Romantic Sorrento

Hi everyone, I'd like to share with you the romantic week I spent on the Sorrento Coast with my other half. After a disastrous journey we finally reached our destination in our little car. Driving along the provincial road that leads to Sorrento, after a series of hairpin bends, the enchanting Gulf of Sorrento bursts forth in all its beauty. Punta Scutolo, for anyone travelling along the S.S. 145 towards Sorrento, is the moment of revelation: on this rocky spur, in fact, having just left behind the last houses of Seiano, you reach the highest point of the route and, almost like a mountain pass, an incredible scene opens before your eyes — one that has made princes, poets, writers and tourists from all over the world dream.

From here, in fact, you begin to descend towards the plateau while admiring the coast without interruption, thanks to this route that follows the natural ridge sheer above the sea of Meta. Sorrento appears suddenly, after the curves of Punta Scutolo, the road that leads from Naples to the coast — beautiful and dramatic, with its coast plunging into the sea and its breathtaking view. Suspended as it is between the blue of the sky and the blue of the sea. Legend tells that in its waters lived the mythical Sirens who tempted Ulysses with a melodious song, and then in despair turned into rocks — the present-day islets of the Galli. The start of the holiday was thrilling; we immediately left behind the prejudices and worries that had gripped us during the journey.

After a romantic evening spent on the splendid terrace of the holiday home, during which we also planned the excursions for the following days, and a welcome, restoring sleep, the next morning we plunged into the life of the Sorrento Peninsula. We discovered glimpses of unspoilt nature, strolling along characteristic little lanes that suddenly open sheer above a splendid turquoise sea. I remember the little lane leading to Punta Campanella, from which you admire Capri, practically within reach, but also the scents and colours of the wild Mediterranean scrub, together with those of the wonderful sea below in shades of azure and turquoise. Getting off the usual tourist trails, we took advantage of some very characteristic little restaurants, which even now, at the mere thought, make my mouth water abundantly. Mmm the mozzarella, the tomatoes, the oil, the lemons, the limoncello....

The town of Sorrento is delightful; narrow lanes following the original Roman urban layout teem from early morning with tourists in search of original inlaid-wood souvenirs, a bottle of limoncello to take home, or just a view to photograph. There are countless bars and restaurants, offering services for every pocket, though I'd suggest choosing one not in the centre and a little less of the 'all-inclusive tourist menu' kind. There are some very interesting ones for the palate and not too hard on the wallet. Sorrento also has another great advantage: it is splendidly placed for excursions to Capri, Ischia, Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Vesuvius, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. They can all be reached by public transport in under an hour. We chose to take our wonderful excursions to Capri, Naples, Pompeii, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello.

They all deserve more than a hit-and-run visit like the one we had to make. In particular CAPRI stayed in our hearts, with its Faraglioni and the Grotta Azzurra, and that atmosphere suspended between the aristocratic and the snobbish that cloaks the Piazzetta. The Amalfi Coast too, rightly also called the Coast of the Gods, offers even the most distracted visitor natural views that give you goosebumps, for the beauty and harmony of the places. An unforgettable week among natural beauties and art treasures, forgotten scents and unforgettable flavours...

what more could you want from life? As I said, we went there by car, then left it in the parking lot of the house, and from there we moved by bus (Circumvesuviana and Sita to tour the Sorrento Peninsula and go to the Amalfi Coast), hydrofoil (Alilauro, to go to Capri) and train (Circumvesuviana, to go to Pompeii and Naples), all really very convenient and frequent. Then, chatting with some residents, we discovered that the holidays in Sorrento are beautiful. Easter in Sorrento has always had a special charm, whether for the religious processions and their mystical atmosphere, or because Easter in Sorrento always represents the period of the first warm days and the first boom of tourists who begin to crowd the squares and streets from Good Friday until Easter Monday. The rites of Holy Week on the Sorrento Peninsula are particularly evocative.

It starts on Palm Sunday, with olive branches decorated with little caciocavallo cheeses of fiordilatte and palms made of sugared almonds, then, during the week, you witness the poignant representations of the Passion of Christ, and finally, on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, it closes with the Sepulchres and the very famous Processions, where in every town of the Sorrento Peninsula hundreds of people renew a centuries-old tradition, parading through the streets of the coast, hooded in penitential robes, amid an unreal silence. The dishes of the Easter culinary tradition are then delicious, such as pastiera, casatiello and baked pasta. The climate is usually pleasant; even if not for swimming, a walk by the sea is certainly possible. The calendar planned to enliven the Christmas holidays in the capital of the Sorrento Peninsula is extremely rich in events and initiatives.

Christmas and New Year in Sorrento always have a special charm. Warm lighting and colourful decorations give the city an almost unusual look, yet the atmosphere is one of those that foretell very evocative Christmas festivities. Meanwhile, just as Sorrento shows off its Christmas look, work is in full swing to bring to life a myriad of initiatives capable of making every day spent on the Sorrento Peninsula unforgettable. A very rich calendar of events offers an embarrassment of choice. Every day at least one event deserves to be followed or experienced. It is clear that the highlight will concern the days of Christmas, New Year's Eve and, even more so, New Year's Day, but there is no shortage of ideas to consider — continuously — until the day of Epiphany. Such as, for example, visiting the many wonderful nativity scenes scattered in every corner of Sorrento.

Set up according to the best traditions of Neapolitan nativity art, they can be seen just about everywhere: in the main churches, as well as at the Sedil Dominova and even in some shop windows. The nativity scenes of Sorrento offer a truly ecstatic spectacle. Rich as they are with more or less unique pieces, evocative depictions and more or less antique shepherd figures, nearly all of them deserve to be seen. We were favourably impressed by the welcome and the livability of the places we visited, probably also because we didn't go in August; in fact we found efficient services, hospitable people and more than welcoming accommodation at reasonable prices. As for the lodgings, we practically discovered them on the internet; on the site there is a private owner who rents out a splendid house set among the typical Sorrento citrus groves, with a garden and exclusive sun terrace. Wow.

Ask us for information, advice and suggestions about the Sorrento Peninsula — by now we're real experts. We'll be glad to answer you and let you enjoy a fantastic stay