The ancient city of Sorrento sits high on a cliffside about an hour outside Naples. Not only does the town make the perfect base to explore the Amalfi Coast and nearby islands, there are so many things to do in Sorrento itself.
With premiere views, beaches, history, shops and of course, local limoncello, Sorrento offers all the elements of a summer vacation in Italy. In this post, I’m sharing the top things to do in Sorrento, where to stay and all the details on how to get there.
*This article was first posted in 2019 and updated in 2023. This post also contains affiliate links, which means I might make a commission at no cost to you to help run this site. Thank you for your support!*
Where to Stay in Sorrento
I have a whole post dedicated to where to stay in Sorrento with options for luxury stays, boutique hotels, B&Bs and rural hideaways. For now, these are my top choices:
Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria or Bellevue Syrene for 5-star luxury, amenities and hotel restaurants in the middle of town.
Maison la Minervetta for stylish rooms and a gorgeous terrace with views of Marina Grande.
Surriento Suites for a lovely B&B with ocean views. Book a stay there for easy access to the ferries and a memorable complimentary breakfast.
Things to do in Sorrento, Italy:
1. Go to the Beach
Italy’s beaches are usually divided into private and public areas. One of the things that makes Sorrento so unique is the beach clubs and lidos on sundecks built out onto the water. There’s a charge to use the lounge chairs, sun beds and umbrellas at private lidos.
It can be anywhere from €10-25 depending on location and amenities. If I’m going to be spending hours at the beach, I prefer to pay a little extra for a nice sun bed, a bathroom, and bar service (because let’s face it, you’re going to want a spritz).
The public portion of the beach is free, but space is limited. Depending on when you are visiting Sorrento, these areas can get uncomfortably crowded.
2. Stroll the Narrow Alleys
Between the Cathedral of Sorrento and the ocean, there’s a pedestrian-only labyrinth of alleyways. In some parts, the buildings are so close that you can barely see a sliver of blue skies above. This area is dense with guesthouses, apartments, gelaterias, restaurants and souvenir shops.
3. Visit Marina Grande
Marina Grande is one of the more charming parts of Sorrento and definitely one of the things you can’t miss. The marina is filled with seafood restaurants, smaller lidos and fishing boats.
4. Enjoy the Views
Since Sorrento sits right on the cliffside it’s got more than a few quality look out points.
Directly above the main beach area, you’ll find Villa Comunale Park (you can climb stairs or pay to take the Sorrento Lift). There’s endless views of the Gulf of Naples, Vesuvius and scenes of the lidos below.
5. Walk through a Lemon Grove
I Giardini di Cataldo is an orchard that’s been producing citrus since the 19th century. In the middle of the lemon grove, they have a shop where you can taste their limoncello, gelato and marmalades. I first strolled through here around Christmas. It seemed like all of Sorrento was in hibernation, but this orchard was alive with fruit.
6. Take a Day Trip
Sorrento has the feel of a small fisherman’s village with all the transportation options of a large city. By taking a boat, train or car, it’s easy to get to Pompeii, Positano, Capri and Ischia.
Book a small boat tour to Capri or book a full day in Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius.
7. Have a Spritz in Piazza Tasso
Bar Erolano and Fauno Bar are two spots located right in the main piazza. I love the corner location of Bar Erolano. Take a seat, get a limoncello spritz and watch all the action in this lively piazza.
8. See Vallone dei Mulini di Sorrento
If you don’t know to look down, you could walk right by this old mill. The valley right behind Piazza Tasso was formed over 35,000 years ago during a large earthquake. The mill itself served the area for hundreds of years by harnessing the power from the streams. In the late 1800s, urban planning and blocked access to the sea caused the mill to close.
Book a walking tour to see this and other hidden gems you might miss otherwise.
9. Go Shopping
The whole Amalfi Coast is known for lemons and limoncello, but Sorrento in particular. You can find lemon themed anything: limoncello, lemon candies, lemon chocolates, lemon granita, lemon spritz, tablecloths with embroidered lemons, ceramic lemons, lemon wine stoppers… you get the point. You’ll also find shops selling leather goods, sandals and kitschy souvenirs.
10. Have a Long Lunch
There are many wonderful restaurants in Sorrento serving regional specialties like spaghetti alla vongole. I prefer somewhere in Marina Grande along the oceanfront for the best views.
No meal (or day) is complete in Sorrento without gelato. Gelateria Davide, Raki, Gelateria Primavera, Puro. They’re all good.
How to get to Sorrento
Sorrento is one of the easiest towns along the coast to reach. With a train station, bus routes and a ferry port, Sorrento makes a great base to explore the Amalfi Coast.
If you’re arriving by plane into Capodichino Naples airport, you can take a shuttle straight to the Sorrento train station. I used the Curreri Viaggi shuttle once, about €10 one way. You can also hire a private or shuttle transfer from the Naples Airport.
You can also reach Sorrento by ferry. Direct routes run to Sorrento from Naples, Capri, Positano, Ischia and Procida (some only operate in high season). Alilauro, Caremar and NLG are the major ferry companies. You can check the schedule and prices online. I’ve always purchased my ticket at the gate before boarding, but you can book ahead as well.
One of the most popular ways to get to Sorrento is by the Circumvesuviana train. The route starts at the lower level of the Garibaldi train station in downtown Naples. Rickety, covered in graffiti and pickpocketer central, the Circumvesuviana is not exactly a luxury train experience. It’s often hot and crowded, but it’s just a few euro and leaves frequently. After about 26 stops, you’ll arrive in Sorrento!
Did you think to yourself, “Ugh.. no, thank you…” after each of those descriptions? You can most certainly hire a private driver. Direct car hires are very convenient and really save time. You could always rent a scooter and park in right in here with the rest of them….
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I love, love, live Sorrento and the Amalfi coast. We stayed at the Hotel Antiche Mura, right next to the old mill on one side and the inlaid wood store on the other. I would move there if I could.
Ciao Kristi,
I know exactly the spot. That hotel looks like a real find! Thanks for the tip!
I love sorrento and hope to return soon. The beauty of the hotel Grand capodimente and the friendliness of the lads of Chaplins Irish bar and not forgetting the beautiful cuisine in the town restaurants.
I hope to return as well. Sorrento has so many lovely hotels, bars and restaurants. Thanks for the hotel and bar recommendations!
My wife andI are of to Sorrento in June 2020 this will be our tenth time and still love coming here.
10th time? Wow! You probably know all the gems!
I LOVE Sorrento, but after reading this I’m itching to go back, beautiful!
I’ve been 5 or 6 times and could still go back! It’s so beautiful!
I visited Sorrento just for one day on a recent trip to Italy but I missed the lemon grove! Gotta go back this summer, I’ll never get tired of Italy!
I understand 100%. I could never get tired of it!
Have you tried the creamy “cellos”? Crema di Limoncello is fantastic, but in my opinion, it’s the Crema di Meloncello that is the absolute stand-out. I’d go back to Sorrento just to buy another bottle!
Absolutely! I love meloncello!