A week itinerary in beautiful Sorrento, Italy

Discover how you can get the most out of your trip to Sorrento. This was our favorite trip to Italy. We loved our hotel and all the adventures we went on.

We celebrated our 25th anniversary in Sorrento in June of 2023. John Paul welcomed us to Sorrento at the airport and transported us to the Grand Hotel Due Golfi. This hotel sits above the city of Sorrento on the hillside. It has a stunning view, an infinity pool and 3 amazing hotel receptionists.

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Once settled, we took the shuttle to Sorrento to explore and have dinner. We had an average tasting dinner under the lemon trees at the O’Parruchiano Restaurante. I would not recommend this place. It is just for tourists.

Day 1

Our first day in the lovely Sorrento was spent exploring its city. The free hotel shuttle took us down and dropped us off on a street. The first place we headed to was the Marina Grande. From here you can look up at the city into the country side. The view was very beautiful, in an Italian way!

Strolling along the street shops we saw many shops filled with ceramics, European linens, and limoncello. Our lunch was pizza and l’aqua con gasse. L’aqua con gasses is called mineral water in the States.

After walking around a little more, we headed back to our hotel. My impression of what I saw was very touristy. Which is probably why the Cruise chips dock here.

Day 2

Venturing outside of Sorrento was our focus for day two. We had to return to Sorrento to catch the train to Pompeii. While in Sorrento, we found this old abandoned mill in the middle of the town. It was well below street level. I thought it would have been out in the country in an over grown area. Which what I thought it was there based on pictures I had seen. A great example of the amazing juxtaposition of ancient and modern in Italy.

Pompeii

Our train ride to Pompeii was a breeze. When we arrived, we headed to the ticket office to get tickets. We bought the guided tour tickets.

We were happy in picking this option as the tour was very helpful. Without it, we would have roamed the city with no idea of what we were looking at.

the guided tour

Our first stop was the Amphitheatre, which features two distinct theaters. Concerts are still held regularly in the large theater, continuing its vibrant tradition. In contrast, the smaller theater, known as the Odeon, boasts beautiful marble flooring, adding to its charm.

Our next stop on the tour was the large field called the Palaestra. This is where the gladiators used to train. Next to this large field is a long building with doors. This is where the Gladiators slept.

The land to the shoreline increased when Mount Vesuvius erupted a long time ago. Before the eruption, Pompeii used to be 500 meters from the sea. Now Pompeii’s main gate is many miles from the sea.

In the picture below you can see Mount Vesuvius loom in the distance beyond the Government buildings in ruins.

Our overall impression of Pompeii was not good. It was a place that looked the same where ever you looked. It is a large city and it mostly looks the same except a few places. I don’t feel the need to go back.

If you decide to go do some research about the place. I also recommend a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and water. There is no shade!

back in sorrento

Once we got off the train back in Sorrento, we visited an old quaint cloister. We walked to the top floor and found a photo exhibit with music boxes. There was also a place to sit on their patio to enjoy the view of the sea.

For our dinner this evening we picked up food from a supermarket and ate on the balcony of our hotel. What a gorgeous view to have dinner!

Day 3

We began our day three is beautiful Sorrento by walking to Sant’ Agata sui Due Golfi also called Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie. The church looked amazing as we walked in. It was beautifully decorated with flowers. We found a seat and realized we there an hour early. This was fortunate as the church was filling up quickly for the First Communion Mass.

After church, my husband went to a scooter store and rented a scooter. Once we had packed everything for the beach we took off from the hotel on the rented scooter. The drive was quite fun as we drove on the switch back roads down to the Marina del Cantone for a swim.

marina del cantone

To my surprise, Marina del Cantone is a pebbled beach. I wasn’t sure how everyone there was so happy and pleasant. I found the pebble beach very uncomfortable to walk on. The pebbles were very hot, too. Which made it difficult to walk in bare feet into the water. I ended up wearing my flip flops into the water.

If you decide to go to a pebble beach, keep these things in mind. Be better prepared than I was if you go. You will need a towel, a sturdy pair of beach shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and snacks.

Snacks, you ask yourself? Yes, it’s important to remember that restaurants close down in the mid afternoon. We didn’t have any snacks and we were hungry!

As we struggled in the water and on the pebble beach, we decided to take a little hike. There is a path to the left of the beach. Our little hike was so picturesque!

the best dinner

We were starving when we returned to the hotel. We walk up to the reception desk and asked for a place to eat dinner. Our receptionist suggested the farm next door for dinner. She gave us the name of the restaurant and the directions of how to get there. We found the walk, thought to be short, much longer. It was about a mile long. The restaurant, Agriturismo Le Grotelle, was empty when we arrived around 6:00 pm. Italians eat much later.

Amazingly, the waiter, recognized us from Mass that morning. When we had finished our conversation about the First Communion Mass, he told us our dinner options. As we waited for our meal we wondered about the price of the meal we had ordered as we saw no menu. Before our meal, the waiter kept bringing us food to try. Everything was delicious. After wine and the many courses, to our surprise, the price for dinner was very cheap.

We walked back to our hotel talking about what an amazing restaurant that was. I would recommend it to anyone who visits Sorrento.

Day 4

Hiking the Path of the Gods was on our day four. I had discovered this beautiful hike when I was researching back home. The Path of the Gods is a famous hiking trail on the Amalfi Coast. It is known for its stunning views and landscape. We purposely packed our hiking clothes shoes and walking stick knowing we would go on this hike.

our amazing receptionist

Once again our receptionists who came to the rescue. When we mentioned we wanted to go on this hike to our receptionist, she suggested a private tour. She explained that the private tour included, being picked up outside the hotel, driven to Positano and to the Sentiero degli dei or the Path of the Gods, led on the trail with some history and then brought back to the hotel.

This IS the way to hike the Path of the Gods!!!! The cost for the private tour was worth avoiding all of the hassle and uncertainty that laid before us. By taking the private tour we avoided the shuttles, late buses, crowded buses, unpredictable bus schedules, and getting lost. The beautiful hike would have been downplayed by all the hassle it took to get there and back on buses.

photos from the Path of the gods

If you want to walk one of the most beautiful hikes in the world, take a private tour.

We spent our afternoon by the infinity pool of our hotel. A nice peaceful reward after our morning hike.

Day 5

“Don’t do it!” says every blog about taking a scooter along the Amalfi Coast. Notoriously known as one of the most beautiful and most dangerous drives in the world.

We did!

My husband has been driving a scooter State side for over 10 years. Even with that, he was little leery of driving on the Amalfi Coast road. It wasn’t until we were driven to Positano did he gain confidence.

He decided we would leave early in the morning to avoid any crazy traffic. We found the roads pretty much empty as we travelled from city to city. We made it all the way to Ravello. This day was our favorite day of the trip.

Amalfi city

In Amalfi City, we visited the medieval Cathedral di Sant’Andrea or Duomo di Amalfi. You will find St. Andrew’s relics in the crypt below the main floor of the church.. The designdetail in St. Andrew’s crypt was over whelming.

One thing to know before doing this drive is to understand where you can park. We didn’t so we parked and hoped for the best.

ravello

The picturesque Ravello was our last stop on the Amalfi Coast. The city sits up on a mountain top. We were able to visited the stunning gardens at the Villa Ruffle. As we walked around the Villa we heard classical music. It is here where they have a big music festival every year.

Lunch was at the Ristorante Villa Amore. We had a beautiful view of the southern coastline.

While sitting eating lunch, we noticed a single building on the mountain high above the city below on the coastline. We asked our waitress about it. She said it is a church that is still in use called Il Santuario dell’Avvocata. It holds mass after Pentecost until it gets too cold. From the city below, it is an 8 km journey on a switchback path. A helicopter takes up the elderly for mass.

Day 6

Capri and the Blue Grotto day! I had researched about Capri and was excited to go up to Anacapri and see the Blue Grotto. I wasn’t interested in walking in Capri. It sounded expensive and touristy.

We took a private tour to Capri. Our receptionists had set it up for us. The tour included: transportation to and from the hotel, a private boat tour with 8 others around the entire Capri Island, lunch, limoncello and swimming.

The entire day was spent on the boat! What a great day! We got to drive the boat, swim in the water, go through the other side of the Green Grotto and went through the Faragliioni Rocks. The legend says if two lovers kiss while going through the rocks, they will stay together.

After we picked up my husband and the other people from our boat, we headed to the Marina Piccola. It is on the opposite of Capri where the tours boats from Sorrento land. After a little searching, we waited for the bus to take us up the mountain to Anacapri.

annacapri

Finding the ski lift I had read about didn’t take too long. This ski lift takes people to the top.

Up top, you can see all the way around. There is nothing to disturb the stunning view! You can see Capri and in the distance looms Mount Vesuvius.

blue grotto

Back in the boat, we rounded the island. As I wanted to see the Blue Grotto, we bought our tickets. After paying, we hopped aboard a wooden row boat and had to lay flat as the we entered the tiny portal into this other world. Inside the boatmen sang Italian songs with each other. The blue water we had seen in pictures did not compare to this crystalline blue! I am so happy I decided to go.

With the Blue Grotto behind us, our tour guide took us back to our hotel around 4:00. It was a fantastic day!

We ended our day with dinner at the farm again. A perfect way to end our last full day in Sorrento!

Ciao, Italia!

My Take Aways

• If the lovely and friendly Sorrento is on your list, you should go!
• Sorrento is a slower place with friendly people.
• Book your tours instead of doing it on your own. The cost comes out the same if add the stress for going on your own.

Our favorite trip to Italy was visiting Sorrento. If you have gone, what was your favorite thing to do?

Read about the hotel we stayed in here: The Best hotel to stay in when visiting Sorrento