Just an hour south of Naples and without a hint of big-city chaos, serene Sorrento makes an ideal home base for exploring this fascinating region, from Naples to the Amalfi Coast to Paestum. And the jet-setting island of Capri is just a short cruise from Sorrento, offering more charm and fun (outside of the crowded months of July and August) than its glitzy reputation would lead you to believe.
Wedged on a ledge under the mountains and over the Mediterranean, spritzed by lemon and olive groves, Sorrento is an attractive resort of 20,000 residents and, in summer, just as many tourists. It’s as well-located for regional sightseeing as it is a fine place to stay and stroll. The Sorrentines have gone out of their way to create a completely safe and relaxed place for tourists to come and spend money. As 90 percent of the town’s economy is tourism, everyone seems to speak fluent English and work for the Chamber of Commerce. This gateway to the Amalfi Coast has an unspoiled old quarter, a lively main shopping street, and a spectacular cliffside setting. Residents are proud of the many world-class romantics who’ve vacationed here, such as the famed tenor Enrico Caruso, who chose Sorrento as the place to spend his last weeks in 1921.
Sorrento itself has no world-class sights, but can easily give you a few pleasant hours. More importantly, Sorrento is a fine base for visiting Naples (by boat or train); Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Mount Vesuvius (by train, plus a bus for Vesuvius); the Amalfi Coast (by bus); and the island of Capri (by boat). All of these destinations are within an hour or so of Sorrento. Of the region’s attractions, only Paestum’s Greek temples are a little hard to reach from Sorrento, and even they can be seen in a long day.
Sorrento hibernates in winter, and many places close down from November through February or March.
Downtown Sorrento is long and narrow. Piazza Tasso marks the town’s center. The main drag, Corso Italia, runs parallel to the sea, passing 50 yards below the train station, through Piazza Tasso, and then out toward the cape, where the road’s name becomes Via Capo. Nearly everything mentioned here (except Meta beach and the hotels on Via Capo) is within a 10-minute walk of the station. The town is perched on a cliff (some hotels have elevators down to sundecks on the water); the best real beaches are a couple of miles away.
Sorrento has two different port areas: The Marina Piccola, below Piazza Tasso, is a functional harbor with boats to Naples and Capri, as well as cruise-ship tenders. (While the big cruise ships dock in Naples, smaller ships drop anchor at Sorrento.) The Marina Grande, below the other end of downtown, is like a little fishing village, with recommended restaurants and more charm.
The helpful regional TI (labeled Azienda di Soggiorno)—located inside the Foreigners’ Club—hands out the free monthly Surrentum magazine, with a great city map and schedules of boats, buses, concerts, and festivals (Mon-Fri 8:30-19:00, Sat 9:00-13:00, Sun 9:00-13:00 except closed Sun Oct-May; Via Luigi de Maio 35, tel. 081-807-4033, www.sorrentotourism.com; Nino, Fabiola, and Peppe). If you arrive after the TI closes, look for their useful handouts in the lobby of the Foreigners’ Club (open until midnight).
To get from the train station to the TI, head straight out to Corso Italia and turn left. Walk five minutes to Piazza Tasso, turn right at the end of the square, and go down Via Luigi de Maio through Piazza Sant’Antonino, bearing right downhill about 30 yards to the Foreigners’ Club mansion at #35.
You’ll also find several small “Info Points” conveniently located around town, operated by the city and offering maps, Surrentum magazine, and general town information (just outside the train station in the green caboose—daily 10:00-13:00 & 15:00-19:00; near Piazza Tasso at the corner of Via Correale, under the yellow church—daily 10:00-13:00 & 16:00-21:00; and at Marina Piccola—daily 9:00-17:00, but closed Nov-March). If all you need is a copy of Surrentum and basic information, one of these Info Points should do.
By Train or Bus: Sorrento is the last stop on the Circumvesuviana train line. In front of the train station is the town’s main bus stop, as well as taxis waiting to overcharge you (€15 minimum). All recommended hotels—except those on Via Capo—are within a 10-minute walk. For details on taking the bus to hotels on Via Capo, see here.
By Boat: Passenger boats dock at Marina Piccola. To walk from the harbor to Piazza Tasso by the easiest route, follow the Lift signs a couple of hundred yards to the elevator. Pay €1 to ride it up into the Villa Comunale city park. From there, exit through the park gate and bear left; Piazza Tasso is about four blocks away. Or, if you don’t mind a steep uphill hike, you can walk along the road (or up the stairs) for 15 minutes (free). Other options are city bus #B or #C (buy €1.20 ticket at the tobacco shop near the dock, 3/hour); or the small private bus (€1.20, buy ticket from driver, passes not valid, bus is often gray, 3/hour).
By Car: The Achille Lauro underground parking garage is centrally located, just a couple of blocks in front of the train station (€2/hour, €24/24 hours, on Via Correale).
Church Services: The cathedral hosts an English-language Anglican service at 17:00 most Sundays from April to October (but not in August). At Santa Maria delle Grazie (perhaps the most beautiful Baroque church in town), cloistered nuns sing from above and out of sight during a Mass each morning at 7:30 (on Via delle Grazie).
Bookstore: Libreria Tasso has a decent selection of books in English, including this one (June-Sept daily 9:30-23:00; Oct-May Mon-Sat 9:45-13:00 & 16:00-20:30, Sun 11:00-13:00 & 17:00-20:00; Via San Cesareo 96, one block north of cathedral, near Sorrento Men’s Club; tel. 081-807-1639).
Laundry: Sorrento has two handy self-service launderettes (both charge about €8/load wash and dry, includes soap). One launderette is just down the alley next to Corso Italia 30 (daily May-Sept 7:00-24:00, Oct-April 8:00-23:00, Vico I Fuoro 3, mobile 338-506-0942). The other is near the station, at the corner of Corso Italia and Via degli Aranci (daily 7:00-22:00).
Guided Tours of Pompeii, Naples, and Amalfi Coast: Naples-based Mondo Tours offers affordable tours of these destinations, including an Amalfi Coast drive that starts from Sorrento. You’ll sign up in advance and team up with fellow Rick Steves readers to split the cost. For details, see here.
Local Guides: Giovanna Donadio is a good tour guide for Sorrento, Amalfi, and Capri (€100/half-day, €160/day, same price for any size group, mobile 338-466-0114, giovanna_dona@hotmail.com). Giovanni Visetti is a nature lover, mapmaker, and orienteer who organizes hikes and has a fine website describing local trails (mobile 339-694-2911, www.giovis.com, giovis@giovis.com). Capri-based Anna Bilardi Leva also guides in Sorrento (see listing on here).
By Bus: City buses (usually orange or red-and-white) all stop near the main square, Piazza Tasso. Bus #A runs east to Meta beach or west to the hotels on Via Capo and beyond; buses #B and #C go to the port (Marina Piccola); and bus #D heads to the fishing village (Marina Grande). Buses #A and #D stop at the beginning of Corso Italia (west side of Piazza Tasso for Via Capo or Marina Grande, east side for Meta); #B and #C stop at the corner of Piazza Sant’Antonino, just down the hill toward the water. The trip between Piazza Tasso and Marina Piccola costs just €1.20; for other trips, tickets cost €2.20 and are good for 45 minutes (purchase at tobacco shops and newsstands). Stamp your ticket upon entering the bus. One-day (€6.80) and three-day bus passes (€16) are also valid on buses along the entire Amalfi Coast.
A different bus (often gray, operated by a private company) runs only between the port and Piazza Tasso (3/hour in season, €1.20, buy ticket from driver); it’s not covered by other bus tickets or passes.
By Rental Wheels: Many places rent motor scooters for about €35 per day, including two locations near the train station: Europcar (Mon-Sat 9:00-13:00 & 16:00-19:30, Sun by request 10:00-13:00, Corso Italia 210p, tel. 081-878-1386, www.sorrento.it) and Penisola Rent, a half-block away in Hotel Nice (Mon-Sat 9:00-20:00, Sun 9:00-13:00, closed Nov-March, Corso Italia 259, tel. 081-877-4664, www.penisolarent.com). Don’t rent a car in summer unless you enjoy traffic jams.
By Taxi: Taxis are expensive, charging an outrageous €15 for the short ride from the station to most hotels (more for Via Capo). Because of heavy traffic and the complex one-way road system, you can often walk faster than you can ride. If you do use a taxi, even if you agree to a set price, be sure it has a meter (all official taxis have one). I think taxis are a huge rip-off, since city officials don’t have the nerve to regulate them, and hotels are afraid to alienate them. Walk or take the bus instead.
By Bus Tour: If you’d like to get out of town to see more of the Sorrentine Peninsula, consider CitySightseeing Sorrento’s hop-on, hop-off bus tours, with headphone commentary about the two bays flanking this scenic spit of land (€12, buy tickets on board, April-Oct daily, full loop is 1.75 hours; bus departs from train station at 9:30, 11:30, 13:30, and 15:30; www.sorrento.city-sightseeing.it). The same company’s Amalfi Coast bus is a good alternative for linking to Amalfi or Positano if the public buses are too crowded (see “Getting Around the Amalfi Coast” on here). The pointless tourist train you’ll see departing from Piazza Tasso loops only through the town itself—all easily reachable by foot (€6, 30-minute tour).
Get to know Sorrento with this lazy self-guided town stroll that ends down by the waterside at the small-boat harbor, Marina Grande.
• Begin on the main square. Stand under the flags with your back to the sea, and face...
(See “Sorrento” map, here.)
As in any southern Italian town, this “piazza” is Sorrento’s living room. It may be noisy and congested, but locals want to be where the action is...and be part of the scene. The most expensive apartments and top cafés are on or near this square. City buses stop at or close to the square on their way to Marina Piccola and Via Capo. The train station is a five-minute walk to the left. A statue of St. Anthony, patron of Sorrento, faces north as if greeting those coming from Naples (he’s often equipped with an armload of fresh lemons and oranges).
This square spans a gorge that divides downtown Sorrento. The newer section (to your left) was farm country just two centuries ago. The older part is to your right, with an ancient Greek gridded street plan (like much of southern Italy, Sorrento was Greek-speaking for centuries before it was Romanized). If you walk a block inland, go right up to the green railing, and look down, you’ll see steps that were carved in the fifth century B.C. The combination of the gorge and the seaside cliffs made Sorrento easy to defend. A small section of wall (which you can find near Hotel Mignon) closed the landward gap in the city’s defenses.
Sorrento’s name may come from the Greek word for “siren,” the legendary half-bird, half-woman who sang an intoxicating lullaby. According to Homer, the sirens lived on an island near here. No one had ever sailed by the sirens without succumbing to their incredible musical charms...and to death. But Homer’s hero Ulysses was determined to hear the song. He put wax in his oarsmen’s ears and had himself lashed to the mast of his ship. Oh, it was nice. The sirens, thinking they had lost their powers, threw themselves into the sea, and the place became safe to inhabit. Ulysses’ odyssey was all about the westward expansion of Greek culture, and to the ancient Greeks, places like Sorrento were the wild, wild west.
• With your back still to the sea, head to the far-right corner of the square, behind the statue of Torquato Tasso, the square’s namesake. (A Sorrento native, he was a lively Renaissance poet—but today he seems only to wonder which restaurant to choose for dinner.) Peek into the big courtyard of Palazzo Correale (#18, behind the statue in the right corner) to get a feel for an 18th-century aristocratic palace’s courtyard, its walls lined with characteristic tiles. In the same building, you’ll see one of the zillions of fun, touristy shops in Sorrento that sells regional goodies and offers free biscuits and tastes of liqueurs. As you’re leaving the courtyard, on your immediate left you’ll see the narrow...
Here, just a few yards off the noisy main drag, is a street that goes back centuries before Christ. About 100 yards down the lane, at #24 (on the left), find a 13th-century palace (no balconies back then... for security reasons), now an elementary school. A few steps farther on, you’ll see a tiny shrine across the street. Typical of southern Italy, it’s where the faithful pray to their saint, who contacts Mary, who contacts Jesus, who contacts God. This shrine is a bit more direct—it starts right with Mary.
• Continue down the lane, which ends at the delightful...
This is the seat of the local bishop. Pop in for a cool stroll around the ambulatory, checking out the impressive intarsio (inlaid-wood) doors. There are two sets of doors—the main entry and the side entry, facing the big street. They’re inlaid on both sides and show many scenes of the town and its industry. The doors facing the main street include an old-town map. These were made to celebrate the pope’s visit in 1992. Also notice the intricate inlaid Stations of the Cross and the fine presepe (manger scene) in the back. This one takes Bethlehem on that first Christmas and sets it in Naples—with pasta, mozzarella, salami, and even Mount Vesuvius in the background (free, daily 8:00-12:30 & 16:30-20:30, no visits during Mass daily at 8:30 and 18:00, plus Sun at 11:00 and 12:15).
• Backtrack 10 yards down Via Santa Maria della Pietà, turn left, and cross busy Corso Italia. In the summer, this stretch of road is closed to traffic each evening, when it hosts the best of the passeggiata. Look back at the bell tower, with the scavenged ancient Roman columns at its base. Then go straight on Via P. Reginaldo Giuliani (pausing to see who’s died lately on the poster board on your right), following the old Greek street plan. Locals claim the ancient Greeks laid out the streets east-west for the most sunlight and north-south for the prevailing and cooling breeze.
• One block ahead, on your right, the 14th-century loggia is home to the...
Once the meeting place of the town’s nobles, this club has been a retreat for retired working-class men for generations. Strictly no women—and no phones.
Italian men venerate their mothers. (Italians joke that Jesus must have been a southern Italian because his mother believed her son was God, he believed his mom was a virgin, and he lived at home with her until he was 30.) But Italian men have also built into their culture ways to be on their own. Here, men play cards and gossip under a historic emblem of the city and a finely frescoed 16th-century dome, with its marvelous 3-D scenes.
• Turn right for a better view of the Men’s Club and a historical marker describing the building. Then continue along...
This touristy pedestrian-only shopping street leads back to Piazza Tasso. It’s lined with competitive little shops where you can peruse (and sample) lemon products. Notice the huge ancient doorways with their tiny doors—to let the right people in, carefully, during a more dangerous age.
• After a block, take a left onto Via degli Archi, go under the arch, and then hang a right (under another arch) to the square with the...
Sorrento’s town saint humbly looms among the palms, facing the basilica where the reliquary containing a few of his bones lies (free, downstairs in the crypt beneath the altar, surrounded by lots of votives).
• Exit the square at the bottom-left (following the lift to the port signs; don’t go down the street with the line of trees and the porto signs). After a block or so, on the right you’ll see the trees in front of the Imperial Hotel Tramontano, and to their right a path leading to a...
This fine public square, the Villa Comunale, overlooks the harbor. Belly up to the banister to enjoy the view of Marina Piccola and the Bay of Naples. From here, steps zigzag down to the harbor, where lounge chairs, filled by vacationers working on tans, line the sundecks (there’s also a €1 elevator to the harbor). The Franciscan church fronting this square faces a fine modern statue of Francis across the street. Next to the church is a dreamy little cloister. Pop inside to see Sicilian Gothic—a 13th-century mix of Norman, Gothic, and Arabic styles, all around the old pepper tree. This is an understandably popular spot for weddings and concerts.
• From here, you can quit the walk and stay in the town center, or continue another few minutes downhill to the waterfront at Marina Grande (if it’s before 20:00, you’ll be able to catch a bus back; otherwise, you’ll have to walk back uphill). To continue on to Marina Grande, return to the road and keep going downhill. At the next square (Piazza della Vittoria), which offers another grand view, cut over to the road closest to the water. After winding downhill for a few minutes, it turns into a wide stairway, and just before reaching the waterfront, you pass under an...
This gate marks the boundary between Sorrento and Marina Grande, technically a separate town with its own proud residents—it’s said that even their cats look different. Because Marina Grande dwellers lived outside the wall and were more susceptible to rape, pillage, and plunder, Sorrentines believe that they come from Saracen (Turkish pirate) stock. Sorrentines still scare their children by saying, “Behave—or the Turks will take you away.”
• Now go all the way down the steps into Marina Grande, Sorrento’s “big” small-boat harbor.
Until recently, this little community was famously traditional, with its economy based on its fishing fleet. Locals recall when women wore black when a relative died (1 year for an uncle, aunt, or sibling; 2-3 years for a husband or parent). Men got off easy, just wearing a black memorial button.
There are two recommended restaurants on the harbor. Trattoria da Emilia has an old newspaper clipping, tacked near the door, about Sophia Loren filming here. On the far side of the harbor, Ristorante Delfino boasts a sundeck for a lazy drink before or after lunch.
• From here, buses return to the center at Piazza Tasso every hour (€2.20, buy ticket at tobacco shop). Or you can walk back up.
Take time to explore the surprisingly pleasant old city between Corso Italia and the sea. Views from Villa Comunale, the public park next to Imperial Hotel Tramontano, are worth the detour. Each night in summer (May-Oct at 19:30; Nov-April weekends only), the police close off Corso Italia to traffic, and Sorrento’s main drag becomes a thriving people scene. The passeggiata peaks at about 22:00. (When Piazza Tasso and the main thoroughfare are closed to traffic, buses for Via Capo leave from up on Via degli Aranci, a short walk from Piazza Tasso along Via Fuorimura.)
Via San Cesareo is lined with hardworking rival shops selling a mind-boggling array of lemon products and offering samples of lots of sour goodies. Poke around for a pungent experience.
This small park consists of an inviting organic lemon and orange grove lined with shady, welcoming paths. The owners of the grove are seasoned green thumbs, having worked the orchard through many generations. You’ll see that they’ve even grafted orange-tree branches onto a lemon tree so that both fruits now grow on the same tree. The garden is dotted with benches, tables, and an inviting little tasting (and buying) stand. You’ll get a chance to sniff and taste the varieties of lemons, and enjoy free samples of chilled limoncello along with various other homemade liqueurs made from basil, mandarins, or fennel.
Cost and Hours: Enthusiastically free, daily 10:00-sunset, closed in rainy weather, tel. 081-807-4040, www.igiardinidicataldo.it. Enter the garden either on Corso Italia (100 yards north of the train station—where painted tiles show lemon fantasies), or at the intersection of Via Capasso and Via Rota (next to the Hotel La Meridiana Sorrento). The main shop selling their organic homemade products, tasty gelato, and lemonade is across from the Corso Italia entrance at #267.
If you require immediate tanning, you can rent a chair on a pier by the port. There are no great beaches in Sorrento—the gravelly, jam-packed private beaches of Marina Piccola are more for partying than pampering, and there’s just a tiny spot for public use. The elevator in Villa Comunale city park (next to the Church of San Francesco) gets you down for €1. At Marina Grande, Restaurant Delfino has a pier lined with lounge chairs for sunbathing (free for those with this book who buy lunch there).
Around here, limoni are ubiquitous: screaming yellow painted on ceramics, dainty bottles of limoncello, and lemons the size of softballs at the fruit stand.
The Amalfi Coast and Sorrento area produces several different kinds of lemons. The gigantic, bumpy “lemons” are actually citrons, called cedri, and are more for show—they’re pulpier than they are juicy, and make a good marmalade. The juicy sfusato sorrentino, grown only in Sorrento, is shaped like an American football, while the sfusato amalfitano, with knobby points on both ends, is less juicy but equally aromatic. These two kinds of luscious lemons are used in sweets such as granita (shaved ice doused in lemonade), limoncello (a candy-like liqueur with a big kick, called limoncino on the Cinque Terre), delizia (a dome of fluffy cake filled and slathered with a thick whipped lemon cream), spremuta di limone (fresh-squeezed lemon juice), and, of course, gelato or sorbetto alla limone.
There’s a classic, sandy Italian beach two miles away at Meta, but it’s generally overrun by teenagers from Naples. While the Meta Circumvesuviana stop is a very long walk from the beach (or a €25 cab ride), bus #A goes directly from Piazza Tasso to the Meta beach (last stop, schedule posted for hourly returns). At Meta, you’ll find pizzerias, snack bars, and a little free section of beach, but the place is mostly dominated by several sprawling private-beach complexes—if you go, pay for a spot in one of these. Lido Metamare seems best (open May-Sept, €2.50 entry; lockable changing cabins, lounge chairs, and more available for an extra fee; tel. 081-532-2505). It’s a very Italian scene—locals complain that it’s “too local” (i.e., inundated with Naples’ riffraff)—with light lunches, a playground, a manicured beach, loud pop music...and no international tourists.
Tarzan might take Jane to the wild and stony beach at Punta del Capo, a 15-minute bus ride from Piazza Tasso (the same bus #A explained above, but in the opposite direction from Meta; 2/hour, get off at stop in front of the American Bar, then walk 10 minutes past ruined Roman Villa di Pollio).
Another good choice is Marina di Puolo, a tiny fishing town popular in the summer for its sandy beach, surfside restaurants, and beachfront disco (to get here, stay on bus #A a bit farther—ask driver to let you off at Marina di Puolo—then follow signs and hike down about 15 minutes).
The Sorrento Sport Snack Bar has two fine courts open to the public (daily 9:30-23:00, until 20:00 in winter, €14/hour including rackets and balls for two people, call for reservation, across from recommended Grand Hotel Ambasciatori at Via Califano 5, tel. 081-807-1616).
To escape the shops, dive deep into the Mediterranean. PADI-certified Futuro Mare offers a one-hour boat ride out to the protected marine zone that lies between Sorrento and Capri, where you can try the beginners’ dive (€90, includes instruction and complete supervision, April-Oct usually daily at 9:30). The boat also takes snorkelers (€35) and experienced certified divers (1 dive-€65, 2 dives-€100, April-Oct daily at 9:30 and 14:00). The whole experience takes about three hours. Prices include all equipment, transportation, and the dive itself, which lasts about 40 minutes for both novices and experts (call a 1-2 days in advance to reserve, tel. 349-653-6323, www.futuromare.it, info@futuromare.it).
You can rent motor boats big enough for four people (€150/day, plus gas—figure about €50 for a trip to Capri, more with a skipper; with your back to the ferry-ticket offices, it’s to the left around the corner at Via Marina Piccola 43; tel. 081-807-2283, www.nauticasicsic.com).
Sorrento is a fun place to enjoy a drink or some dancing after dinner. The crowd is older, and the many local English expats seem to have paved the way for you.
The Fauno Bar, which dominates Piazza Tasso with tables spilling onto the square, is a fine place to make the scene over a drink any time of day.
The Bagattelle American Bar, run by DJ Daniele, who tailors music to the audience (including karaoke if you ask nicely), is the oldest club in town. The scene, while sloppy, is generally comfortable with the 30- to 60-year-old crowd. If you’re alone, there’s a pole you can dance with (no cover charge, €4-7 drinks—including their signature cocktail, “Come Back to Sorrento,” a mojito made with limoncello—no food, nightly from 21:30, down the steps from the flags at Piazza Tasso).
The English Inn offers both a streetside pub and a more refined-feeling garden out back—at least until the evening, when the music starts blaring. English vacationers come to Sorrento in droves (many have holidayed here annually for decades). Order up baked beans on toast, €10 fish-and-chips, or just a draft beer (nearly all drinks-€5, daily, Corso Italia 55, tel. 081-878-2570).
Camera & Cucina, a sleek and modern photography-themed place, offers a snapshot of contemporary Italy with a creative food and drink menu, DJ music late at night, a secluded garden, and people-watching among stylish Italians on vacation (May-Nov daily 18:00-late, Dec-April open Fri-Sat only, dinner reservations smart, Via Correale 19, 4-minute walk from Piazza Tasso, tel. 081-877-3530).
The Foreigners’ Club offers live Neapolitan songs, Sinatra-style classics, and jazzy elevator music nightly at 20:00 throughout the summer. It’s just right for old-timers feeling frisky (in the center; described earlier under “Tourist Information”).
At Teatro Tasso, a hardworking troupe puts on The Sorrento Musical, a folk-music show that treats visitors to a schmaltzy dose of Neapolitan Tarantella music and dance—complete with “Funiculì Funiculà” and “Santa Loo-chee-yee-yah.” The 75-minute Italian-language extravaganza features a cast of 14 playing guitar, mandolin, saxophone, and tambourines, and singing operatically from Neapolitan balconies...complete with Vesuvius erupting in the background. Your €25 ticket (or €50 with four-course dinner) includes a drink before and after the show. Maurizio promises my readers a €5 discount if you buy directly from the box office and show this book (maximum 2 tickets per book; mid-April-June and Sept-Oct nightly at 21:30, July-Aug 3-4 nights per week at 21:30, bar opens 30 minutes before show, dinner starts at 20:00 and must be reserved in advance—in person or by email, box office open virtually all day long, theater seats 500, facing Piazza Sant’Antonino in the old town, tel. 081-807-5525, www.teatrotasso.com, info@teatrotasso.com).
Hotels here often charge the same for a room whether it has a view, balcony, or neither. At hotels that offer sea views, ask for a room “con balcone, con vista sul mare” (with a balcony, with a sea view). “Tranquillo” is taken as a request for a quieter room off the street.
Hotels listed are either near the train station and city center (where balconies overlook city streets) or on cliffside Via Capo (with sea-view balconies). Via Capo is a 20-minute walk—or short bus ride—from the station (for locations, see the map on here).
You should have no trouble finding a room any time except in August, when the town is jammed with Italians and prices often rise above the regular high-season rates quoted here. Rates are soft in April and October, and tend to drop by about a third from November to March at the hotels that don’t close for the winter. Always contact hotels directly, mention this book, and ask for their best rate. The two holdouts without air-conditioning (Désirée and Elios) are especially good values in April, May, September, and October, when hot temperatures are less likely.
Note: The spindly, more exotic, and more tranquil Amalfi Coast town of Positano (see next chapter) is also a good place to spend the night.
$$$ Hotel Antiche Mura, with 50 rooms and four stars, is sophisticated, elegant, and plush. It offers all the amenities you could need, including an impressive breakfast buffet. Surrounded by lemon trees, the pool and sundeck offer a peaceful oasis. Just a block off the main square, it’s quieter than some central hotels because it’s perched on the ledge of a dramatic ravine (small-windowed Db-€150, regular Db-€219, balcony Db-€279, Tb-€299, Qb-€340; Michele promises 15 percent off prevailing rates in 2015 if you reserve directly with the hotel, mention this book, and pay cash; air-con, elevator, Wi-Fi, parking-€10/day, a block inland from Piazza Tasso at Via Fuorimura 7, tel. 081-807-3523, www.hotelantichemura.com, info@hotelantichemura.com).
$$$ Plaza Sorrento is a contemporary-feeling, upscale refuge in the very center of town (next door to Antiche Mura). Its 65 well-soundproofed rooms, arranged on color-coded floors, are mod and minimalist, and the rooftop swimming pool is inviting. Their “comfort” and “superior” rooms offer balconies for €20-40 more (standard Db-€180, Tb-€230, 10 percent discount if you reserve directly with hotel and show this book, elevator, air-con, Wi-Fi, Via Fuorimura 3, tel. 081-877-1056, mailto:info@plazasorrento.com).
$$ Casa Astarita B&B is a shining gem in the middle of town, with a crazy-quilt-tiled entryway. You’ll find six bright, tranquil, air-conditioned rooms (three with little balconies) and a fully stocked communal fridge and sideboard for help-yourself breakfasts in the rustic-yet-elegant common room. Despite double-paned windows, pub noise can seep into the three front-facing, balcony rooms (Db-€120, Tb-€140, air-con, guest computer, Wi-Fi, 50 yards past the cathedral on Corso Italia at #67, tel. 081-877-4906, www.casastarita.com, info@casastarita.com, Annamaria and Alfonso). If there’s no one at reception, ask at Hotel Mignon (described next)—the same family runs both hotels.
$$ Hotel Mignon rents 24 soothing blue rooms with pretty, tiled public spaces, a rooftop sundeck, and a small garden surrounded by a lemon grove (Sb-€80, Db-€105, big Db-€120, Tb-€130, these prices good with this book when you reserve directly with the hotel, air-con, guest computer, Wi-Fi, some balconies but no views; from the cathedral, walk a block farther up Corso Italia and look for the hotel up a small gated lane to your left; Via Sersale 9, tel. 081-807-3824, www.sorrentohotelmignon.com, info@sorrentohotelmignon.com, Paolo).
$$ Hotel Palazzo Tasso, nicely located near the center, has 11 small, sleek, modern rooms, though there’s very little public space and peak season prices are high (Db-€130, up to €190 in peak season, air-con, elevator, Wi-Fi, small breakfast room on top floor, Via Santa Maria della Pietà 33, tel. 081-878-3579, www.palazzotasso.com, info@palazzotasso.com).
$$ Il Palazzo Starace B&B offers seven tidy rooms in a little alley off Corso Italia, one block from Piazza Tasso (Db-€100, nicer balcony Db-€120, five-bed family room-€150, 10 percent off with cash and this book in 2015, air-con, no elevator but a luggage dumbwaiter, Wi-Fi; ring bell around corner from Via Santa Maria della Pietà 9, then climb 3 floors; tel. 081-807-2633, mobile 366-950-5377, www.palazzostarace.com, info@palazzostarace.com, Massimo).
$ Ulisse Deluxe Hostel is the best budget deal in town. This “hostel” is actually a hotel, with 56 marble-tiled rooms and elegant public areas, but it also has two six-bed dorm rooms (hotel: Db-€80, Tb-€120, Qb-€160; hostel: €25/bunk in single-sex dorm; breakfast buffet-€10, these rates valid when you mention this book and reserve directly with the hotel, air-con, elevator, Wi-Fi, spa and pool use extra, parking-€10/day, Via del Mare 22, tel. 081-877-4753, www.ulissedeluxe.com, info@ulissedeluxe.com, Chiara). The hostel is a 5-minute walk from the old-town action: From Corso Italia, walk down the stairs just beyond the hospital (ospedale) to Via del Mare. Go downhill along the right side of the big parking lot to find the entrance.
$ Hotel Nice rents 29 simple, cramped, cheap rooms with high ceilings 100 yards in front of the train station on the noisy main drag. This last resort is worth considering only for its very handy-to-the-train-station location. Alfonso promises that you can have a quiet room—which is critical given the thin windows and busy location—if you request it with your booking email (Sb-€50, €60 in Aug; Db-€75, €90 in Aug; extra bed-€20; 10 percent discount when you book directly with the hotel, mention this book, and pay cash; air-con, elevator, rooftop terrace, Wi-Fi, closed Nov-March, Corso Italia 257, tel. 081-878-1650, www.hotelnice.it, info@hotelnice.it).
This hotel is a short walk beyond the town center (10-15 minutes from the train station or Piazza Tasso). To reach it, go a block in front of the train station, turn right onto Corso Italia, then left down Via Capasso (which eventually winds right and becomes Via Califano).
$$$ Grand Hotel Ambasciatori is a sumptuous four-star hotel with 100 rooms, a cliffside setting, a sprawling garden, and a pool. This is Humphrey Bogart land, with plush public spaces, a relaxing stay-awhile ambience, and a free elevator to its “private beach”—actually a sundeck built out over the water (prices vary wildly, but in high season generally: viewless Db-€200, sea-view Db-€350, 10 percent discount with this book if you book directly with the hotel, website specials, elevator, air-con in summer, balconies in most rooms, guest computer, Wi-Fi, parking-€20/day, closed Nov-March, Via Califano 18, tel. 081-878-2025, www.ambasciatorisorrento.com, ambasciatori@manniellohotels.com).
These cliffside hotels are outside of town, toward the cape of the peninsula (from the train station, go straight out Corso Italia, which turns into Via Capo). Once you’re set up, commuting into town by bus or on foot is easy. Hotel Minerva is my favorite Sorrento splurge, while Hotel Désirée and Hotel Elios are super budget bets and have comparable views. If you’re in Sorrento to stay put and luxuriate, especially with a car, these accommodations are perfect (although I’d rather luxuriate in Positano—see next chapter).
Getting to Via Capo: From the city center, it’s a gradually uphill 15-minute walk (20 minutes from train station, last part is a bit steeper), a €20 taxi ride, or a cheap bus ride. If you’re arriving with luggage, you can wait at the train station for one of the long-distance SITA buses (usually red or green-and-white) that stop on Via Capo on their way to Massa Lubrense (about every 40 minutes; some buses heading for Positano/Amalfi also work—check with the driver). Frequent Sorrento city buses leave from Piazza Tasso in the city center, a five-minute walk from the station (go down a block and turn left on Corso Italia; from far side of the piazza, look for bus #A, about 3/hour). Tickets for either bus are sold at the station newsstand and tobacco shops (€2.20). Get off at the Hotel Belair stop for the hotels listed here. If you’re headed to Via Capo after 19:30 or on Sunday, when the center (and Piazza Tasso bus stop) can be closed to traffic (check for specifics at the usual stop), catch the bus instead on Via degli Aranci (with your back to the station, wind left, up and around it; the bus stop is near Bar Paradise).
Getting from Via Capo into Town: Buses work great once you get the hang of them (and it’s particularly gratifying to avoid the taxi racket). To reach downtown Sorrento from Via Capo, catch any bus heading downhill from Hotel Belair (3/hour, buses run all day and evening).
$$$ Hotel Minerva is like a sun-worshipper’s temple. The road-level entrance (on a busy street) leads to an elevator that takes you to the fifth-floor reception. Getting off, you’ll step onto a spectacular terrace with outrageous Mediterranean views. Bright common areas, a small rooftop swimming pool, and a cold-water Jacuzzi complement 60 large, tiled, colorful rooms with views, some with balconies (Db-€170, Tb-€210, these discounted prices promised through 2015 if you reserve directly with the hotel and mention this book, 3-night peak season minimum, air-con, guest computer, Wi-Fi, parking-€15/day, closed Nov-March, Via Capo 30, tel. 081-878-1011, www.minervasorrento.com, minerva@acampora.it).
$$$ Hotel La Tonnarella is an old-time Sorrentine villa turned boutique hotel, with several terraces, stylish tiles, and indifferent service. Eighteen of its 24 rooms have views of the sea (non-view Db-€145, “superior” sea-view or balcony Db-€190, “deluxe” Db with view terrace-€210, exotic view suite with terrace-€325, email or check website for best rates, extra bed-€50, €30/person half-pension available, air-con, guest computer, Wi-Fi, parking-€5/day, small beach with private elevator access, closed Nov-March, Via Capo 31, tel. 081-878-1153, www.latonnarella.com, info@latonnarella.it).
$$ Albergo Settimo Cielo (“Seventh Heaven”) is an old-fashioned, family-run cliff-hanger sitting 300 steps above Marina Grande. The reception is just off the waterfront side of the road, and the elevator passes down through four floors with 50 clean but spartan rooms—all with grand views, and many with balconies. The rooms feel dated for the price—you’re paying for the views (Sb-€120, Db-€140, Tb-€180, Qb-€215, check website for specials, mention this book for 5 percent discount on these rates when reserving directly with hotel, air-con in summer, guest computer, Wi-Fi, free parking with this book, inviting pool in the summer, sun terrace, closed Nov-March, Via Capo 27, tel. 081-878-1012, www.hotelsettimocielo.com, info@hotelsettimocielo.com; Giuseppe, sons Stefano and Massimo, and daughter Serena).
$$ Hotel Désirée is a modest affair, with reasonable rates, humbler vistas, and no traffic noise. The 22 basic rooms have high, ravine-facing or partial-sea views, and half come with balconies (all the same price). Most rooms have fans, and there’s a fine rooftop sunning terrace and a lovable cat, Tia. Owner Corinna (a committed environmentalist), daughter Cassandra, and receptionist Antonio serve an organic breakfast and are hugely helpful with tips on exploring the peninsula (Sb-€64, small Db-€79, Db-€89, Tb-€109, Qb-€119, lots of stairs with no elevator, guest computer, Wi-Fi, laundry-€8, free parking, shares driveway and beach elevator with La Tonnarella, closed early Nov-mid-Dec and early Jan-Feb yet open for Christmas—rare for this area, Via Capo 31, tel. 081-878-1563, www.desireehotelsorrento.com, info@desireehotelsorrento.com).
$ Hotel Elios, warmly run by Gianna, is humble...much like a Sorrentine nonna’s house. It offers 14 simple but spacious rooms—12 with balconies and views—a panoramic sun terrace, and a quiet atmosphere. She serves a small continental breakfast, and you’re welcome to use the kitchen and dining room (Sb-€55, Db-€85, Tb-€105, extra bed-€25, family rooms, cash only, free Wi-Fi in common areas, free parking, closed mid-Nov-mid-March, Via Capo 33, tel. 081-878-1812, www.hotelelios.it, info@hotelelios.it).
(See “Sorrento” map, here.)
In a town proud to have no McDonald’s, consider eating well for a few extra bucks. Both of these places are worthwhile splurges run by a hands-on boss with a passion for good food and exacting service. The first is gourmet and playful. The second is classic. Both are romantic. Be prepared to relax and stay awhile.
Ristorante il Buco, once the cellar of an old monastery, is now a small, dressy restaurant that serves delightfully presented, playful, and creative modern Mediterranean dishes under a grand, rustic arch. Peppe and his staff love to explain exactly what’s on the plate. The dashing team of cooks builds sophisticated dishes with an emphasis on seafood in a state-of-the-art kitchen. Peppe holds a Michelin star and designs his menu around whatever’s fresh. Reservations are often necessary to sit inside under their elegant vault (€18-24 pastas, €25-28 secondi, dinners run from about €50 plus wine, extravagant tasting menus for €60-100, 10 percent discount when you show this book, always a good vegetarian selection, Thu-Tue 12:30-14:30 & 19:30-23:00, closed Wed and Jan; just off Piazza Sant’Antonino—facing the basilica, go under the grand arch on the left and immediately enter the restaurant at II Rampa Marina Piccola 5; tel. 081-878-2354, www.ilbucoristorante.it).
L’Antica Trattoria serves more traditional cuisine from an inviting but pricey menu in a romantico candlelit ambience. The atmosphere is sedate and a bit old-school pretentious, with formally attired waiters. Run by the same family since 1930, the restaurant has a trellised garden outside and intimate nooks inside (perhaps too isolated for some, but ideal for small groups). Walk around the labyrinthine interior before you select a place to sit. Aldo and sons will take care of you while Vincenzo, the Joe Cocker-esque resident mandolin player, entertains. They offer several fixed-price meals (including a €20 three-course lunch and a €39 four-course dinner), or you can order à la carte (€15-20 pastas, €26-29 secondi, 10 percent discount on the full-price à la carte dinner menu when you show this book). Show this book for a free limoncello to cap the experience (always good vegetarian options, daily 12:00-23:30, closed Mon Nov-Feb, air-con, reservations smart, Via Padre R. Giuliani 33, tel. 081-807-1082).
(See “Sorrento” map, here.)
Inn Bufalito specializes in mozzarella di bufala, of course, but also features all things buffalo—steak, sausage, salami, carpaccio, buffalo-meat pasta sauce, and several different types of buffalo milk cheese. They serve more standard Italian food, too, but the buffalo theme is the reason to come. The smartly designed space has a modern, borderline-trendy, casual atmosphere and a fun indoor-outdoor vibe (€6-9 salads, €8-12 pastas, €10-16 secondi, don’t miss the seasonal specialties on the blackboard, Wed-Mon 12:00-23:00, closed Tue and Nov-March, Vico I Fuoro 21, tel. 081-365-6975).
Chantecler’s Trattoria, a hole-in-the-wall, family-run place on the narrow lane that leads to the cathedral, is particularly great for meat and vegetarian fare. They offer a €9 meal deal at lunch: your choice of one primo and one secondo (prices slightly higher at dinner—€7 pastas, €10 secondi, good vegetarian dishes, take out or eat in, Tue-Sun 12:00-15:00 & 19:00-23:00, closed Mon, Via Santa Maria della Pietà 38, tel. 081-807-5868, Luigi and family).
Ristorante Pizzeria da Gigino, lively and congested with a sprawling interior and tables spilling onto the street, makes huge, tasty Neapolitan-style pizzas in their wood-burning oven (€8-10 pizzas and pastas, €8-15 secondi, daily 12:00-24:00, closed Jan-Feb; just off Piazza Sant’Antonino—take first road to the left of Sant’Antonino as you face him, pass under the archway, and take the first left to Via degli Archi 15; tel. 081-878-1927, Antonino).
Camera & Cucina is less traditional, with mod atmosphere, a fine garden, and a creative menu that caters to trendy young locals (€8-12 pastas, €10-15 secondi, daily 18:00-late, off-season open Fri-Sat only, reservations smart, Via Correale 19, 4-minute walk from Piazza Tasso, tel. 081-877-3530).
Meating, as its name implies, focuses on top-quality meats, from homemade sausages to giant steaks on a charcoal grill. You’ll find no seafood or pasta here, but there are a variety of vegetable dishes and delicious local cheeses, along with an extensive selection of wine (€10-20 steaks, daily 18:00-24:00, Via Santa Maria della Pietà 20, tel. 081-878-2891).
With a Sea View: The Foreigners’ Club Restaurant has some of the best sea views in town (with a sprawling terrace under breezy palms), live music nightly at 20:00 (May-mid-Oct), and passable meals. It’s a good spot for dessert or an after-dinner limoncello (€9-14 pastas and pizzas, €12-23 secondi, daily, bar opens at 9:30, meals served 11:00-23:00, Via Luigi de Maio 35, tel. 081-877-3263). If you’d enjoy eating along the water (rather than just with a water view), see “Harborside in Marina Grande,” later.
(See “Sorrento” map, here.)
Pizza: Pizzeria da Franco seems to be Sorrento’s favorite place for basic, casual pizza in a fun, untouristy atmosphere. There’s nothing fancy about this place—just locals on benches eating hot sandwiches and great pizzas served on waxed paper in a square tin. It’s packed to the rafters with a youthful crowd that doesn’t mind the plastic cups (€6-8 pizzas and calzones, €5-7 salads, takeout possible, daily 8:00-2:00 in the morning, just across from Lemon Grove Garden on busy Corso Italia at #265, tel. 081-877-2066).
Kebabs: Kebab Joint, a little hole-in-the-wall, has a passionate following among eaters who appreciate Andrea’s fresh bread, homemade sauces, and ethic of buying meat fresh each day (and closing when the supply is gone). This is your best non-Italian €5 meal in town. Choose beef or chicken—locals don’t go for pork—and garnish as you like with fries and/or salad (nightly from 17:00, before the cathedral off Via Santa Maria della Pietà, at Vico il Traversa Pietà 23, tel. 081-807-4595).
Picnics: Get groceries at the Decò supermarket (Mon-Sat 8:30-20:30, Sun 9:30-13:00 & 16:30-20:00, Corso Italia 223).
Gelato: Near the train station, Gelateria David has many repeat customers (so many flavors, so little time). In 1957, Augusto Davide opened a gelateria in Sorrento, and his grandson, Mario, proudly carries on the tradition today (the gelato is still made on-site). Before choosing, sample Profumi di Sorrento (an explosive sorbet of mixed fruits), “Sorrento moon” (white almond with lemon zest), and lemon crème. They also serve sandwiches at fair prices (daily 9:00-24:00, shorter hours in spring and fall, closed Dec-Feb, a block below the train station at Via Marziale 19, tel. 081-807-3649). Mario also offers gelato-making classes for a behind-the-scenes look at Italy’s favorite dessert (€10/person, 5-person minimum, 1 hour, call or email ahead to reserve, gelateriadavid@yahoo.it). Don’t mistake this place for the similarly named Gelateria Davide, in the town center—owned by a distant relative, but not as good.
Raki, a relative newcomer but already a favorite, uses top-notch ingredients and serves some of the creamiest, most flavorful gelato in town (daily 10:30-23:00, closed Jan-Feb, Via San Cesareo 48, mobile 329-877-7922).
At Gelateria Primavera, Antonio and Alberta whip up 70 exotic flavors—and still have time to make pastries for the pope (and everybody else—check out the photos). Try the noci (pronounced NO-chee) di Sorrento, made from local walnuts (daily 9:00-24:00, just west of Piazza Tasso at Corso Italia 142, tel. 081-807-3252).
(See “Sorrento” map, here.)
For a decent dinner con vista, head down to either of these restaurants by Sorrento’s small-boat harbor, Marina Grande. To get to Marina Grande, follow the directions from the cliffside square on my self-guided Sorrento walk, earlier. For a less scenic route, walk down Via del Mare, past the recommended Ulisse Deluxe Hostel, to the harbor. Either way, it’s about a 15-minute stroll from downtown. You can also take bus #D from Piazza Tasso (€2.20).
Ristorante Delfino serves fish in big portions to hungry locals in a quiet and bright, Seattle-style pier restaurant. The cooking, service, and setting are all top-notch. The restaurant is lovingly run by Luisa, her brothers Andrea and Roberto, and her husband Antonio. Show this book for a free glass of limoncello to cap the meal. If you’re here for lunch, take advantage of the sundeck—show this book to get an hour of relaxation and digestion on the lounge chairs (€11-16 pastas, €17-30 secondi, daily 11:30-15:30 & 18:30-23:00, closed Nov-March; at Marina Grande, facing the water, go all the way to the left and follow signs; tel. 081-878-2038).
Trattoria da Emilia, at the opposite end of the tranquil Marina Grande waterfront, is considerably more rustic, less expensive, and good for straightforward, typical Sorrentine home-cooking, including fresh fish, lots of fried seafood, and gnocchi di mamma—potato dumplings with meat sauce, basil, and mozzarella (€7-12 pastas, €11-15 secondi, daily 12:15-15:00 & 19:00-22:30, Sept-Oct closed Tue, closed Nov-Feb, no reservations taken, indoor and outdoor seating, tel. 081-807-2720).
(See “Sorrento” map, here.)
Verde Mare is the locals’ pick for a reasonably priced meal (Thu-Tue 12:30-14:45 & 19:00-23:30, closed Wed, 300 yards uphill from La Tonnarella and other recommended hotels—see map on here, tel. 081-878-2589).
It’s impressively fast to zip by boat from Sorrento to most coastal towns and islands during the summer, when there are many departures. In fact, it’s quicker and easier for residents to get around by fast boat than by car or train (see “By Boat,” later, and the map on here).
From Sorrento to Naples, Pompeii, and Herculaneum by Circumvesuviana Train: This commuter train runs twice hourly between Naples and Sorrento (www.eavcampania.it). The schedule is printed in the free Surrentum magazine (available at TI). From Sorrento, it’s about 30 minutes to Pompeii, 50 minutes to Herculaneum (€2.20 one-way for either trip), and 70 minutes to Naples (€4.10 one-way). If there’s a line at the train station, you can also buy tickets at the appropriately named Snack Bar (across from the main ticket office) or downstairs at the newsstand. For more information on the Circumvesuviana and theft precautions, see “Getting Around the Region” on here of the Naples chapter. Note that the risk of theft is mostly limited to suburban Naples, but can be a problem anywhere. Going between Sorrento and Pompeii or Herculaneum is generally safer.
From Sorrento to Naples Airport: Six Curreri buses run daily to and from the airport; confirm the schedule at the TI (€10, pay driver, daily at 6:30, 8:30, 10:30, 12:00, 14:00, and 16:30, likely 2 additional departures May-Oct, 1.5 hours, departs from in front of train station, tel. 081-801-5420, www.curreriviaggi.it). Although it’s possible to connect through Naples (either take a jet boat/hydrofoil to Naples, then cross the street to catch the airport bus on Piazza Municipio; or ride the Circumvesuviana to Naples’ Centrale Station to catch the airport bus from Piazza Garibaldi), the direct bus is more convenient and reliable.
From Sorrento to the Amalfi Coast: See here.
From Sorrento to Rome: Most people ride the Circumvesuviana 70 minutes to Naples, then catch the Frecciarossa or Italo express train to Rome. However, the Sorrento-Rome bus is direct, cheaper, and all on one ticket—although the departure times can be inconvenient. Buses leave Sorrento’s train station and arrive at Rome’s Tiburtina station (€18.50, Mon-Sat at 6:00 and 17:00, Sun at 17:00, off-season at 6:00 only, 4 hours; buy tickets at www.marozzivt.it—in Italian only, at some travel agencies, or on board for a €3 surcharge; tel. 080-579-0111). A Curreri bus makes the trip as well, but only in the summer (departs Mon-Sat at 6:30, 4 hours, tel. 081-801-5420, www.curreriviaggi.it).
The number of boats that run per day varies according to the season. The frequency indicated here is for roughly mid-May through mid-October, with more boats per day in the peak of summer and fewer off-season. Check all schedules with the TI, your hotel, or online (use the individual boat company websites—see below—or visit www.capritourism.com, select English, and click on “Shipping timetable”). The Caremar line, a subsidized state-run ferry company, takes cars, offers fewer departures, and is just a bit slower—but cheaper—than the hydrofoil. All of the boats take several hundred people each—and frequently fill up. Boat tickets are sold only at the port.
From Sorrento to Capri: Boats run at least hourly. Your options include a fast ferry (traghetto or nave veloce, 4/day, 25 minutes, run by Caremar, tel. 081-807-3077, www.caremar.it) or a slightly faster, pricier hydrofoil (aliscafi, up to 20/day, 20 minutes, run by Gescab, tel. 081-807-1812, www.gescab.it). To visit Capri when it’s least crowded, it’s best to buy your ticket at 8:00 and take the 8:30 hydrofoil (if you miss it, try to depart by 9:45 at the very latest). These early boats can be jammed, but it’s worth it once you reach the island.
From Sorrento to Other Points: Naples (6/day, more in summer, departs roughly every 2 hours starting at 7:20, 35 minutes, www.navlib.it), Positano (mid-April-mid-Oct only, 2-4/day, 35 minutes), Amalfi (mid-April-mid-Oct only, 2-4/day, 1.25 hours).
Getting to Sorrento’s Port: To walk from Sorrento’s Piazza Tasso to Marina Piccola (the port), you have three options: Go down the stairs under the flags near Bar Syrenuse (about 10 minutes); take the slightly longer road (with fewer stairs) that passes by the TI and Foreigners’ Club; or find the Villa Comunale public park (see the self-guided tour, earlier) and take the stairs or elevator (€1) down from there. You also can take a bus: From Piazza Sant’Antonino, catch bus #B or #C (3/hour, €1.20, buy ticket at tobacco shop and specify that you’re going to the porto) or the little private bus (often gray) that leaves from under the flags in Piazza Tasso (3/hour, €1.20, pay driver).
Capri was made famous as the vacation hideaway of Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius. In the 19th century, it was the haunt of Romantic Age aristocrats on their Grand Tour of Europe. Later it was briefly a refuge for Europe’s artsy gay community: Oscar Wilde, D. H. Lawrence, and company hung out here back when being gay could land you in jail...or worse. And these days, the island is a world-class tourist trap, packed with gawky, nametag-wearing visitors searching for the rich and famous—and finding only their prices.
The “Island of Dreams” is a zoo in July and August—overrun with tacky, low-grade group tourism at its worst. At other times of year, though still crowded, it can provide a relaxing and scenic break from the cultural gauntlet of Italy.
This is the best see-everything-in-a-day plan from Naples or Sorrento: Take an early hydrofoil to Capri (from Sorrento, buy ticket at 8:00, boat leaves around 8:30 and arrives around 8:50—smart). Go directly by boat to the Blue Grotto. Instead of taking the boat back, catch a bus from the grotto to Anacapri, which has two or three hours’ worth of sightseeing. In Anacapri, see the town, ride the chairlift to Monte Solaro and back (or hike down), stroll out from the base of the chairlift to Villa San Michele for the view, and eat lunch. Afterward, catch a bus to Capri town, which is worth at least a half-hour. Finally, ride the funicular from Capri town down to the harbor and laze on the free beach or wander the yacht harbor while waiting for your boat.
If you’re heading to Capri specifically to see the Blue Grotto, be sure to check the weather and sea conditions. If the tide is too high or the water too rough, the grotto can be closed. Ask the TI or your hotelier before going.
Efficient travelers can see Capri on the way between destinations: Sail from Sorrento, check your bag at the harbor, see Capri, and take a boat directly from there to Naples (or vice versa).
If you buy a one-way ticket to Capri (there’s no round-trip discount anyway), you’ll have maximum schedule flexibility and can take any convenient hydrofoil or ferry back. (Check times for the last return crossing upon arrival with any TI on Capri, or at www.capritourism.com; the last return trips usually leave between 18:30 and 19:30.) During July and August, however, it’s wise to get a round-trip boat ticket with a late return time (ensuring you a spot on a boat at the time they’re most crowded)—you can always use the ticket to return earlier if you like. Be 20 minutes early for the boat, or you can be bumped.
Starting your day as early as is reasonably possible is key to an enjoyable trip to Capri. Day-trippers come down from as far as Rome, creating a daily rush hour in each direction (arriving between 10:00-11:00, leaving around 17:00). If you arrive before them, the entire trip to and into the Blue Grotto might take just a half-hour; arrive later and you might face as much as a two-hour delay.
For instructions on getting to Capri by boat, check the “Connections” sections of the Sorrento and Naples chapters.
First thing—pronounce it right: Italians say KAH-pree, not kah-PREE like the song or the pants. The island is small—just four miles by two miles—and is separated from the Sorrentine Peninsula by a narrow strait. Home to 13,000 people, there are only two towns to speak of: Capri and Anacapri. The island also has some scant Roman ruins and a few interesting churches and villas. But its chief attraction is its famous Blue Grotto, and its best activity is the chairlift from Anacapri up the island’s Monte Solaro.
Capri’s efficient English-speaking tourist information office has branches in Marina Grande, Capri town, and Anacapri. Their well-organized website has schedules and practical information in English (www.capritourism.com).
The Marina Grande TI is by the Motoscafisti Capri tour boat dock (May-Sept Mon-Sat 9:30-13:30 & 15:30-18:45, Sun 9:30-13:30; Oct-April generally daily 9:30-14:30; pick up free map—or the better €1 map if you’ll be venturing to the outskirts of Capri town or Anacapri, tel. 081-837-0634).
The Capri town TI fills a closet under the bell tower on Piazza Umberto and is less crowded than its sister at the port (Mon-Sat 9:30-13:30 & 15:30-18:45, Sun 9:30-13:30, shorter hours off-season, WC and baggage storage downstairs behind TI, tel. 081-837-0686).
The tiny Anacapri TI is at Via Orlandi 59 (Mon-Sat 9:00-15:00, closed Sun, may be closed Nov-Easter, tel. 081-837-1524).
Approaching Capri: Get oriented on the boat before you dock, as you near the harbor with the island spread out before you. The port is a small community of its own, called Marina Grande, connected by a funicular and buses to the rest of the island. Capri town fills the ridge high above the harbor. The ruins of Emperor Tiberius’ palace, Villa Jovis, cap the peak on the left. To the right, the dramatic “Mamma mia!” road arcs around the highest mountain on the island (Monte Solaro), leading up to Anacapri (the island’s second town, just out of sight). Notice the old zigzag steps below that road. Until 1874, this was the only connection between Capri and Anacapri. (Though it’s quite old, it’s nowhere near as old as its nickname, “The Phoenician Stairway,” implies.) The white house on the ridge above the zigzags is Villa San Michele (where you can go later for a grand view of boats like the one you’re on now).
Arrival at Marina Grande: Upon arrival, get your bearings. Find the base of the funicular railway (signed funicolare) that runs up to Capri town, and stand facing it, with your back to the water.
The fourth little clothing-and-souvenir shop to the right of the funicular provides baggage storage (look inside for left luggage sign on far back wall, €3/bag, daily 9:00-18:00, tel. 081-837-4575). If it’s closed, your best option is at the upper funicular station in Capri town (bag storage near public WCs, €3/bag, daily 7:00-20:00; be aware that you may have to pay extra to take big bags up the funicular).
To your right is a stand of ticket windows with counters for funicular and bus tickets (you can’t buy tickets at the funicular itself) and for return boat tickets to Naples and Sorrento. Just beyond these is the stop for buses to the rest of the island. Across the street is a public WC (€0.50), and a little farther on is Marina Grande’s pebbly public beach.
Two competing companies offer boat trips around the island and to the Blue Grotto: Laser Capri and Motoscafisti Capri. You’ll see Motoscafisti Capri’s dock and ticket shed near the ticket windows; Laser Capri’s office is halfway down the waterfront to the left at Via Cristoforo Colombo 69. Both offer similar services (see “Getting Around Capri,” below).
The TI is near the ticket kiosks, right by the Motoscafisti Capri dock (for TI details, see “Tourist Information,” earlier).
From the port, you can take a boat to the Blue Grotto (my recommended plan) or around the island, the funicular to Capri town, or a bus to various destinations on Capri. If you have energy to burn, you can follow the steep paved footpath that connects the port area with Capri town. It starts a block inland from the ferry dock (follow the signs to Capri centro; allow 30 minutes).
Cheap Tricks: A cheap day trip to Capri is tough. Hydrofoils from Sorrento or Naples cost €17-21 each way, and Blue Grotto tickets (plus boat transportation) come to €26—that’s €60-68 per person. Taking the slightly slower Caremar ferry to Capri instead of the hydrofoil saves about €3-5 per person each way, and using the bus to the Blue Grotto saves about €6 (see “Blue Grotto,” later). After the boats stop running, anyone willing to swim the few yards in from the little dock can see the Blue Grotto for free (albeit illegally).
Best Real Hike: Serious hikers love the peaceful and scenic three-hour Fortress Hike, which takes you entirely away from the tourists. You’ll walk under ruined forts along the rugged coast, from the Blue Grotto to the faro (lighthouse). From there, you can take a bus back to Anacapri (3/hour). The tourist office has a fine map/brochure.
Free Beach: Marina Grande has a free pebbly beach. You can get a shower at the bar for €1.
Local Guides: Friendly Anna Bilardi Leva lives on Capri and is licensed to guide both on the island, and elsewhere around the region (€140/half-day, €200/day, 10 percent discount if you show this book, mobile 339-712-7416, www.capritourinformation.com, annaleva@hotmail.it). Other good options include Giovanna Donadio (see here) and Pina Esposito (here).
By Bus and Funicular: Tickets for the island’s buses and funicular cost €1.80 per ride or €9.60 for an all-day pass (includes deposit—turn it in at the end of the day to get €1 back). Single-ride tickets are available at newsstands, tobacco shops, official ticket offices, or from the driver. All-day passes and funicular tickets are usually sold only at official ticket offices. The all-day pass pays for itself if you take at least five rides on the buses and funicular (possible if you go by bus to the Blue Grotto and spend some time in both towns).
Schedules are clearly posted at all bus stations. Buses from the port to Capri town, and from Capri town to Anacapri, are frequent (4/hour, 10 minutes). The direct bus between the port and Anacapri runs less often (every 30-40 minutes, 25 minutes). From Anacapri, branch bus lines run to the parking lot above the Blue Grotto and to the Faro lighthouse. Buses are teeny (because of the island’s narrow roads) and often packed. At most stops, you’ll see ranks for passengers to line up in. Drivers can push a button to change the bus’s display to completo (full), in which case you just have to wait for the next one.
By Taxi: Taxis have fixed rates (Marina Grande to Capri town-€15; Marina Grande to Anacapri-€20 for 3 people, €2/additional person). You can hire a taxi for about €70 per hour—negotiate.
Scooter Rental: If you are experienced at riding a scooter, this is the perfect way to have the run of the island. (For novice riders, Capri’s steep and narrow roads aren’t a good place to start.) Ciro proudly rents bright-yellow scooters with 50cc engines—strong enough to haul couples. Rental includes a map and instructions with parking tips and other helpful information (€15/hour, €55/day, €5 discount with this book for 2 hours or more in 2015; includes helmet, gas, and insurance; daily April-Oct 9:30-19:00, may open in good weather off-season, look for the Ferrari logo at Via Don Giobbe Ruocco 55, Marina Grande, mobile 338-360-6918, www.capriscooter.com).
Boat Trips Around the Island: Both Laser Capri and Motoscafisti Capri run quick one-hour trips that circle the island, passing stunning cliffs, caves, and views that most miss when they go only to the Blue Grotto (€17; see contact details under “Blue Grotto,” later). With both companies, you can combine the boat trip with a visit to the Blue Grotto at no extra charge (figure another hour). As the trip just to the grotto already costs €13.50, the island circle is well worth the extra €3.50 if you have an hour to spare (boats leave daily from 9:00 until 13:00 or possibly later—whenever Blue Grotto rowboats stop running).
This is a cute but extremely clogged and touristy shopping town. It’s worth a brief visit, including the Giardini Augusto, before moving on to more interesting parts of the island.
The funicular drops you just around the corner from Piazza Umberto, the town’s main square. With your back to the funicular, the bus stop is 50 yards straight ahead down Via Roma. You’ll find the TI under the bell tower on Piazza Umberto (for TI details, see “Tourist Information,” earlier). The footpath to the port starts just behind the TI, near the baggage storage (follow signs to Il Porto, 15-minute walk).
Capri town’s multi-domed Baroque cathedral, which faces the square, is worth a quick look. (Its multicolored marble floor at the altar was scavenged from the Emperor Tiberius’ villa in the 19th century.)
To the left of City Hall (Municipio, lowest corner), a lane leads into the medieval part of town, which has plenty of eateries and is the starting point for the walk to Villa Jovis.
The lane to the left of the cathedral (past Bar Tiberio, under the wide arch) is a fashionable shopping strip that’s justifiably been dubbed “Rodeo Drive” by residents. Walk a few minutes down Rodeo Drive (past Gelateria Buonocore at #35, with its tempting fresh waffle cones) to Quisisana Hotel, the island’s top old-time hotel. From there, head left for fancy shops and villas, and right for gardens and views. Downhill and to the right, a five-minute walk leads to a lovely public garden, Giardini Augusto, with superb views of the back side of the island (€1, April-Oct daily 9:00-19:30, May and early Nov daily 9:00-17:30, shorter hours and free to enter off-season, no picnicking).
Even before becoming emperor, Augustus loved Capri so much that he traded the family-owned Isle of Ischia to the (then-independent) Neapolitans in exchange for making Capri his personal property. Emperor Tiberius spent a decade here, A.D. 26-37. (Some figure he did so in order to escape being assassinated in Rome.)
Emperor Tiberius’ ruined villa, Villa Jovis, is a scenic 45-minute hike from Capri town. You won’t find any statues or mosaics here—just an evocative, ruined complex of terraces clinging to a rocky perch over a sheer drop to the sea...and a lovely view. You can make out a large water reservoir for baths, the foundations of servants’ quarters, and Tiberius’ private apartments (fragments of marble flooring still survive). The ruined lighthouse dates from the Middle Ages.
Cost and Hours: €2, daily 9:00-13:00 except closed Tue from 1st to 15th of each month and closed Sun from the 16th to the end of each month, tel. 081-837-4549.
Three thousand tourists a day spend a couple of hours visiting Capri’s Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra). I did—early (when the light is best), without the frustration of crowds, and with choppy waves nearly making entrance impossible...and it was great.
The actual cave experience isn’t much: a five-minute dinghy ride through a three-foot-high entry hole to reach a 60-yard-long cave, where the sun reflects brilliantly blue on its limestone bottom. But the experience—getting there, getting in, and getting back—is a scenic hoot. You get a fast ride and scant narration on a 30-foot boat partway around the gorgeous island; along the way, you see bird life and dramatic limestone cliffs. You’ll understand why Roman emperors appreciated the invulnerability of the island—it’s surrounded by cliffs, with only one good access point, and therefore easy to defend.
Just outside the grotto, your boat idles as you pile into eight-foot dinghies that hold up to four passengers each. Next, you’ll be taken to a floating ticket counter and asked to pass the €12.50 grotto entry fee over the side. From there, your ruffian rower will elbow his way to the tiny hole, then pull fast and hard on the cable at the low point of the swells to squeeze you into the grotto (keep your head down and hands in the boat). Then your man rows you around, spouting off a few descriptive lines and singing “O Sole Mio.” Depending upon the strength of the sunshine that day, the blue light inside can be brilliant.
The grotto was actually an ancient Roman nymphaeum—a retreat for romantic hanky-panky. Many believe that, in its day, a tunnel led here directly from the palace, and that the grotto experience was enlivened by statues of Poseidon and company, placed half-underwater as if emerging from the sea. It was ancient Romans who smoothed out the entry hole that’s still used to this day.
Sometimes, your boatman will try to extort an extra tip out of you before taking you back outside to your big boat (€1 is enough, but you don’t need to pay a penny...you’ve already paid plenty). If you don’t want to return by boat, ask your boatman to let you off at the little dock, where stairs lead up to a café and the Blue Grotto bus stop.
Cost: The €12.50 entry fee (separate from the €13.50 ride from Marina Grande) includes €8.50 for the rowboat service plus €4 to cover the admission to the grotto itself. Though signs forbid it, some people dive in for free from the little dock next to the grotto entrance after the boats stop running—a magical experience and a favorite among locals.
Timing: When the waves or high tide make entering dangerous, the boats don’t go in—the grotto can close without notice, sending tourists (flush with anticipation) home without a chance to squeeze through the little hole. (If this happens to you, consider the one-hour boat ride around the island offered by both companies.)
If you’re coming from Capri’s port (Marina Grande), allow 1-3 hours for the entire visit, depending on the chaos at the caves. Going with the first trip will get you there at the same time as the boatmen in their dinghies—who hitch a ride behind your boat—resulting in less chaos and a shorter wait at the entry point.
Getting There: You can either take the boat directly from Marina Grande, as most people do, or save money by taking the bus via Anacapri.
By Boat from Marina Grande: Two companies make the boat trip from different parts of Marina Grande—Laser Capri and Motoscafisti Capri (€13.50 round-trip with either company, no one-way discount; Motoscafisti Capri—tel. 081-837-7714, www.motoscafisticapri.com; Laser Capri—tel. 081-837-5208, www.lasercapri.com). The first boats depart Marina Grande at 9:00, and they continue at least until 13:00—or often later, depending on when the rowboats stop running (likely 17:00 in summer, but earlier off-season).
By Bus via Anacapri: If you’re on a budget, you can take the bus from Anacapri to the grotto (rather than a boat from Marina Grande). You’ll save about €6 (assuming you take the direct Marina Grande-Anacapri bus and then change to the Anacapri-Blue Grotto bus), lose time, and see a beautiful, calmer side of the island.
Anacapri-Blue Grotto buses (roughly 3/hour, Nov-March 1-2/hour, 10 minutes) depart only from the Anacapri bus station at Piazza della Pace (not from the bus stop at Piazza Vittoria 200 yards away, which is more popular with tourists). If you’re coming from Marina Grande or Capri town and want to transfer to the Blue Grotto buses, don’t get off when the driver announces “Anacapri.” Instead, ride one more stop to Piazza della Pace. If in doubt, ask the driver or a local.
Getting Back from the Blue Grotto: You can either take the boat back, or ask your boatman to drop you off on the small dock next to the grotto entrance, from where you climb up the stairs to the stop for the bus to Anacapri (if you came by boat, you’ll still have to pay the full €13.50 round-trip boat fare).
Capri’s second town has two or three hours’ worth of interesting sights. Though higher up on the island (“ana” means “upper” in Greek), there are no sea views at street level in the town center.
When visiting Anacapri by bus, note that there are two stops: the bus stop by the cemetery (called Piazza della Pace—pronounced “PAH-chay”—though locals may call it by its former name, Piazza del Cimitero), and the more central Piazza Vittoria stop, 200 yards away, by the base of the chairlift to Monte Solaro. It doesn’t matter which stop you get off at. (But when leaving Anacapri for Capri town or Marina Grande, note that buses can be packed. Your best chance of getting a seat is to catch the bus from Piazza della Pace, one stop before where most people get on—stand at the street corner under the concrete awning.)
Regardless of where you get off, make your way to Via Orlandi, Anacapri’s pedestrianized main street. From Piazza della Pace, reach it via the crosswalk and then the small lane called Via Filietto; from Piazza Vittoria, head to the right of the statue of “Anacapri.” Anacapri’s tiny TI is at Via Orlandi 59 (Mon-Sat 9:00-15:00, closed Sun, may be closed Nov-Easter, tel. 081-837-1524, www.capritourism.com).
To see the town, walk on this street for 10 minutes or so. Signs suggest a quick circuit that links the Casa Rossa, St. Michael’s Church, and peaceful side streets. You’ll also find a number of shops and eateries, including a couple of good choices for quick, inexpensive pizza, panini, and other goodies: Sciué Sciué (same price for informal seating or takeaway, no cover charge, daily April-Oct, closed Nov-March, near the TI at #73, tel. 081-837-2068) and Pizza e Pasta (takeaway only, daily March-Nov, closed Dec-Feb, just before the church at #157, tel. 328-623-8460).
This is the 19th-century mansion of Axel Munthe, Capri’s grand personality, an idealistic Swedish doctor who lived here until 1943 and whose services to the Swedish royal family brought him into contact with high society. At the very least, walk the path from Piazza Victoria past the villa to a superb, free viewpoint over Capri town and Marina Grande. Paying to enter the villa lets you see a few rooms with a well-done but ho-hum exhibit on Munthe, plus a delightful and extensive garden with a chapel, Olivetum (a tiny museum of native birds and bugs), and a view that’s slightly better than the free one outside. A café (also with a view) serves €6 sandwiches. Walking to the villa from Piazza Victoria, you pass the deluxe Capri Palace Hotel—venture in if you can get past the treacherously eye-catching swimming pool windows.
Cost and Hours: €7, May-Sept daily 9:00-18:00, closes earlier Oct-April, last entry 20 minutes before closing, tel. 081-837-1401, www.villasanmichele.eu.
This “Pompeiian-red,” eccentric home, a hodgepodge of architectural styles, is the former residence of John Clay MacKowen, a Louisiana doctor and ex-Confederate officer who moved to Capri in the 1870s and married a local girl. (MacKowen and Axel Munthe loathed each other, and even tried to challenge each other to a duel.) Its small collection of 19th-century paintings of scenes from around the island recalls a time before mass tourism. Don’t miss the second floor, with its four ancient, sea-worn statues, which were recovered from the depths of the Blue Grotto in the 1960s and 1970s.
Cost and Hours: €3; free with ticket stub from Blue Grotto, Villa San Michele, or Monte Solaro chairlift; June-Sept Tue-Sun 10:00-13:30 & 17:30-20:00; April-May Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00; Oct Tue-Sun 10:00-16:00; closed Nov-March and Mon year-round, Via Orlandi 78, tel. 081-838-2193.
This Baroque church in the village center has a remarkable majolica floor showing paradise on earth in a classic 18th-century Neapolitan style. The entire floor is ornately tiled, featuring an angel (with flaming sword) driving Adam and Eve from paradise. The devil is wrapped around the trunk of a beautiful tree. The animals—happily ignoring this momentous event—all have human expressions. For the best view, climb the spiral stairs from the postcard desk. Services are held only during the first two weeks of Advent, when the church is closed to visitors.
Cost and Hours: €2, daily April-Oct 9:00-19:00, Nov and mid-Dec-March 10:00-14:00, closed late Nov-mid Dec, in town center just off Via Orlandi—look for signs for San Michele, tel. 081-837-2396, www.chiesa-san-michele.com.
The lighthouse is a favorite place to enjoy the sunset, with a private beach, pool, small restaurants, and a few fishermen. Reach it by bus from Anacapri (3/hour, departs from Piazza della Pace stop).
From Anacapri, ride the chairlift (seggiovia) to the 1,900-foot summit of Monte Solaro for a commanding view of the Bay of Naples. Work on your tan as you float over hazelnut, walnut, chestnut, apricot, peach, kiwi, and fig trees, past a montage of tourists (mostly from cruise ships; when the grotto is closed—as it often is—they bring passengers here instead). Prospective smoochers should know that the lift seats are all single. As you ascend, consider how Capri’s real estate has been priced out of the locals’ reach. The ride takes 13 minutes each way, and you’ll want at least 30 minutes on top, where there are picnic benches and a café with WCs.
Cost and Hours: €7.50 one-way, €10 round-trip, daily June-Oct 9:30-17:00, last run down at 17:30, closes earlier Nov-May, confirm schedule with TI, departs from top of the steps in Piazza Vittoria—the first Anacapri bus stop, tel. 081-837-1438, www.capriseggiovia.it.
At the Summit: You’ll enjoy the best panorama possible: lush cliffs busy with seagulls enjoying the ideal nesting spot. Find the Faraglioni Rocks—with tour boats squeezing through every few minutes—which are an icon of the island. The pink building nearest the rocks was an American R&R base during World War II. Eisenhower and Churchill met here. On the peak closest to Cape Sorrento, you can see the distant ruins of the Emperor Tiberius’ palace, Villa Jovis. Pipes from the Sorrento Peninsula bring water to Capri (demand for fresh water here long ago exceeded the supply provided by the island’s three natural springs). The Galli Islands mark the Amalfi Coast in the distance. Cross the bar terrace for views of Mount Vesuvius and Naples.
Hiking Down: A highlight for hardy walkers (provided you have strong knees and good shoes) is the 40-minute downhill hike from the top of Monte Solaro, through lush vegetation and ever-changing views, past the 14th-century Chapel of Santa Maria Cetrella (at the trail’s only intersection, it’s a 10-minute detour to the right), and back into Anacapri. The trail starts downstairs, past the WCs (last chance). Down two more flights of stairs, look for the sign to Anacapri e Cetrella—you’re on your way. While the trail is well-established, you’ll encounter plenty of uneven steps, loose rocks, and few signs.
From Capri’s Marina Grande by Boat to: Sorrento (fast ferry: 4/day, 25 minutes; hydrofoil: up to 20/day, 20 minutes), Naples (roughly 2/hour, hydrofoil: 45 minutes; ferries: 60-80 minutes); Positano (mid-April-mid-Oct, 2-4/day, 30-60 minutes; less off-season), Amalfi (mid-April-mid-Oct, 1/day, 1.5 hours). Confirm the schedule carefully at TIs or www.capritourism.com—last boats usually leave between 18:00 and 20:10.