Sorrento is one of my favorite places in Italy. The town of Sorrento is located in southwestern Italy- just across the Bay of Naples from the city of Naples. It is a convenient location for day trips and excursions to Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, and the Isle of Capri.

Sorrento itself is a charming town. If you stay near the center of town, the area is fairly flat, and it is easy to walk and explore. This makes it a good destination for anyone with mobility challenges. There are parks and benches scattered along the streets where you can stop for a rest as you are exploring. Other than a couple of main roads that go through the center of town, the streets are narrow, pedestrian friendly lanes that are lined with local family-owned shops and restaurants.

The people of Sorrento are very friendly and welcoming. Most of the shops are family owned and many make their own products. They are happy to demonstrate their products and how they are made. We visited shops where they were making their own limoncello and learned about the process for making it. The bonus is that you will often be offered a taste of their products.

Sorrento is also known for their inlaid wood products. You will find many shops with beautiful inlaid wood designs on everything from furniture to music boxes. One evening we stumbled upon a very small shop where Antonio was making jewelry with inlaid wood. He took the time to explain and demonstrate the process to us and I purchased a few pieces of his artwork.

There are many good restaurants in Sorrento ranging from elegant cuisine to local pizza and pasta. Most restaurants in the historic center of town have small indoor seating areas as well as tables placed along the sides of the narrow streets. We prefer sitting at the outside tables and watching the pedestrian traffic. The architecture of the old buildings combined with the bustling crowds, street musicians, and aromas of cooking provide the perfect ambiance for an evening out.

Our Favorite place to stay in Sorrento is the Hotel Continental. It is located on the Piazza Della Vittoria and has a rooftop restaurant and bar with views over the Bay of Naples. The rooftop bar is a great place for an aperitivo before dinner and/or an after-dinner drink. Sitting on one of the comfortable sofas with a limoncello spritz and enjoying the view over the water is the perfect end to the day. It is an easy walk to nearby shops and restaurants from the hotel, which is very appealing to us.

The concierge at the hotel is very helpful arranging tours and transportation. Many of the tours will pick you up at the hotel. We did a van tour of the Amalfi coast, a small boat tour to Capri, and a local tram tour with olive oil and limoncello tasting.

If you are interested in enjoying some beach time, the hotel has a lift that goes directly from the lobby and delivers you to a tunnel that leads through the cliffs to Leonelli’s beach club. Leonelli’s beach is a colorful sight with red and yellow striped changing huts, blue and white striped umbrellas, and blue sun loungers. For a small fee you can rent sun loungers and an umbrella for the day. You can set up on the pebbly beach or on the pier that hangs out over the water and surrounds the swimming area. There is a restaurant and snack bar on the pier with fresh seafood. The water is unbelievably clear and is warm enough to be comfortable. Spending the day sunning on the pier and swimming in the Bay of Naples was a highlight of our trip.

Getting to Sorrento: There are no direct flights or high-speed trains to Sorrento. The easiest way is to transfer through Naples. You can fly into Naples or take the high-speed train to Naples from another city in Italy, such as Rome or Florence. Once you get to Naples you have different options to get to Sorrento. If you are arriving in Naples by train, there is a commuter rail service that leaves from Naples and travels to Sorrento. This is the most cost-efficient way to get to Sorrento, but it is also the least comfortable. The commuter train is crowded and may be standing room only. There is a local express train that caters to tourists, but we did not find it to be any more comfortable than the commuter train. It takes about an hour by train to make this trip. You can also travel by ferry or by bus from Naples to Sorrento. I have not tried either of these options so I can’t comment on them. On our last trip we arranged through our hotel to have a driver pick us up in Naples and transport us by private car to Sorrento. It was more expensive, but this was a splurge that was worth the money. Our driver met us at the airport and carried our bags to the car. He pointed out the local sites during our 1.5-hour drive and was very informative. It was like having a private tour as well as a transport.

However you choose to arrive in Sorrento, make sure that you spend enough time there to enjoy everything this area has to offer.