Sorrento, Italy
 

Just booked for 2 weeks time as something that is likely to not be cancelled last minute...

Anyone been? Ideas/suggestions for things to do will be much appreciated!

Someone else had a post about sorrento recently, some suggestions on that but when we went for a week in 2017 we did a private tour of amalfi coast, boat trip to Capri, caught train to Herculaneum and caught a boat to Positano. The other days we just explored around Sorrento and Sant Agnello where we were based. Would love to return.

We went last year, it's a lovely place.

Recommend the little train that tours the city, ans visits to Pompeii, Positano and Capri

We went on honeymoon 20 years ago! It is a great place, just mooching round the streets and having a Gelato was wonderful in the sunshine.

We visited Pompeii, Herculaneum, Capri, the Amalfi coast and Vesuvius. All tours arranged by the hotel concierge, and all were really good - very interesting and often included a stop for food in the middle of the day. Vesuvius was the highlight for us.

We've been looking at a few tours this afternoon and they all seem quite pricey (or I'm just really stingey!). Did you find them more reasonably priced via your hotel concierge? Did you have to book in advance, or just when you were there?

ETA - I realise things may have changed in the past 20 years!

We went about 10 years ago and just used the local train and buses rather than organized trips-very easy to do .

If you do go to Capri take the chair lift to Ana Capri. Don't decide to get more steps in and drag your family up the steps. Don't think they've forgiven me for that one yet 😂

From Ana Capri you can take a bus or taxi to the Gotta Azzurra - Blue Grotto. Just queue up and pay the boat man.





It is an expensive area of Italy and August is their high season (apologies if I'm saying something you already know). On the bright side you won't have to tip 20% everywhere 😉

Have an amazing time. It's a beautiful coast.

they were pricey back then, so can only imagine the prices now...:omg: but yes it was cheaper through the concierge.

We booked when we were there, some people had booked in advance but that meant they felt they had to do everything they had booked and ended up looking frazzled as it was a hot September, we thought we'd like some rest days...

You can do it all individually though - a train trip to Pompeii for instance - lots of people have said they have done that quite cheaply and easily.

I am envious - I want to go back...:D

Lucky you ...Sorrento is fab ...we've been 5 times
Always find something new to do.

We have visited Pompeii 3 x and would still like to go back such a lot to see there (providing you have an interest of course!)
Quite honestly we preferred some of the lesser known parts of the site which many tourists do not get to see away from the crowds. But obviously if time is limited you must see the main things.

Heraculaneum is great too although much smaller and doable in a day.

Both these sites we did under our own steam by train from Sorrento station ...very cheap and although the area surrounding Herc' is not the best you will find other tourists heading down the hill in the same direction.

For a really great view and decent food,cocktails,coffee,icecream and cake etc in Sorrento town head for the Foreigner's Club.
It also has a genuine Tourist Office in its entrance (not the ones proclaiming themselves to be Tourist offices in the town ...they are basically just travel agents looking to sell you tours).
Here you can get local timetables of trains and ferries etc.
Please ignore the implications of the name though it is not full of "foreigners" i.e us Brits and everyone else who is not Italian ! It does attract a fair share of tourists but I have seen many Italian families eating there too.
A big plus is that it has a free and clean free public toilet ...handy to know as these are as rare as hen's teeth in Sorrento !

We have been in April most times and like to get the ferries over to Positano and Amalfi .
Myself I prefer the ferries to the bus as it is a long and winding route and not ideal for travel sickness suffers . Stunning views though !
Sometimes we get the bus there and ferry back as we cannot face the bus ride in the afternoon heat.
If you go by bus get to the stop by the train station very early as the queue builds up badly.

Loved Postitano to walk around and have lunch such a pretty place.

Have done Capri ...worth a look as how the other half live ...all very expensive

Must have tried every icecream shop in town over the years
Some are very stingy in portions compared to others !
Our best one unfortunately shut so its fun comparing anyway!

Went to Naples purely to see the museum but wouldn't bother for any other reason.

There are some nice and decently priced restaurants at the Marina Grande and the walk down through the old streets is pleasant enough but whatever you do while there avoid "The Five Sister's" restaurant ! Check it out on Tripadvisor . We unfortunately did not and got corralled in by one of the sisters and it was as others have said just terrible and service so rude !
We spoke to someone in a nearby shop about our experience and were told that the rest of the businesses down there consider them an embarrassment !

A handy snack in Sorrento is the Queen's Amsterdam Chip shop for a filling cup of chips . They do chicken nuggets and hot dogs too but have never tried those. Okay I know its not Italian but when you need something quick,hot and filling it's handy to know !

Stayed a few days at The Grand Ambasciatori Sorrento which has a beautiful terrace with view of bay and Vesuvius for lunch and they do allow non resident guests. Found this beautiful hotel when we walked down to the hotel from the Correale di Terranova Museums gardens and had a coffee one year and decided we must stay there on a future visit which we did !

Any questions just PM me :)

Enjoy your planning :thumbs-up

We had a pizza at the five sisters and found them to be very obliging. Asked if we could use their bathroom before ordering and they were extremely nice. Food was lovely too.