Complete Guide to Visit Sorrento Italy

North of the Amalfi Coast is the lesser-known Sorrento town. In my opinion, Sorrento is worth visiting and actually better than Positano & Amalfi because it’s quieter, larger, and much less crowded.

The best time to visit Sorrento is the end of September and Early October when the weather is still warm, but you are not shoving past six thousand tourists up a ferociously hot hill.

Sorrento itself is a peninsula jetting out towards the deep teal Tyrrhenian sea. The main town is located on the Northern end, with perfect views of the bay and Mt. Vesuvius, a dormant volcano, in the distance.

Where to Stay

Hotels are typically found in the downtown area where you can easily walk to food, drinks, and souvenir shops. Most AirBnbs are further away in the hills.

We chose to stay at Santa Fortuna Camping, which sounds ghetto but actually has clean, newly renovated cabins. We chose it because there is a shuttle bus service for two Euros to/from town.

Road in Sorrento with a “sidewalk” on the left

Getting Around

The most convenient option is a car or scooter rental. However, the roads are narrow, steep, and winding (see above). I wouldn’t recommend if you’re claustrophobic.

Taxi drivers are hard to flag down, but you can always save someone’s number and reuse their service. There are also local buses that go in/out of town and to other major cities like Positano and Amalfi.

Day trips

It’s super easy to visit Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello from Sorrento. Whether you drive, catch the local bus, or pay for a tour by land or sea.

Mt. Vesuvius is a short drive away too. Tours will drive you to the very top of the volcano, you just walk out and enjoy the view. Pompeii, the ancient city frozen in time by the volcano, is even closer. Most day trips include both.

Capri

One of the most popular day trips is to the small island of Capri just one hour away. The island has two little towns, stunning hilltop views, underwater caves, and jagged rock structures just off the coast. You can stay overnight if you want, but keep in mind it is more expensive than all the other places.

Capo di Sorrento

This short hike is a ten minute drive from town and just off the main road. You can go swimming but the water is a bit choppy. Go early if you want to beat the crowds. Or, go in the afternoon to watch the sun set into the sea.

After we left the Amalfi Coast we headed to Sicily to do a Road Trip across the island.