Things To Do in Sorrento
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Sorrento Attractions
How does that old song, “Come Back to Sorrento,” go? “Vir 'o mare quant’è bello” . . . or, “See the sea how beautiful it is.” You’ll be humming a few bars, because the sea, the scented gardens, and sun-drenched vistas that have been luring visitors to this cliff top town for millennia really are beautiful. Monuments are few and far between, but views from center of town Piazza Tasso or a trek down to Marina Grande, a fisherman’s port, show off the town’s irrepressible appeal. Besides, Sorrento provides easy access to such fabled places as Capri, Positano, Amalfi, and the ruins at Pompeii and is usually thronged with happy holidaymakers, providing pleasant company. When the happy hordes get to be too much, find refuge in the 14th-century atmosphere of Chiesa di San Francesco, Via San Francesco ((tel) 081-8781269), a delightful spot where flowering vines climb over delicate arches. The cloister is open daily 9am to 6pm, and admission is free.
The tourist office is at Via de Maio 35 (www.sorrentotourism.com; (tel) 081-8074033), off Piazza Tasso. It’s open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4:15pm; in summer it’s also open on Saturday mornings.
Sorrento Shopping
Via San Cesareo is Sorrento's main shopping street. Specialty shopping includes the bounty from local farms and groves -- lemons and lemon products, walnuts, D.O.P. olive oil, and Penisola Sorrentina D.O.C. wine (some experts call it "the Beaujolais of Campania") -- and the slowly disappearing local crafts: lace and embroideries, and wood intarsia and marquetry furniture.
For fresh ricotta formed in traditional handmade baskets and a sample of local products, head to one of Apreda's two locations: Via Tasso 27 (tel. 081-8782351) or Via del Mare 20 (tel. 081-8074059). You can find excellent limoncello and other specialties at Sapori & Colori, Via San Cesareo 57 (tel. 081-8784278) and Luigia Gargiulo, Corso Italia 48 (tel. 081-8781081), sells lovely, intricate embroideries. Gargiulo & Jannuzzi, Piazza Tasso 1 (tel. 081-8781041), is right next to Bar Fauno and offers the best wood intarsia; you can visit the workshops for a demonstration of this ancient technique that follows centuries-old patterns. At the weekly street market, vendors sell everything from crockery to swimming suits (Tues morning, parking lot on Via San Renato).
Sorrento Nightlife
The narrow streets of Sorrento's centro storico are alive with cafes, clubs, and restaurants, which become positively crowded during the sweet nights of summer. Locals and visitors alike enjoy the lively terrace of the Fauno Bar, Piazza Tasso 13 (tel. 081-8781135; www.faunobar.it), for an aperitivo (aperitif) and people-watching till late into the evening. Other popular venues for pre- and postdinner drinks are, of course, the romantic terraces of the many historic hotels.
Spring and summer are a special time in Sorrento, as music festivals and other musical programs are staged in venues throughout town. Some of the most popular are the concerts at the Grand Hotel Cocumella, Via Cocumella 7, Sant'Agnello (tel. 081-8782933; www.cocumella.com), and those in the cloister of San Francesco, Piazza Francesco Saverio Gargiulo. Contact the tourist office for a schedule of events, including those staged at many restaurants and taverns in town.
For dancing and more lively entertainment for a more mature clientele (40s and up), head to Piazza Tasso and the nightclub Fauno Notte Club (tel. 081-8781021; www.faunonotte.it; cover 25€). It also offers a colorful Tarantella Show, the frenetic traditional folk dance, between stretches of DJ music (Mar-Oct; daily 9-11pm).
Sorrento Musical is a revue of Neapolitan songs hosted by Teatro Tasso, Piazza Sant'Antonino (tel. 081-8075525; www.teatrotasso.com; tickets about 25€ depending on show; 50€ including dinner). Live music (a changing menu of pop, folk, jazz, and so on) can also be heard at Circolo dei Forestieri, Via Luigi de Maio 35 (tel. 081-8773263; closed Nov-Feb).
For more leisurely entertainment (a la drinks with some background music), we love the laid-back atmosphere at Chantecler, Via Santa Maria della Pietà 38 (tel. 081-8075868; www.chanteclers.com); there's some dancing on weekends, and always some food. Other choices are Chaplin's Video Pub, Corso Italia 18 (tel. 081-8072551), and the English Inn, Corso Italia 55 (tel. 081-8074357); located across from each other, both stock a good selection of beers and maintain a lively atmosphere -- sometimes even too lively on summer weekends. Depending on the season, the crowd can be a mix of nationalities.
