In Greek mythology, Sorrento was home to the sirens, who lured passing sailors onto the rocks with their beautiful songs. And it still pulls in the visitors today – though now it’s the panoramic views, sunshine, fantastic food and laid-back atmosphere that do the luring. When I first visited Sorrento a few years back, I fell in love and couldn’t wait to go back, and I’m not alone. It’s one of the most popular holiday spot on the Neapolitan Riviera, so you can’t exactly call it an undiscovered gem. But although Sorrento might be a bit touristy in spots, you can’t help being charmed by this coastal town. So here are my favourite things to do in Sorrento.
Read more: Eight of the best day trips from Sorrento
The best things to do in Sorrento, Italy

Boats in the harbour
Wander the backstreets
Sorrento’s centro storico (historic centre) is a maze of narrow streets which run back from the cliffside – they’re supposedly pedestrianised but don’t be surprised if you see someone trying to squeeze a car down there. These medieval alleyways twist and turn past trattorias, bars and shops, so throw away the map, take a walk and see what you can discover in the town’s backstreets – whether it’s a hidden church, flower-filled garden or fantastic gelateria.
As well as the usual tourist shops there’s also an artisan district in Sorrento where you can buy local crafts from workshops which make lace, leather or intarsia – a special type of inlaid wood carvings. To find out more about the wood-carving and see some impressive examples, visit the Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea in an 18th century palazzo.

Pastel colours in Marina Grande
Take a dip in the bay
With its steep cliffs, Sorrento doesn’t have a beach as such, but along the waterfront there are piers jutting out into the sea where you can swim or sunbathe in summer. Most are owned by hotels or restaurants so you might have to buy a drink or hire a deckchair to bag a prime spot. But there are a few patches of sand in between where you can dip your feet in the Bay of Naples.
Otherwise if you walk around the headland you’ll find a sandier stretch of beach in the quieter bay at pretty Marina Grande. It’s a picturesque spot with a fishing harbour lined with pastel-coloured houses and waterfront restaurants. To get down to Sorrento’s seafront there’s a road down to the harbour from Piazza Tasso, and if you don’t fancy the climb back up then there’s a lift cut into the rocks to carry you back up to the top for €1.

Piers jutting out into the sea
Catch a Sorrento sunset
Sorrento’s cliffside setting is one of its biggest charms, and watching sunset is one of the best things to do in Sorrento. When the sun goes down, the bustle of Sorrentine life stops as people gather along the cliffs to watch the sky start to turn red and the sun dip into the sea. Head to the Villa Communale Park for the best views in Sorrento, looking across the bay towards Vesuvius. There’s often a busker there to provide musical accompaniment as well as a small café.
Or if you prefer sunset with a glass of prosecco, head to the swanky Bellevue Sirene hotel. The hotel is built on the remains of a Roman villa and its five-star rooms will set you back €450. But non-guests can stop by for a taste of luxury on a budget with drinks in their terrace bar.

Sorrento sunset
Feast on local produce
Food and drink are an important part of life in Sorrento. The volcanic soil in this part of Italy produces tasty produce like olives, tomatoes, peaches, cherries and oranges. These are used in delicious simple dishes like caprese salad with ripe tomatoes, basil and buffalo mozzarella, wafer-thin pizzas, spaghetti vongole with clams, and Delizia al Limone – cream-covered lemon cakes.
Some of my favourite places to eat in Sorrento were L’Antica Trattoria for a sophisticated take on local specialities, Inn Bufalito for fantastic mozzarella dishes and Cafè Latino for its great wine list and candlelit garden of lemon and orange trees. And don’t forget ice cream – there are gelateria scattered across town or you can learn to make your own gelato at Gelateria Davide.

Views and bubbly
Sip a limoncello
Lemons are big business in Sorrento. They grow in pots or gardens wherever there’s space as well as in huge netted orchards on the outskirts. There’s even a local variety of giant lemons which are the size of a grapefruit. Thes lemons are made into soaps and bath oils, but their most famous use is in limoncello liqueur, whose bright yellow bottles fill the shops in Sorrento.
Limoncello is made by soaking lemon peel in alcohol. It’s usually served chilled as a digestif after dinner, and at about 32% alcohol it has a bit of a kick. If the real deal is a bit strong for you, you can also find a gentler limoncello-flavoured gelato to give you the taste without the alcohol.

Sorrento’s giant lemons
Take a day trip
The Bay of Naples has so much to see, and Sorrento’s prime location right in the middle of it all make it a great place to get out and explore the region on day trips. To the north there are the archaeological sites at the buried Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, or you can climb up to the crater of Mount Vesuvius – the volcano which destroyed them.
To the east is the spectacular Amalfi Coast, with its dramatic cliff-hugging coast road. Though the driving here’s pretty scary so it’s a good idea to take a tour or catch the ferry from Sorrento to Amalfi or Positano if you’re not confident on the roads. You can also head across the across the bay to the glamorous islands of Capri and Ischia. Or you could even charter a boat to explore some of the hidden coves that are nestled beneath Sorrento’s cliffs.

Looking out towards Mount Vesuvius
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36 Comments
Suzanne Jones
November 17, 2014 at 11:13 pmThis area is one of my favourite places and you’ve got some excellent recommendations here. Ristorante Tasso on Piazza Tasso is a good restaurant as is Delfino down in Marina Grande.
Lucy
November 18, 2014 at 9:23 amIt’s such a lovely spot, I could happily keep going back! Thanks for the recommendations, a couple to check out when I do get back there again.
Debra Kolkka
November 18, 2014 at 4:53 amI love Sorrento. I lived nearby many years ago and my son was born in Sorrento hospital. I have been back many times and I never get tired of it.
Lucy
November 18, 2014 at 9:25 amWhat a fantastic place to live! I can so see why you would never get tired of spending time there.
DiningTraveler
November 18, 2014 at 9:21 pmLooks just stunning. I was in Napoli for work a few years ago but didn’t have the chance to wander around the region. Your pictures are gorgeous.
Lucy
November 20, 2014 at 11:50 amThank you! There’s so much to see around this region that you could easily spend a few weeks there (I’ve still got a long wishlist of places still to see).
Sandra @ Tripper
November 18, 2014 at 9:26 pmBeautiful post! And not just for the pictures 🙂 Italy is always in my heart and is on my slow travel bucket list for sure.
Lucy
November 20, 2014 at 11:51 amThank you – there is definitely something about Italy that keeps drawing me back too!
Alli C. - Snacks Sneakers Suitcases
November 19, 2014 at 8:52 pmThis makes me miss Italy! Gorgeous gorgeous photos.
Lucy
November 20, 2014 at 11:54 amThanks, I’m already planning next year’s Italian trip, I don’t seem to be able to stay away!
katefrankiebrennan
November 19, 2014 at 9:38 pmSorrento is absolutely beautiful. Your photos along the cliffs really take me back. My italian friends got married in a church up there and had a wedding feast I will never forget. It was the most delicious food. Part of my heart belongs in Italy 🙂 thanks for sharing this great post
Lucy
November 20, 2014 at 11:55 amWhat a fantastic place for a wedding! Must have been so romantic (not to mention the great food!).
Packing my Suitcase
November 20, 2014 at 7:38 amBEAUTIFUl!! I love your photos… and the tips too! I would for sure have a limoncello gelato, its simply my favorite! I would love to visit Sorrento sometime!!
Lucy
November 20, 2014 at 11:56 amYou can’t beat a gelato! I really want to do the gelato making course if I make it back there again (and fingers crossed I will!).
Packing my Suitcase
November 21, 2014 at 1:03 pmhaha true!!!
What a great idea, it would be awesome to have homemade gelato whenever you want 😀
I hope you go back there soon!!
shere @shereypaul
November 20, 2014 at 3:24 pmGreat pictures! I love the different blue tones in them. Sorrento is definitely in our bucket list, I’m thinking about a limoncello in a hot evening 🙂
Lucy
November 23, 2014 at 4:27 pmThere are so many shades of blue! It’s a beautiful patch of coastline (and the limoncello is fab!).
Vlad
November 21, 2014 at 1:37 pmBefore I read that you can easily take a day trip to Pompeii, I was thinking “oh, what a beautiful place, I should visit it one day”, but now I’m thinking “okay, when do I go?”. Awesome pictures as always, Lucy 😀
Lucy
November 23, 2014 at 4:28 pmIt’s a great base to explore so many fantastic sights in a small area – and a pretty fab town in its own right!
mysuitcasediary
November 24, 2014 at 8:24 amLove Italy, this one of the most beautiful coast !
Lucy
November 25, 2014 at 10:37 amIt really is, so many beautiful spots in such a small area!
Saana
November 24, 2014 at 9:02 pmLovely photos! I’ve recently started my own Italy-based travel blog, maybe you want to check it out? 🙂
Lucy
November 25, 2014 at 10:37 amThanks for visiting – and best of luck with your new site.
valeriav
February 27, 2015 at 3:09 pmTruly beautiful! Love how your photos caught all the different shade of blue. Makes me want to visit really soon!
Lucy
February 27, 2015 at 5:12 pmThanks so much, Sorrento is one of my favourite places, just love the views and all the gorgeous colours!
Candice
May 10, 2017 at 1:24 amLove this post! I’m heading to Europe this summer and this is so helpful!!
Lucy
May 12, 2017 at 5:40 pmThat’s great – hope you have an amazing time!
Tina
May 30, 2017 at 2:54 pmGreat article! My boyfriend is from Sorrento (we now live in Canada) so we go back yearly. This is very accurate and fully captures the essence of Sorrento!
Lucy
May 31, 2017 at 10:11 pmThat’s great to hear, it’s one of my favourite places in Italy!
joannasheth
August 6, 2017 at 2:54 amHello Lucy! We are heading to the Amalfi Coast during the first week of October. Are you able to tell me what the weather was like in October? Does it get cold?
Thank you!
Joanna
Lucy
August 7, 2017 at 10:11 amHi Joanna, we were there in mid October last time I visited and the temps were still around 20 degrees in the daytime, though the evenings were a bit cooler and we did have one cloudy day with a bit of rain.
Emily
September 11, 2018 at 2:06 amGreat post! My husband and I are heading there for our 10 year anniversary the first week of October!!!
Lucy
September 11, 2018 at 8:11 amHave a fantastic time!
Andrea Batchler
September 16, 2018 at 11:35 pmAny recommendations for eating lunch in Sorrento having Celiac Disease?
Angel
January 3, 2019 at 10:36 amYou share some great tips regarding Sorrento, but regarding great beaches not far from the centre you must go to bagni maria giovanna which is a fantastic gem and also try to go to Nerano.
Lucy
January 7, 2019 at 9:16 pmThanks for the tip!