Sorrento might be Positano’s stylish little sister but she sure makes an excellent base for exploring the Amalfi Coast tourist hotspot. In this Ultimate Sorrento travel guide you’ll find the best things to do, places to stay and where to eat in Sorrento, Italy. Everything you need to plan an unforgettable Sorrento trip this year complete with ice cream in a lemon and a heart shaped pizza with sauces replicating the Italian flag.
If you’re new to my travel and food blog “Hi!” I’m Bec, @BoopFoodie – certified Type A travel planner and lover of all things travel and food. I share detailed travel guides from my personal travels to help you plan exciting (and tasty) trips. I’m known for finding the best food spots and places to eat on my travels and I’m excited to share my travel tips with you.
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Mini Sorrento Travel Guide
If you’re in a hurry here’s my mini Sorrento travel guide – everything you need to quickly plan a perfect visit to this beautiful part of Italy.
- Stay: Best luxury Sorrento hotel: Book Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria and Best budget Sorrento hotel: Book Hotel Sorrento City
- Eat: You have to join the line at La Cantinaccia del Popolo and try the gnocchi alla Sorrentina
- Day trip: Book this small group boat trip to Capri island
How to get to Sorrento, Italy
Sorrento is located just above the famous Amalfi Coast area South of Naples. You’re probably going to fly into a nearby airport if you’re not already in Italy. We arrived in Rome airport and travelled by train to Naples where we hopped on a local train to Sorrento. I had heard horror stories about the public transport and getting to Sorrento but it was absolutely fine.
Top Travel Tip: Taxis are very expensive in this area of Italy. We were quoted about €200 for a taxi from our Sorrento hotel to the airport and instead hopped on an early morning bus at a fraction of the price.
Things to know about travelling to Sorrento
Where to stay in Sorrento
Most of the hotels in Sorrento are a little away from the coast, up quite a steep incline! See my top travel tip under these hotel recommendations to make sure you’re not caught having to walk up/down the hill in the intense Sorrento heat. There are plenty of hotel options in the Sorrento town centre or old town too.
Luxury hotel recommendations in Sorrento
Grand hotel la Pace – Book Grand Hotel la Pace, Sorrento for my personal recommendation and the luxury Sorrento hotel we stayed at during our trip. The hotel is absolutely stunning with breathtaking spaces and beautiful rooms. We had a room with a private terrace and full use of the rooftop swimming pool, where I also enjoyed a perfectly cooked pizza. The breakfast buffet is exceptional and this hotel offers a complimentary shuttle bus to sorrento main town.
Other luxury hotels in Sorrento
- Book Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria for the most luxurious hotel in Sorrento. You might even spot some celebrities staying at this 5 star hotel too!
- Book Bellevue Syrene Hotel in Sorrento for panoramic views and a famous terrace restaurant serving high quality local cuisine.
- Book Parco dei Principi Hotel in Sorrento for access to the hotels private beach and beautiful clifftop location.
Foodie hotel recommendations in Sorrento
- If you want to dine on Sorrento’s most iconic terrace book Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, you can also dine in the on-site orange grove or one of their other restaurants. Truly a luxurious foodie stay!
- For a spectacular sunset dining experience stay at Hotel Mediterraneo in Sorrento and book a dinner reservation at the on-site panoramic restaurant Vesuvio
Quirky hotel recommendations in Sorrento
- Book Palazzo Marziale Hotel in Sorrento for a unique hotel set in a restored 15th-century building
- Book Sorrento Dream hotel if you want to combine your Sorrento holiday with a relaxing spa break
- Book Palazzo Jannuzzi Relais for a bright hotel aesthetic in a central location
Budget hotel recommendations in Sorrento
- Book Hotel Sorrento City for a modern hotel with convenient city location in the main square of Sorrento
- Hotel Rivoli Sorrento is another 3 star hotel located in Sorrento’s historical centre
- Book Hotel Nice for another conveniently located city hotel, this time with a private sun terrace
Top Travel Tip: Check with your hotel if they offer a shuttle coach to the main Sorrento town before reserving your hotel. This was an absolute lifesaver during our time in Sorrento as our hotel had a shuttle bus that ran back and forth to the town. In the intense Sorrento sun you don’t want to be trekking up that hill!
Things to do in Sorrento and beyond
Sorrento is a great base to explore the Amalfi Coast and do lots of day trip experiences but don’t sleep on the activities in the heart of Sorrento before looking further afield.
Best activities in Sorrento
- Beach bars: Sorrento beach bars are unique in that it’s a beach built into the rocks/cliffs so the beach bars are essentially built on a pier. They have beautiful sun loungers and even sun loungers in the sea!
- Guided Walking Tour & Limoncello Tasting: Booking the Guided Walking Tour & Limoncello Tasting in Sorrento is the best way to explore the town
- Take a cooking class with locals: Book a pizza making class in Sorrento to learn more about Italian cooking
- Sunset cruise: The sunset in Sorrento is not to be missed and in my opinion the best way to see is it is on a sunset cruise with drink on board
- Kayak tour: If water sports are your preferred way to explore on your travels check out this Guided Kayak Tour with Paddleboarding
- Wine tasting: Learn about the wine production of Southern Italy and taste it for yourself on a 5 wine tastings experience in Sorrento
Best day trips from Sorrento
- Pompeii: One of the most interesting day trips form Sorrento is a visit to the famous archaeological site Pompeii. Book this half day trip form Sorrento to Pompeii for a guided tour.
- Mount Vesuvius: I wish we also did the Mount Vesuvius tour from Sorrento to climb the rim of the famous crater. Book this tour from Sorrento to Mount Vesuvius which includes lunch and a tour of a winery!
Some tours let you combine a visit to Pompeii with Mount Vesuvius which is a great way to see both locations in the same day.
- Explore the Amalfi Coast: You can’t visit Sorrento without exploring the famous Amalfi Coast and scenic Positano. This boat tour from Sorrento includes stops in both Amalfi Coast and Positano.
- Visit Capri: My favourite activity that we did in Sorrento was definitely booking this small group boat trip to Capri island. You can find the lemon sorbet in a lemon on Capri!
Places to eat in Sorrento, Italy and what to order
You’ve probably seen that viral Amalfi Coast cooking class on social media, if cooking classes are your thing on holidays there are lots of options in Sorrento (at a fraction of the price!).
Food and drink activities in Sorrento
- Pizza Lesson, Wine, and Limoncello at a Local Farm
- Farm Tour with Cheese Tasting & Pizza Making Class
- 5 wine tastings experience in Sorrento
- Winery Tour, Tasting & Lunch
- Guided Olive Mill Visit with Tastings
- Food and Wine Tour with Local Guide
Italian food is my idea of heaven and there are so many incredible restaurants to dine at in Sorrento. You won’t be disappointed!
Best restaurants to eat at in Sorrento
- O’Parruchiano la Favorita: Supposedly where cannelloni was invented and possibly more well known nowadays as the restaurant where you can dine in a lemon garden! Booking is essential and when we visited we could only make a reservation over the phone.
- Ristorante Zi’ntonio: If you like football there are plenty of murals in this Italian restaurant to keep you occupied or you could explore the extravagant wine cellars. We opted for a fantastic courgette and prawn pasta served in a Parmesan bowl.
- La Cantinaccia del Popolo: Get here well before opening or expect to queue, don’t worry though as they provide wine and cheese complimentary while you wait! I had the best gnocchi alla Sorrentina at this Sorrento restaurant.
- Frankie’s Pizza Bar: Don’t miss the heart-shaped pizza at Frankie’s pizza bar in Sorrento with flavours of the Italian flag!
- Officina 82: For a quirky Italian restaurant don’t miss Officina 82, we loved the Italian tapas cooked by the owner’s mother!
Thank you for reading my Sorrento Travel Guide, I hope it inspires your Italy travels and food adventures. Don’t forget to follow my @BoopFoodie social media accounts for more food and travel recommendations.
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