Welcome to the Amalfi Coast! After leaving Naples you head south to the land of lemons! Sorrento is known as one of the world’s most charming and romantic old towns with its many cafes, shops and historic sites. It is located in southern Italy about an hour south of Naples, wedged on a ledge and separates the Gulf of Naples from the Gulf of Salerno. This is a land of high hills and valleys and mountains surrounding the entire peninsula. The area is surrounded by smaller villages like Meta, Sant’ Agnello and the area known as Massa Lubrense.  Sorrento can be a home base for your Amalfi Coast excursions. It is a short ferry ride to Capri from here or down to Positano and Amalfi.

Bay of Naples

Piazza Tasso is the central square in Sorrento and the hub for fancy hotels, artistic and cultural events. There are many side streets, almost alleyways I would call them lined with all manner of shopping from high end boutiques, gelato shops and cafes everywhere just to stop and relax and remember why you are here!

Let me just say I sent home a ton of Parmesan cheese from this little alley 🙂

The town is laid out on an East – West orientation to take advantage of the most sun and North – South to get the prevailing winds.  This was originally a Greek town plan. The 13th century palaces that dot the back streets have no balconies and this was for security.

The limestone rocks here create a soil that is very suitable for various types of vegetation. The most popular and well known product from the region is of course lemons and that oh so famous liqueur: Limoncello!  Of course, we won’t forget to mention the olives, vineyards, vegetables, tomatoes and orange groves also. Shop after shop boasts its very best Limoncello for you to take on your journey.

Limoncello

Oh and every shop has these beautiful, tempting peppers.  I just want them hanging in my kitchen here to remind me of my trips to the Amalfi Coast.

Peppers, peppers and more peppers!

We stayed just outside Sorrento in a little town called Castellammarre di Stabia.  Here is our hotel. Just a quick ride into Sorrento and out to Pompeii and Herculaneum. We had lovely views of Mount Vesuvius and it was truly spectacular at night with all the lights of Naples shining.  However, it is a rather long, winding road over to Positano.

I have loved every minute of my time on the Amalfi Coast and frankly can’t wait to return again and again! Thanks for traveling with me!  Ciao for now until my next adventure!  If you missed parts any part of this series you can find them here on the blog.

When you are on the Amalfi Coast consider hiring a private driver or take a taxi.  Both are experts in the sights and history of the area and will make your journey that much more memorable.

Did you miss the rest of the series? Here are links:

Part One: The Ultimate Guide to the Amalfi Coast;  Part Two:  Positano bites deep; Part Three: Hiking on the Amalfi Coast; Part Four: Come Fly with me to Ravello,Amalfi and Atrani; Part Five: Capri: Island of Enchantment