Sorrento Favorites

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Favorite thing: Via Fuoro runs through the old town parallel and just a few yards from Corso Italia. They could not be more different. Via Fuoro is lined with little shops selling just about everything and little cafes.

Fondest memory: But keep going along Via Fuoro and you will end up at the far end of town, just where you think the alley cannot possibly get any narrower and there is a little gelateria restaraunt called the old taverna. They make their own gelato in the kitchen and will cook you a pizza or a pasta. They are the nicest people and we kept going back as a result.

Favorite thing: I discovered the Norwegian author, IBSEN ,staid in Sorrento and wrote one of one of his plays here : the Gosts.
He has revoluzionalized the world wide theatre before WWII especially with the play : the doll house.

Fondest memory: The house is Via veneto not far from the harbor.

Favorite thing: Take a walk down to the Grand Marina and sit on the beach in the sun watching the waves. This place is so quaint and peaceful.

Fondest memory: Sorrento is so civalised. The food and service are excellent. The people warm and friendly. We felt safe walking around at night. The views are breathtaking.

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Favorite thing: I’d read in our guide book that you could get a useful free map of the town from the Tourist Information Office in Via L di Maio, which it described as being “just off” the Piazza Tasso. Indeed, this road does lead off the square, at its north west corner, and soon widens into another, smaller square, with what looked like a tourist office on our left. However when we asked in here we were directed further down the road and to our right, where we found the office, also known as the Circolo dei Forestieri. Here we got our free map, and very useful it proved too! We realised later that the first office we’d tried was intended for locals who wanted to be tourists elsewhere, i.e. a sort of travel agency. If you find yourself somewhere that looks like my second photo you too are in the wrong place!

As well as using the map to guide you around the town, there are signs in useful places and a couple of walking trails indicated, including one we followed for part of its length through the craftsmen and artists’ quarter. But really, this is a town best suited to simply strolling and seeing where your footsteps lead you, as there are no obvious sights – though I do recommend that you ensure that at some point they lead you to the water’s edge in the Marina Grande.

Fondest memory: When we did get to the right office I was so taken with this pretty cat sitting on a scooter outside that I forgot to take a photo of it. I hope he's there again when you visit, so you'll know you're in the right place ;)

Favorite thing: The Campania Arte Card is a great way to explore Campania's many attractions and archaeological sites. Here's what you need to know in order to take advantage of this deal:

Anyone can use the full-price Arte Card. The reduced-rate card for those 18-25 can only be purchased by people residing in EU countries or countries with a reciprocal agreement with Italy. This does not include American and Canadian citizens. For childen, it is less expensive to simply pay the reduced children's rate at the site entrance.

The three-day card includes free admission to the first two sites and half price admission to any others, plus transportation. You can travel on the local transportation system (Circumvesuviana train, local busses, one return trip on the Metro del Mare's Line 1 and one trip on the airport bus). The three-day card costs EUR 25 for adults or EUR 18 for those 18-25 (see above).

The seven-day card includes free admission to all the sites for a week, but no transportation. It costs EUR 28 for adults and EUR 21 for those 18-25 (see above). If you're moving to the area, a year-round card is also available.

The card is available for purchase at the entrance to the sites, usually in the bookstore or information center. Once you buy the card, write your name and the date on the back and go to the ticket window, where they will activate your card.

You can enter each site only once using the card. No repeat vists are allowed.

Popular sites include Pompeii, Herculaneum, Paestum and it's museum, and the Naples Archaeological Museum. Included are also a variety of discounts on local services and tourist attractions.

In Sorrento, the card gives you discounted admission to several museums.

Favorite thing: According to the legend, Ulysses came there. He made his companion's hears blocked to avoid they listen to the siren's song and were drowned. But he asked for beeing tied to enjoy the beautiful songs without beeing drowned.
If he was back, he would ask to be tied as well but only to not heared the noise of the traffic.

Fondest memory: The picture was shot Corso Italia, on Piazza Tasso, the main place of Sorrento.
Torquado Tasso is a poet born in Sorrento in 1544. He is the famous man of the city.

Favorite thing: One company runs all excursions in Sorrento, so there is no need to shop around.
We purchased ours from our tour operator, we felt it was safer to do it this way because we were paying by credit card and you hear so many stories about fraud these days.
The cruise along the Amalfi Coast was fantastic. You make two stops, inluding one at Amalfi and you get to see the whole of the coastline without getting travel sick from all the winding roads (providing the sea is calm!)
The island of Capri is beautiful, but see it independantly otherwise you are just hearded around with thousnands of other tourists. You rep will tell you that it is not easy to get around on Capri, however we saw planty of taxis as well as a tram that takes you from the port to the chic town of Capri.
Don't bother doing the day trip to Rome. It takes much longer by coach than they tell you and there is not much time to spare when you get there. Rome is so beautiful that you are better off doing a separate trip there. We managed to get EasyJet flights there for fifty pounds each.
The volcano and Pompeii excursion is fantastic, although toilet facitiies are not the best!
A full day at Pompeii is too much unless you are interested in history and ancient ruins in a big way. Half a day is ideal becuase there are many interesting things to see. It can also get very hot because the sun reflects off the stones on the floor.
We did not travel to Naples, but there is a train station in Sorrento where you can purchase tickets which are much cheaper than going by organised excursion, but watch out for pick pockets and people on the make at the train station in Naples.

Favorite thing: The town of Sorrento is set high up on the clifftop, the beaches are all at the bottom of the cliffs, so when you go to the beaches it involves a lot of steep walking! There is a lift but it costs 5 euro per person!