Coats Quests

My dear friend introduced me to the wonder of Sorrento in April of 2022 and it has not ceased to delight me every time I visit. It is situated on the north side of the Sorrentine peninsula and is famed for its lemons, like the Amalfi coast on the southern side of the same peninsula. You don’t need too much of a plan to spend an enjoyable day there, but there are some hidden gems that should make it to the top of your list.

First of all, you must make reservations at L’Antica Trattoria 1930 and once there enjoy the star of Sorrento, their Tagliolini Antica Trattoria, a creamy lemon and shrimp pasta dish served in an actual Sorrentine lemon. It’s delectable. I recommend planning your whole trip around getting this dish at this place. You’ll be greeted with welcome Prosecco and a small aperitivo, and usually they will also include a cream puff for dessert. Once, we visited in the winter and I was cold. The waiter brought me a warm water bottle to hold while at the table and I have been their loyal patron thence forward.

After lunch, head over to The Foreigner’s Club for coffee and enjoy the most beautiful view of Sorrento imaginable.

Enjoy wandering through the streets shopping. Pick up some treats at Nino and Friends, purchase leather goods at L’Artigianon Sorrentino, and then sample Limoncello at Sapori e Colori Sorrento.

A few kilometers outside of the shopping area is the Bagni Regina Giovanna, or the Queen Giovanna’s Baths, a Roman ruins turned stunning swimming area enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. We park here and walk down, but you can also take a city bus or taxi. I understand that you can enter the swimming area in kayaks, but we haven’t done that. (Honestly the kayaks kind of crowd the swimming area in my opinion.) It is a very rocky area with few places to sit, which won’t matter much if you’re enjoying the cove by jumping off the cliffs. It would be difficult for people with limited mobility or strollers.

What my kids liked: Cliff jumping. Gelato. Granita.

How to get there: I have driven to Sorrento every time I’ve gone except once. We have always parked at the Parcheggio Tasso. On Google Maps, it says permanently closed, but it is not. I’ve always been able to find a parking spot in this garage, and it is extremely close to the shopping area. (For fun, use the bathroom in the parking garage. It gets completely hosed down with an electric washing mechanism after every use. Worth the .50 Euro it costs to use it!)

I have also trained from Napoli Centrale on the L1 line. It’s a train, but is actually more like a metro. You might stand, it might be crowded, you might have musicians come on and serenade you about halfway through. (This is the same train that takes you to Pompeii from Napoli.) It takes about an hour and fifteen minutes from Napoli, and the train leaves every thirty minutes or so, departing from Piazza Garibaldi. This is much cheaper than private transfer or driving, but can take a while, especially if you get to the platform just after the train leaves.

When to visit: It’s soooooo very crowded in the summer. Last time I went there were TWO cruise ships in port, which made shopping less enjoyable, but L’Antica Trattoria was still a delight. Spring is positively magical with everything bloom, but honestly, Sorrento is always a good idea.