The city of Sorrento is located on the Sorrento Peninsula on the Gulf of Naples. It lies above black cliffs made of dark volcanic rock on a tuff terrace. Sorrento is surrounded by imposing rocks of the limestone mountains.
Touristic
For centuries, Sorrento has been the destination of Northern European longing for Italy. Writers and painters have immortalized the place in words and pictures.
Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast are known for their large lemons (ital. Limoni). Typical products made from these fruits are the lemon liqueur Limoncello and lemon chocolate. In addition, numerous ceramic studios in the city produce articles with city views, Amalfi representations or lemon motifs. The heart of the town is the Via S. Cesareo shopping street and Piazza Tasso.
Because of its favorable location, Sorrento is also popular as a starting point for the sights in the area. The tip of the Sorrento peninsula is just 5 km from Capri, which can be easily reached from the port of Marina Piccola. Ischia and Procida, whose silhouettes can be seen on a clear day, can also be reached in a short time by speedboat. The Circumvesuviana regional train takes visitors to Pompeii and Herculaneum or to Naples.
The Amalfi Coast, Italian costiera amalfitana, can be reached from Sorrento via Strada Statale 163 Amalfitana, a popular excursion destination.
story
Mythical past
The current name Sorrento (Sorrento) goes back to the ancient name Surrentum and the myth of the sirens, who confused sailors with their song. According to a legend, only Odysseus and his companions could escape the magic of the siren song, whereupon the sirens turned into the rock called Li Galli (on the south side of the peninsula near Positano in the Gulf of Salerno).