Situated on a terrace overlooking the splendid Amalfi coastline, Sorrento is imbued with charm and echoes of the ancient past. Its position is perfect, affording a stunning panorama of the bay of Naples, but its list of attributes is replete.
Parks, villas, orange, lemon and olive groves, picturesque narrow streets and resplendent weather, have ensured a steady stream of visitors to the town throughout the year and over the centuries. The town does suffer irregular building projects, but even this has not greatly overshadowed its rustic sea side town appeal.
The name of the town has its origins in antiquity and derives from a Greek word meaning “Flowing” due to the form of the town which appears to flow over the limestone tuff on which the town stands, defining the edge of the cliffs.
Curving along the coastline, erosion has carved the rock-face over the centuries into the majestic crags which climb to the skyline, forming the world renowned beauty of the Amalfi coast.
Its legendary origins derive from the word Siren or Mermaids, mythical feminine creatures with celestial voices and hideous aspect, whose hands and songs lured unsuspecting sailors to the terror of the rocks, breaking their ships and wreaking romantic and tragic havoc.
Sorrento’s history is connected to the ancient Island of Lipari, originally colonized in 8 B.C. by Corinthians who, exploring the lands, later settled in neighboring Sorrento. With the arrival of Imperial Rome, Sorrento was allied to the Romans, and to this day, the city centre bears testimony in the classically Roman layout of the streets to the presence of the Empire.
In the Middle Ages Sorrento fell into the hands of the Goths and the Byzantines, but resisted and repelled the advances of the Lombards of Benevento despite a siege. Due to Sorrento’s proximity to the sea however, it was often raided and sacked in the 1500’s by Pirates and sailors from the Harbor Town of Pisa, which led to the construction of the numerous watch towers along the coast.
Sorrento’s charm lies in part in its sun drenched rustic simplicity. Quaint artisan workshops packed together onto a maze of medieval alleys, with the inevitable mix of locals and tourists bustling through the centre.
The long shadows cast across uneven cobbled streets from overhanging balconies and terraces which almost meet overhead. Just enough space remains for washing to be strung out to dry Italian style from above, spanning the street in the Italian afternoon sun.
Piazza Torquato Tasso (italian poet)
Dedicated to a poet and a patron, Piazza Torquato Tasso lies at the very heart of Sorrento.
The Sorrentini are proud of their native born poet, said to be one of the greatest Late Renaissance italian writers, and named the piazza after him, erecting his statue there. Although best known for the narrative poem “La Gerusalemme Liberata” (Jerusalem Delivered), Torquato Tasso wrote many admired works.
The square, created in 1800, replaced outmoded fortifications which had stood on the site since the turbulent Fifteen hundreds. Its high position, which in the past was advantageous for defenses, now affords pleasant views of the city and sea beyond.
Saint Antonino, who took refuge in Sorrento during the Lombard invasions, became the city’s patron, and now also has a commemorative statue in the square.
Upon entering the square, the church of Santa Maria del Carmine, originally medieval with the façade dating back to the Seventeen hundreds, invariably draws the attention of visitors.
Piazza Torquato Tasso is a spacious meeting point of several roads and focal point of city and is always full of energy. During the day the square is a thoroughfare for traffic, tourists and citizens.
However, as evening approaches and the working day draws to a close, it becomes a pleasant place for an evening stroll (or “passeggiata”) for locals and visitors alike.
Port of Marina Grande: the fishing village
The picturesque Port of Marina Grande, nestled into a charming nook of the Costiera Amalfitana (Amalfi Coast), has the atmosphere of a forgotten world. Despite being one of the most popular holiday resorts in Italy, the Port of Marina Grande has maintained its rustic charm, original identity, and sense of community.
Restaurants, homes and shops, rising along the curve of the rocks and the colorful booths on the pier, are all architecturally consistent, creating a harmonious neon free scene. Thus it has remained one of Italy’s untouched treasures.
The port’s secluded atmosphere stems from its sheltered position, created by the promontory which separates the city of Sorrento from this delightful hidden harbor. The Promontory was once the site of a Roman villa belonging to the Emperor Augustus‘ nephew.
The harbor’s community, unsurprisingly, is close knit, entrenched in time honored customs, and proud of its heritage, maintaining a “cottage industry” approach to its ancient and primary source of survival: fishing.
As with all ports, it was also a place of trade, connecting Sorrento and the sea.
Since the Third Century B.C. a city gate, constructed of limestone blocks, stood in Sorrento‘s walls to admit traders and visitors from the harbor to the city.
Legend tells how, in 1558, late one night, a slave (since instilled into the city’s folklore as a traitor) in league with Turkish pirates, opened the ancient door between the port and the town, admitted the brigands and the town was mercilessly sacked.
The Gozzi Sorrentini, characteristic hand made wooden boats with triangular sails and light maneuverable structure, specifically adapted for fishing, were once crafted in the port. Although “Gozzo” is a generic term for wooden vessels; those made in Sorrento were the vintage version, in a boat-building tradition established over centuries.
The scene in the port at sunset, as fishermen clean their nets and wrap up their day is evocative of a pre industrial lifestyle which has all but vanished from shores across the world.
Church of St. Francesco
From the outside, the Church of St. Francis has an air of modernity in contrast to other more ornate churches in Sorrento.
The simple white façade was rebuilt in marble in 1926; however, the present portal which dates back to the fifteen hundreds, was preserved.
But the church itself is much older: originally it was an ancient oratory founded by Saint Antonino, the Patron Saint of Sorrento, who dedicated the church to St. Martin of Tours.
In the Fourteenth Century, Franciscan Friars transformed it into a church, which was later reconstructed in the baroque style and embellished with stucco decorations.
A convent and a cloister stand by the church, both also dedicated to San Francis. The cloister is a marvelous atmospheric mix of many architectural styles, from the pagan era to the Middle Ages, and is a delightfully peaceful place to visit.
Its evocative architecture, secluded tranquility and seasonal flowers create a unique environment for contemplation and quiet, far from the hubbub of the city.
Musical evenings and concerts are also sometimes held there.
Via di San Cesareo (St. Cesareo street)
In ancient Times, via San Cesareo was the Decumano Massimo, the central street of the Roman city of Sorrento.
It seems that, despite the passing of the centuries, little has changed. In the past it was an urban thoroughfare, now it is the ideal place for filling shopping bags and lightening one’s pockets: souvenirs, characteristic curios and crafts are all on display.
Littered with bars and restaurants, those who love to shop, till they drop, can collapse and recharge anytime on an Italian culinary delicacy.
The portals and façades dominating the street, for the most part are Neapolitan Baroque, dating back to the Seventeenth-Eighteenth Centuries.
For cool a moment and a chance to admire Baroque art and architecture, the Church of the Madonna Addolorata, which has stood since the eleven hundreds, may be worth a visit.
Sant’Agata sui due Golfi
Saint Agata on the Two Gulfs, a few kilometers from Sorrento, on the top of an incline, marks the point for the best panoramic views. On one side, the Gulf of Naples curves along the skyline, and on the other, the gulf of Salerno stand between the sea and the horizon. Saint Agatha on the Two Gulfs, is part of the town of Massa Lubrense.
The site where the Church of Saint Agatha now stands, was once inhabited by Greeks who, as well as using it as an ideal lookout point, also had a necropolis there.
Now a former Carmelite Convent, known as the “Desert” (to emphasize the isolated nature of the place) stands there. In past years it must have felt like a precipice at the world’s edge.
The church was originally dedicated to Saint Mary of the Graces, but was refurbished in 1745 and dedicated to Saint Agatha, the Martyr of Catania.
Inside, an amazing altar, inlaid with mother of pearl and marble dating from the sixteen hundreds, stands. Though this altar was originally made by local artisans for another church, it was sold in the eighteen hundreds, and since that time has remained in Saint Agatha’s.