an idyllic setting. Lovingly restored to its 7th century glory, this former monastery is romantic and quintessentially Italian, with greenery draped around the arches. It’s like a scene from a fairy-tale, and a peaceful oasis to sit and contemplate life.

For our final night’s dining, we opt for Chantecler’s Trattoria, a family-run restaurant tucked away on Via Santa Maria Della Pieta. Chantecler’s had cropped up multiple times during my pre-trip research as highly recommended. Knowing it was popular, we were at the door pretty much as it opened at 6:30pm. We dined inside, only realising once we left that there were also al fresco tables lining the cobbled alleyway. The food and wine was superb, although the service ran very much “on Italian time”. We had to prompt a waiter for our order to be taken, and then again for our drinks. Mr Fletche is not particularly tolerant of bad service but as we weren’t in any rush we made allowances.

After dining, we take a final stroll through the old town, soaking up the atmosphere. Sadly there are no tables available at Salumeria, where we’d enjoyed local beers and gin on my birthday. Instead we grab one of the few vacant tables at Bar del Carmine, looking out over Corso Italia and Piazza Tasso. We’ve loved our time in Sorrento; with so many bars and restaurants that we haven’t tried, we’ll just have to plan our return soon.