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Boutique hotels in Sorrento

Holidays in Sorrento, Italy

Sorrento Overview

Italy

Coastline
Pastel-painted Amalfi
Coast life
Sailors and sirens

The Ancients believed that mariners were lured to the islands and towering cliffs of the Amalfi Coast by the songs of the Sirens, mythical temptresses who gave their name to the seductive town of Sorrento.

The orange and lemon groves, ancient vineyards and perfect climate prove no less irresistible today. Even the sumptuous villas that clamber up the vertiginous mountainsides in pastel ranks of peach, pink and primrose seem to be jostling to get the perfect view of the Bay of Naples and the brooding volcano of Vesuvius. With an elegant palazzo or piazza at every turn, the town bewitches all comers, and the tiny beaches and family-run restaurants are deservedly bustling in summer.

Suitably Sorrento

Massa Lubrense, at the tip of the Sorrentine peninsula, is an area of hamlets, lemon groves and unrivalled sea views. The groves are criss-crossed by mule paths and marked footpaths – fantastic in spring when the lemon and orange blossom is in bloom.

Local knowledge

Taxis
Expensive, but most sights in Sorrento are walkable. If you can’t do without a driver, call 081 878 2204.

Tipping culture
Although restaurant bills include a service charge, an additional ten per cent tip is customary.

Siesta and Fiesta
Increasingly, there is a trend towards more flexible opening hours. Roughly: Monday to Saturday 09h–13h and 17h–22h, with many shops closing on Saturday afternoons and Monday mornings.

Packing tips
Some comfortable shoes for Pompeii and the climb up and down the steep steps to the beach.

Recommended reads
The Last Days of Pompeii by Edgar Bulwer-Lytton; The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith.

Cuisine
Fish and crustaceans are the Sorrentine starlets. Specialities include lobster cooked with tomatoes, octopus casserole and sautéed shrimp. Main ingredients include sweet extra-virgin olive oil, tomatoes, fior di latte mozzarella (which, in Sorrento, is plaited), and herbs.

Currency
Euro.

Dialling codes
Country code for Italy: 39. Sorrento: 081.

Do go/don't go
Massa Lubrense, at the tip of the Sorrentine peninsula, is an area of hamlets, lemon groves and unrivalled sea views. The groves are criss-crossed by mule paths and marked footpaths – fantastic in spring when the lemon and orange blossom are in bloom.