Sorrento

 

Sorrento is the perfect Amalfi coast town, with great streets to explore and good cuisine.  Piazza Tasso is the heart of town, spanning the ravine that divides new town (east) from old town (west), with great views of the Bay of Naples.  On the western side of the square is the main shopping street Corso Italia.  Great gelato at a Raki on Corso Italia.  

Ravine (old town on left)

Via Santa Maria dela Pieta is a tiny, ancient alley that runs parallel to the commercial Corso Italia, connecting Piazza Tasso and the cathedral.  Sorrento Cathedral is small but is noteworthy for the inlaid wood Stations of the Cross around the nave of the church.  There is an ornate nativity scene that places the manger in the topography of Sorrento (including the gorge), and all the people are dressed like Amalfians.  It’s an interesting local interpretation of the biblical story, and we saw similar nativity scenes in other Amalfi churches.  

Sorrento Cathedral bell tower

Sorrento Cathedral entrance

Sorrento Cathedral cloister

Inlaid-wood station of the cross

Nativity scene

Cathedral nave

We enjoyed wandering the old streets between Corsa Italia and the marina, with cute squares and lots of shops and restaurants.  Restaurant Zi Ntonio had nice atmosphere and good food.  The Villa Communale is a beautiful park overlooking the bay of Naples.  

Piazza d Vittoria

Via Giuliani in old town

The Basilica of St Anthony has a crypt with an incredibly ornate chapel, and hundreds of silver “votives” depicting the body parts that worshippers believe St Anthony healed.  

Basilica San Antonino nave

San Antonino votives

San Antonino crypt

Marina Grande has restaurants and beach.  Marina Piccolo has ferry service to Positano and Capri, easy to book tickets, run every hour more or less.  Multiple companies, two areas of ticket booths.  

Marina Piccolo

The Antiche Mura hotel is a great full-service hotel just one block from Piazza Taso (main square). Great breakfast, pool area with lemon trees.  It’s expensive, but everything is expensive in Sorrento.  There is a small grocery across the street, and a larger one east on Corso Italia from Piazza Taso.

We ate at Tavern Allegra, excellent service, great food.  The seafood mixed grille was delicious, the tagliatelle Bolognese was great, midnight kiss drink was awesome (slushy tequila, limoncello and prosecco).  Giuseppe host, friend owns Pepperoncini in Conshohocken.

View from Villa Comunale of Marina Piccolo
and Mt Vasuvius in the distance