We looked forward to our trip to southern Italy for more than 9 months. After reading many books, booking hotels, drivers, trains, and bus routes, we were ready to relax. And the sweet little town of Sorrento in Southern Italy is the perfect place.
We flew into Rome and took the train to Naples and then to Sorrento. It’s not the luxury fast euro rail, but we were never worried or afraid. In fact, there were many teenagers aboard heading home from school at that time of day. We arrived at the train station and found an information booth. The woman was extremely friendly and helpful in finding our way to the hotel. We considered a taxi, but I’m glad we decided to walk. It wasn’t that hot out. We didn’t bring too much luggage, and we enjoyed seeing this town as we strolled to our hotel.
A great place to stay in Sorrento
It was November when we traveled to Sorrento, and it was not that busy. We had a hard time finding a hotel that was open during the time we were there. Many of them shut down for the month before reopening for a holiday. I did find an amazing place to stay, built on a cliff overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Bay of Naples, and Mount Vesuvius. I would highly recommend the Imperial Hotel Tramontano and suggest that you pay a little extra to have a room that overlooks the sea.
We could see the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius from our room, and it was even spectacular at night. We slept with the windows open and could hear the crash of the waves as they rolled in over the rocks below. The staff of the hotel was amazing and helpful. They arranged dinner reservations and mapped out what we should see while in Sorrento. The Imperial Hotel Tramontano has one of the best breakfasts we have had in Italy and comes with the room’s price.
Where to eat in Sorrento
Our first night in Sorrento in Southern Italy, we ate at L’Antica Trattoria . We had an amazing meal and great local wine and a violin player that roamed the restaurant stopping to play at our table. The waiters recommended a few items from the menu. I’m glad we decided to try many of them as they were flavorful and amazing.
We had time to wander the streets that first day. There’s a square in the center and small narrow streets with shops selling wine, which we picked up for our room. We met friendly local people and found a wonderful Cathedral as we rounded a street corner. Just off of the square, near the bridge, be sure to look over the railing to see the ruins of a mill far below. It was also a place where women would go to wash their clothes. We just happened to stumble upon it and would never have known it was there.
Hire a driver to explore the Amalfi Coast
The next day, we decided to hire a driver and explore the Amalfi coast’s coastline and small towns. Rick Steve’s books are really helpful, so we called a taxi/tour driver that he had listed in one of his most recent books. If you decide to hire a driver, this man I would highly recommend instead of renting a car. We had the chance to ride, visit, learn about the area’s history, and he took us to wonderful places to eat. His name is Raffaele Monetti, and you can reach him by visiting the Web site, monettitaxi17.it, He speaks English well, is a wonderful person, and by the end of the long day, we were sad to part ways. It’s a family-run business. I love helping smaller businesses when I can.
We only could spend a few days here, next time we will stay longer and explore more of this wonderful seaside town.
Photo 1: The Cathedral of San Filippo and San Giacomo was built in the early 15th century.
Photo 2: Abandoned flour mill, sawmill, and public washhouse in the Valley of the Mill. It remained a working mill until the 20th century when it was abandoned for good.
Photo 3: A typical street in the city of Sorrento, Italy.
Photo 4: A view towards Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano.
