Sorrento sights

What to see and do in Sorrento

Sorrento's sights are modest at best, but can be fun to pass the time. Here are the best:

Passeggiata

Join the evening stroll along the streets of the old town, especially along modern Corso Italia and the parallel and cobbled Via S. Cesareo, which was once the old Decumanus Maximus of the Roman town... » more

Tours & excursions

From cooking classes to Amalfi Coast cruises, winery visits to Capri daytrips, and culinary tours to excursions to Pompeii, Naples, Mt. Vesuvius, and more... » more

Intarsia

Sorrento's greatest craft is intarsia (wood inlay)—whether artistic panels in a Classical style in the Duomo or simple post-modern patterns on jewelry boxes, tabletops, picture frames, or other souvenirs for the tourist trade... » more

Sant'Antonino

The baroque church of S. Antonino memorializes a quirky local saint who was famous for battling seas monsters. Be sure to pop into the crypt to see the crazy collection of ex votos and prayers to the town's patron... » more

Museo Correale

This hodgepodge collection of baroque paintings, decorative arts, and Roman antiquities at the east end of town is no great shakes, but worth doing if you're around town for a while ... » more

Duomo

The Cathedral of Sorrento has some fine intarsia (inlaid wood) work on its doors (1990s) and the choir stalls (1930s), as well as some modest Roman ruins just behind it... » more

Sedile Dominiva

A 15th century loggia with a weedy, dargon-scaled majolica dome and 18th-century frescoes under which old men gather to play inscrutable Italian cards games... » more

Limoncello

The region's famed liqueur—for sample and sale at many shops in town—is made from steeping lemon zest in what is essentially grain alcohol and then adding a ton of sugar ... » more

Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea

A new museum devoted to the local craft of marquetery, or wood inlay ... » more

Swimming

Although it's a resort town, don't come to Sorrento expecting beaches. Swimming is mainly off of piers jutting out over the rocks plus a few teensy pebble and black sand beaches that rarely get sun... » more

Villa Communale

Sorrento's public park and gardens have views down to the marina and up the coastline... » more

Marina Grande

The fishing village side of Sorrento is tucked beneath the cliffs at the wstern edge of town... » more

San Francesco

The cloisters of San Francesco (now an art school) are pretty, and popular for weddings... » more

Nightlife

From sunset cocktails with panoramic views over the Bay of Naples and Mt. Vesuvius to a pint at an ersatz British pub... » more

Tips & links

How long does Sorrento take?

Planning your time: Sorrento has maybe 2-3 hours of mediocre sightseeing. To be brutally honest it is probably the least interesting town in this area. It is only famous for its location.

Sorrento makes an ideal base for exploring Campania thanks to its location at the nexus of regional public transit—pretty much the only place from which you can get anywhere without having to change mode of transportation: Trains direct to Pompeii and Naples; ferries to Capri; buses or ferries down the Amalfi Coast.

If you prefer the home-base style of travel, Sorrento is the perfect base. Figure on three days/two nights here (hit Pompeii on the train ride down from Naples—you can store your luggage temporarily at the Pompei train station—then spend one day each visiting Capri and the Amalfi Coast).

If, however, you prefer to travel from town to town, just treat Sorrento as a way-station to switch from train to bus or ferry; skip Sorrento entirely and sleep in a more interesting locale on the Amalfi Coast or Capri.

» Sorrento itineraries

Amalfi Coast tours

Useful links & resources

Sights & experiences
Lodging
Transport

Local tourist offices
Turismoinsalerno.it (official; entire area)
Amalfitouristoffice.it (Amalfi)
Aziendaturismopositano.it (Postiano)
Ravellotime.it (Ravello)
Sorrentotourism.com (Sorrento)
incampania.it (regional)

Useful private sites
Amalficoast.com
Amalficoast.it
Museincampania.it
Theamalficoast.net (abandoned, but some everrgreen content still useful)

Hotel
B&B
Apt
Hostel
Residence
Farm

Public
Bus
Boat
Tour
Train
Car
Air

Public transit
Bus: Unicocampania.it, Sitasudtrasporti.it
Circumvesiviana train (Naples-Sorrento): Eavsrl.it
Italian rail (Naples-Salerno): Trenitalia.com
Ferries: Alilauro.it (Sorrento-A.C., Naples-A.C., Capri-A.C.); Alicost.it (Sorrento-A.C.; Salerno-A.C.); Coopsantandrea.com (Sorrento-A.C.; Salerno-A.C.; Capri-A.C.); Travelmar.it (Salerno-A.C.)

Airports
Napoli-Capodichino: Aeroportodinapoli.it
Roma Fiumicino: Adr.it

Airport transfers (Naples):
Bus (€10 to Sorrento; 75 min): Curreriviaggi.it
Private (€19 to Sorrento, €22–€25 to Postiano, Amalfi, or Ravello): Viator.com
Taxi (€100 to Sorrento, €120 to Positano, €130 to Amalfi): Aeroportodinapoli.it/taxi, Comune.napoli.it/servizinondilinea

Airport transfers (Rome):
Bus (total: €28–€30; 5+ hr): Marozzivt.it (bus Sorrento-Roma Tiburtina; €20–€22; 4 hr) + Trenitalia.com (train Tiburtina-airport; €8, 48 min)
Private (€65–€120; 3 hr): Viator.com (note: Rome airport or hotel to Sorento or any Amalfi Coast town)

Regional rail & access points
Circumvesiviana train (Naples-Sorrento): Eavsrl.it
Italian rail (Naples-Salerno): Trenitalia.com
[The Amalfi Coast itself has no rail service, only bus and boat. Sorrento is the closest train station to the most popular A.C. towns, and the over-the-sea Sorrento-Salerno bus ride is more spectacular than the cliff-hugging Salerno-Sorrento reverse route.]

Car resources
Emergency service/tow: tel. 803-116
Highway agency: Autostrade.it (traffic info, serivce areas, toll calculator, weather)
Italian automotive club (~AAA): Aci.it
ZTLs: Ztl-italia.blogspot.com (lightly outdated, but handy, links to cities' traffic-free zones)

Regional & long-distance bus (coach) info
Orariautobus.it
Italybus.it
Oraribus.com
ibus.it
Sitabus.it
Autobus.it

Ferries & hydrofoils
Alicost.it (Sorrento-Positano-Amalfi; Capri-Positano-Amalfi-Salerno)
Travelmar.it (Positano-Amalfi-Salerno; Amalfi-Minori-Maiori)
Alilauro.it (connecting Sorrento and Naples, Amalfi, Positano, Capri, or Ischia; also connecting Amalfi, Positano, or Salerno with Capri or Ischia)
Gescab.it (connecting Capri with: Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Salerno)
Coopsantandrea.com (Sorrento-Positano-Amalfi-Minori-Maiori-Salerno; Amalfi-Capri)
Caremar.it (Sorrento-Capri; Naples-Capri)

Private boat transfer (Naples-Sorrento, Naples-Amalfi)
Viator.com

Coastal cruises & island excursions
Viator.com (from Sorrento, Amalfi, Poistano, or Praiano)
SelectItaly.com (from Positano)
Lucibello.it (from Positano)
Coopsantandrea.com (from Amalfi)

Multi-day sailing trips & yacht charters
Viator.com
Intrepid.com
SelectItaly.com

Transport between Naples train station and Molo Beverello port
Bus/tram (€1): Anm.it (Tram 1; bus 151)
Taxi (€11): Consorziotaxinapoli.it
Private car to docks (€7–€35): Viator.com
Private car from docks (€5–€28): Viator.com

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Useful links

Info
Lodging
Transport

Local tourist offices
Turismoinsalerno.it (official; entire area)
Amalfitouristoffice.it (Amalfi)
Aziendaturismopositano.it (Postiano)
Ravellotime.it (Ravello)
Sorrentotourism.com (Sorrento)
incampania.it (regional)

Useful private sites
Amalficoast.com
Amalficoast.it
Museincampania.it
Theamalficoast.net (abandoned, but some everrgreen content still useful)

Hotel
B&B
Apartment
Hostel
Residence
Farm

Public
Bus
Boat
Tour
Train
Car
Air

Public transit
Bus: Unicocampania.it, Sitasudtrasporti.it
Circumvesiviana train (Naples-Sorrento): Eavsrl.it
Italian rail (Naples-Salerno): Trenitalia.com
Ferries: Alilauro.it (Sorrento-A.C., Naples-A.C., Capri-A.C.); Alicost.it (Sorrento-A.C.; Salerno-A.C.); Coopsantandrea.com (Sorrento-A.C.; Salerno-A.C.; Capri-A.C.); Travelmar.it (Salerno-A.C.)

Airports
Napoli-Capodichino: Aeroportodinapoli.it
Roma Fiumicino: Adr.it

Airport transfers (Naples):
Bus (€10 to Sorrento; 75 min): Curreriviaggi.it
Private (€19 to Sorrento, €22–€25 to Postiano, Amalfi, or Ravello): Viator.com
Taxi (€100 to Sorrento, €120 to Positano, €130 to Amalfi): Aeroportodinapoli.it/taxi, Comune.napoli.it/servizinondilinea

Airport transfers (Rome):
Bus (total: €28–€30; 5+ hr): Marozzivt.it (bus Sorrento-Roma Tiburtina; €20–€22; 4 hr) + Trenitalia.com (train Tiburtina-airport; €8, 48 min)
Private (€65–€120; 3 hr): Viator.com (note: Rome airport or hotel to Sorento or any Amalfi Coast town)

Regional rail & access points
Circumvesiviana train (Naples-Sorrento): Eavsrl.it
Italian rail (Naples-Salerno): Trenitalia.com
[The Amalfi Coast itself has no rail service, only bus and boat. Sorrento is the closest train station to the most popular A.C. towns, and the over-the-sea Sorrento-Salerno bus ride is more spectacular than the cliff-hugging Salerno-Sorrento reverse route.]

Car resources
Emergency service/tow: tel. 803-116
Highway agency: Autostrade.it (traffic info, serivce areas, toll calculator, weather)
Italian automotive club (~AAA): Aci.it
ZTLs: Ztl-italia.blogspot.com (lightly outdated, but handy, links to cities' traffic-free zones)

Regional & long-distance bus (coach) info
Orariautobus.it
Italybus.it
Oraribus.com
ibus.it
Sitabus.it
Autobus.it

Ferries & hydrofoils
Alicost.it (Sorrento-Positano-Amalfi; Capri-Positano-Amalfi-Salerno)
Travelmar.it (Positano-Amalfi-Salerno; Amalfi-Minori-Maiori)
Alilauro.it (connecting Sorrento and Naples, Amalfi, Positano, Capri, or Ischia; also connecting Amalfi, Positano, or Salerno with Capri or Ischia)
Gescab.it (connecting Capri with: Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Salerno)
Coopsantandrea.com (Sorrento-Positano-Amalfi-Minori-Maiori-Salerno; Amalfi-Capri)
Caremar.it (Sorrento-Capri; Naples-Capri)