Marina Grande

The Borgo dei Pescatori is the fishing village side of Sorrento is tucked beneath the cliffs at the western edge of town

Follow Via Marina Grande west out of Piazza della Vittoria. The narrow road slopes down, turning into a switchbacked, stair-like ramp.

The first sign that you're heading toward a fishing village is that the omnipresent dogs of Sorrento give way to gangly kittens begging from passing tourists now that the scraps from the morning's catch have been eaten.

Then, as you round the last hairpin bend and hear the splash of waves (along with the umpteenth rendition of O Sole Mio! strained thorugh some distant restaurant's loudspeaker) you see the roadside Madonna shrine with a donation slot surrounded by ten-foot-tall mounds of colorful netting.

You have arrived at the fishing village side of Sorrento.

There's not much to see; it's just a nice change of pace.

Marina Grande consists of little more than a few houses, dozens of wooden boats bobbing in the harbor or pulled up on the sandy beach, and a four or five cheap dockside restaurants tucked beneath the cliffs at the western edge of town. (My favorite: Trattoria Da Emilia)

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