Sorrento Coast Top 10

If a great part of the most known writers of the XX century like Goethe, Dickens, Nietzsche and D’Annunzio, chose Sorrento as destination for their holidays or to spent there part of the year, there must be a reason: this town owns all that nature can offers: green hills filled of scented flowers near a stupendous sea. Sorrento is the pearl of the Sorrento Coast. The Vesuvius seems to protect and to watch over its calm and beauty. The centro storico with its workshops and its monuments: The Cathedral, the Basilica of San Francesco and the Sedile Dominova. The fulcrum of Sorrento is Piazza Tasso, dedicated to the writer who was born in this area. Not very far from the place there’s the villa comunale, often subject of the picture postcard, from witch you can admire a breathtaking view.

An old legend tells that Massa Lubrense was the town where the mermaids that charmed Ulysses with their sweet singing lived, that’s why its first name was Sirenusion. Massa Lubrense has a geographical situation that influenced its development in the history: the proximity of the sea on one side helped the development of the town from the other side made this town exposed to the incursions of the enemies. That’s why Massa Lubrense has on its coast a series of sighting towers that are still there and has a very particular charm. When the streets, the bar and the houses of Massa Lubrense become red coloured at the sunset give a look to the sea, maybe you’ll see a beautiful girl vanishing into the water, because in this city real and fantasy are often mixed together.

The name of this town comes from its particular geographical position, it boasts a wonderful view on the Gulf of Naples on one side and on the other side a spectacular view on the Gulf of Salerno (the name of the town translated is: “Sant’Agata on two gulfs”). The name comes also from the little church of Sant’Agata (a Saint original of Catania, in Sicily). The particular catholic vocation of this town is evident in two places, both deserving a visit: the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which is still the centre of all the social and cultural activities of the town, and the Monastery, built on the hill called “Deserto”, easy to reach by feet from the centre of the town, which offers a wonderful view. In Sant’Agata you can have a walk in the streets of the town, among the shop windows and the seaside, and when you’ll be tired of walking you can sit in a restaurant and taste the “caprese salad” (a salad made with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella) prepared with the typical and delicious tomatoes produced in this zone (tomatoes of Sant’Agata). Talking about food we suggest you a stop in the famous restaurant Don Alfonso, known above all for its high cuisine and for the beauty of the restaurant too: indeed the restaurant has antique furniture, chandeliers made of Murano glass, hand-painted majolicas and, of course, delicious dishes. It will make you fully live the beautiful atmospheres of the Sorrento Coast. Just one tip: if you want to eat at Don Alfonso’s is better to reserve a table, the biggest part of tourist who come to Sant’Agata want to taste his famous cuisine. So we suggest you to call before go.

The bends that characterized the Sorrento Coast seems to take a pause in Vico Equense, where they are more sweet and less stressing. In the past Vico Equense was the point were Romans, Greeks and Italics populations had commercial exchanges. The centro storico maintains its appearances of medieval village. Walking through the streets of Vico Equense means to walk into history, in an open museum, where you could notice the historical evolution of the town. In the very centre of the city you can admire the Church of Annunziata, the unique example of Gothic architecture in all the Sorrento Coast, and moving a little from there you can visit the Mountain Faito a peak of the Lattai’s chain. If you leave the centre you’ll have a walk among the casali (rustic farmhouses), they are organized as little towns and each one has its Saint Patron… During the week-end Vico Equense is full of people coming from the surroundings, the reason of such crowd of people is the restaurant “da Giggino”, famous for its pizza sold by the metre.

Punta Campanella is so beautiful and uncontaminated that in 1997 has been declared protected area, in order to preserve its characteristics. The name Punta Campanella (Literally: “Little bell point”) comes from an ancient structure that can be found on the top of the highest area of the territory, a tower which served as alarm when the enemies boats were sighted. The best way to discover all Punta Campanella is to have a walk in it. It is better if you do it when the sunset come and the air is fresher. Took the street that from Nerano goes to Marina del Cantone: in front of you’ll suddenly see the islands of “Li galli” and the Cantone beach. Walking through the macchia mediterranea you’ll find on one side the view of Punta Campanella, on the other side Punta Penna and at the centre the view of Capri with its Faraglioni. But this isn’t the only way to arrive in Punta Campanella: you can start from Termini and walk through the Monte San Costanzo. Before you arrive to the tower of Punta Campanella and to the lighthouse, you’ll pass through paths completely immersed into the nature and if you continue walking you’ll see the Leranto Bay, a paradise beach with crystalline water. After 40 minutes of walking maybe you’ll be a little tired but, we’re sure, you’ll forget your tiredness it when you reach the old temple dedicated to Athena-Minerva that has a surprising beauty.

Marina di Equa also known as Marina di Seiano, it’s a pretty fishing village. The tower of Capo Rivo in the past protected the town from the enemies, nowadays it keeps watching over the little seaport. Nearby the port there’s a stones beach known as “spiaggia delle calcare” that deserve to be visited for its particular structure. But the very protagonist of the village is Sant’Antonio Church, that can be found in the principal square, every 13th June (in the Catholic calendar this is the day dedicated to this Saint) all the fishermen bring the statue of Sant Antonio in the sea and they made a procession on the boats. Marina di Equa is the ideal destination for people who love the sea and tranquillity and for the people who love good food too: There’s a lot of little restaurants where you can eat seafood and pizza.

The Sorrento Coast is full of tourist facilities so you can choose where to sleep: Hotels, rent a room and B&B are always ready to host you in every period of the year. In summertime prices are very expensive so we suggest you to reserve in advance or to take a last minute. It’s even better, if you can, to change period and program a visit in Spring when the climate is warm, the prices cheaper and the Coast isn’t crowded as in Summer. In Sorrento, the most chosen destination, the prices in the one to three stars hotels can be from 60 € to 140 €, while in a five-stars hotels can arrive to 345 € a night. The less known Massa Lubrense is cheaper, a three-stars hotel can cost you 90 € and a four-stars 240 €. Sant’Agata sui due golfi is affordable too with rooms that go from 70 € to 240 € a night. If you prefer to choose a B&B the prices are even cheaper (everywhere), the prices are from 44 € to 140 €.

The ingredients in this zone are very simple and genuine, that’s the strong point of the Sorrento Coast food. Basil, mozzarella, oil and tomatoes give life to delicious recipes as: gnocchi alla sorrentina or cannelloni ripieni but also second courses simple and fresh as caprese: little fresh pieces of tomatoes with mozzarella slices dripping milk (even better if its made with the fior di latte of Agerola). At this point who cares of etiquette? Put away the good manners and try the “scarpetta” (in Italy is the habit to dip slices of bread in the sauce remained in the plate) with the tasty home-made bread. If you have a sweet tooth you can taste the babà, the bigné or the sciù the three filled with lemon cream. Or if you prefer mellow pastry you can taste the Delizia al limone (sponge cake filled with lemon flavoured cream and whipped cream). After all this delights maybe you’ll feel a little full to bursting point, so you can have a limoncello (lemon liqueur) or a nocillo (nut liqueur), that make you digest.

You’ll feel like a child in a candy shop looking at all the shops and the workshops you can find here. But try to give yourself a limit because the prices are not exactly cheap. The objects, the dresses and the handicraft has an excellent quality but they are expensive.
In Sorrento you can have a walk in Corso Italia where you can find a lot of big names shop and fashion shop that sells unique “pieces”, the alley near the seafront are full of beautiful workshops where you can buy souvenirs. But all the town of the Coast are full of workshops and bazaars where you can find a lot of particular and typical things. If you don’t want to buy objects as souvenirs you can give a look to the gastronomical shops where you find all kinds of citrus fruits, above all, lemons but tangerines too, wines and liquors. While you are having shopping don’t forget to taste the home made ice cream that in this part of the Campania is delicious and will help you to stand the heat.

The narrow alleys of the towns of the Sorrento Coast are full of clubs, cafés and restaurants especially in summer nights. Tourists and city dwellers loves to go to the Fauno to have an aperitif, it is in Piazza Tasso in Sorrento and has a beautiful terrace. A beautiful terrace too has got the very known hotel Circolo dei Forestieri. Summer and spring are the moments when is possible to have more fun on the Coast thanks to the numerous festivals and cultural initiatives that take place in all the towns. Do not miss the Festival that takes place in the San Francesco cloister. The restaurants often offer live music to their guest. But if you prefer the disco you can choose between the Fauno Notte Club or the Matilda Club. People who prefer the folk music must not miss the Sorrento Musical hosted by the Tasso Theatre which propose a season of Neapolitan music.