Discover Sorrento in a Weekend

When you visit Sorrento, you will understand why so many famous writers were eager to move here. Though the presence of tourists is highly visible, the city has been pretty successful in keeping the old glare in its villas, gardens and breathtaking views.

A weekend in Sorrento will give you a good opportunity to explore the city and enjoy its best attractions.

Getting the feel of the city

At first sight Sorrento may scare you with its traffic, scooters and tourists everywhere, but don’t be discouraged. The city centre, where the main attractions are located, is partially pedestrianised which makes it pleasant to walk around.

Spending the afternoon on a walk around the city will give you a good feeling of what Sorrento is all about. Lemon and orange trees blossom in the parks and squares, the holiday vibe is in the air and views of the sea, the stunning Island of Capri and Mt. Vesuvio are seen from every terrace in the city.

You can easily discover traces left by the famous writers who lived in Sorrento, like Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen who wrote his most appreciated play Peer Gynt here in Sorrento and returned to Norway as a respected author.

Relax at the beach

If you love the sea and sun you should spend least one day at the beach. Forget about white sand and seashells – the shore here is impressive, rocky and quite wild.

For swimming and sunbathing, the local people have constructed several wooden platforms that lead into the sea, with numerous sun beds and umbrellas as well as changing rooms and restaurants at sea level. The water here is truly amazing: crystal clear and of turquoise colour – and very, very salty!

From the beach you can see the famous island of Capri and the lesser-known Ischia. I would definitely encourage you to take a day trip to Ischia – the cruise itself is entertaining enough but the fact that one of the most beautiful green Italian islands awaits you at the end of it is the best reason to go!

Taste the local specialties

Sorrento is the perfect place to experience particular local products, from its its famous lemons and oranges through exquisite limoncella to the wonderful local ceramics.

Visiting Sorrento around May is the perfect time for fresh lemon and orange tasting. Local producers have small shops all over the place with some of the sweetest oranges in Italy! The lemons are also exquisite: with their thick peel used in baking and in limoncella production.

Lemon groves & Limoncella

The best place to enjoy limoncella tasting is in one of Sorrento’s many lemon groves. There are groves located in the city and even more of them in the suburbs (easily reachable through a guided bus tour). It is very pleasant to look around the grove first, lose yourself in its intense fragrance, listen to the explanation of the production process and taste it at the end.

Shopping in Sorrento

The shops in the city centre are full of products from all over the world but you should focus on the ones made in Italy. It’s easy to find an exclusive bag, leather belt, hat, shoes and endless varieties of Italian food!

Sorrento is also famous for its ceramics. Whether it is a plate, an angel or a door number it has to be decorated with a lemon motif! Ceramics production is popular elsewhere in the area but the lemon designs are mainly from Sorrento.