Sorrento is one of the most famous Italian seaside resorts. It is situated on the Gulf of Naples overlooking Mount Vesuvius. It has picturesque buildings located on the slopes and several beautiful beaches.
The city is named after the mermaids, and mythology ascribed to Odysseus. There was a Greek colony here, in which the cult of these half women and half fish was developed. In subsequent epochs, Sorrento shared the fate of the entire region, being under the rule of the Romans, Ostrogoths, Byzantium and being part of the Kingdom of Sicily. After the unification of Italy in the second half of the 19th century, it became a favorite vacation spot for the Roman socialite. Its charm was also appreciated by poets and painters among people of culture from the 18th century. Lord Byron, Goethe, Walter Scott and Henrik Ibsen eagerly returned to Sorrento.
Tourists associate Sorrento primarily with the perfect combination of nature and culture. The steep slopes of the mountains falling straight into the sea are combined with picturesque buildings. Colorful tenement houses, elegant villas such as Villa Pollio Felice, Villa Fiorentino or Villa Comunale, the 11th-century Basilica of St. Anthony, the monastery of St. Francis are just some of the local monuments.
The city is bustling with life from morning until late at night. The main traffic is in the pedestrian street Via S. Cesareo and in two picturesque harbors, Marina Grande and Marina Piccola. There are plenty of shops and handicraft workshops, restaurants and trattorias serving excellent seafood and fish dishes, and the local specialty limoncello liqueur.
The main attractions of Sorrento are the beaches here. They are narrow, hidden in coves and extremely picturesque. Due to the small area, umbrellas and sunbeds are often almost in the water, so that as many people as possible can use them. One of the most famous places for sunbathing is the Regina Giovanni Baths.
