Sorrento is famous for the bounty of its inland farms and groves: Lemons, walnuts, olive oil, and wine are staples. The local olive oil is special enough to have deserved a D.O.P. label: Penisola Sorrentina D.O.P.; it has an intense and fruity flavor with a sharp, almost peppery aftertaste. The wine has also earned a D.O.C. label, the Penisola Sorrentina, both red and white, called by some experts "the Beaujolais of Campania." And, of course, the cheese, a specialty of these mountains, is top-notch; nowhere more so than at Apreda, which has two locations: Via Tasso 6 (tel. 081-8782351) and Via del Mare 20 (tel. 081-8074059), where you can still get fresh ricotta made in traditional handmade baskets.
Until recent times, craft-making was a popular art form here; sadly, though, it is slowly disappearing. Still, Sorrento has a strong tradition in lace and embroideries, and visitors can continue to buy lovely, intricate examples at Luigia Gargiulo (Corso Italia 48; tel. 081-8781081). Another of the town's traditional crafts is wood intarsia and marquetry furniture. Gargiulo & Jannuzzi (Piazza Tasso 1; tel. 081-8781041) has excelled in these crafts since the 19th century; today, you can visit the workshops to see demonstrations of this ancient technique following century-old patterns.
