Sorrento and Amalfi Coast overview
One of the most spectacular coastlines in the world, the Amalfi Coast runs south from Sorrento and winds along the Bay of Salerno. Stunning views, a wonderful climate, sophisticated hotels, excellent cuisine and delicious local wines combine to make this one of Italy's favourite holiday destinations.
Sorrento
Set on a spectacular headland, Sorrento boasts wonderful views across the Bay of Naples to Capri and Ischia. The old town is full of character with a wealth of restaurants and bars and the main street is lined with elegant boutiques. Life centres around the Piazza Tasso and at dusk you can watch the town come alive from one of the many pavement cafes. Good value, high quality restaurants abound and although Naples, home of the pizza, is only 55 kilometres away, the Sorrento area is most famed for its spaghetti dishes.
Positano
Approximately 20 kilometres from Sorrento along the Amalfi Drive, perches the exclusive cliff-side fishing village of Positano with its pink, cream and yellow villas dramatically clinging to the terraced mountainside. Positano is a romantic spot ideal for honeymooners and romantics with its spectacular views overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean. In the village itself, narrow cobbled streets and flights of steps lead up and down past fashionable boutiques, bars and excellent restaurants.
Amalfi
Just 15 kilometres east of Positano tucked between the mountains and overlooking the glittering Bay of Salerno is the charming small fishing village of Amalfi where you can easily while away hours at the seafront watching the boats come and go. In the old part of town, pavement cafes and quaint shops abound along the narrow stepped streets and there is a multitude of excellent restaurants specialising in fresh fish dishes.
Ravello
Inland and high above Amalfi, perches Ravello boasting some of the most magnificent views across orange and lemon groves and out to the sea. Slightly off the beaten track and famed for its gardens and links with Wagner, Ravello is ideal for those who love peace and quiet. Unusually most of the best dining in Ravello is in the hotels although there are a few excellent restaurants to be sought out and the main square is the perfect setting for an aperitif or after dinner coffee.
Map
Climate
The climate of Southern Italy can be very hot in the height of summer although refreshing coastal breezes tend to moderate the temperatures, spring and autumn months are cooler and ideal for sightseeing.
Did you know?
The Amalfi coast is famed for its production of Limoncello liqueur. But as most lemons will produce satisfactory limoncello, production is not restricted uniquely to the Amalfi coast. However authentic limoncello is generally considered to be that produced from lemons which are grown in an area bounded by Vico Equense, Massa Lubrense and Capri, and which bears the lemon-shaped ‘Ovale Sorrentino’ logo. Limoncello is made from lemon rinds to which alcohol, water and sugar are added. The final product is bright yellow in colour, sweet and lemony to the taste, but not sour since it contains no actual lemon juice.
Sorrento & Amalfi Coast hotels
Casa Angelina
The cliff-top hideaway of Casa Angelina offers a tranquil and peaceful retreat where guests are assured the warmest of welcomes
Covo dei Saraceni
Built into the rocky hillside and situated right beside the beach
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Grand Hotel Ambasciatori
Grand Hotel Ambasciatori is close to Sorrento's lively main square and is a prestigious and very professionally run hotel
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Grand Hotel Capodimonte
Grand Hotel Capodimonte enjoys a wonderful location just a short stroll downhill to the old town of Sorrento
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Grand Hotel Convento di Amalfi
Perched dramatically on a cliff at the top of Amalfi is the site of a 12th century monastery
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Grand Hotel de La Ville
A short stroll from the historic old town of Sorrento and with splendid views over the Bay of Naples
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Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria
The most famous hotel in Sorrento the Edwardian Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria (established 1834) perches on a secluded cliff-side
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Grand Hotel La Favorita
Grand Hotel La Favorita with its charming ambiance offers the warmest of Italian welcomes in a perfect location
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Grand Hotel President
Perched high on the cliff edge above Sorrento, Grand Hotel President is approximately 3km from the centre of town and offers stunning views over Sorrento and the Bay of Naples
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Grand Hotel Riviera
In a dramatic cliff-top setting, Grand Hotel Riviera enjoys the most magnificent views over the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius from its panoramic split-level terraces
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Grand Hotel Royal
Located in a dramatic cliff-top setting in the heart of Sorrento with breathtaking views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius
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Hilton Sorrento Palace
The beautifully renovated Hotel Sorrento Palace is situated on a hillside with breathtaking views of the Bay of Naples
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Hotel Antiche Mura
Hotel Antiche Mura combines style and comfort in an elegant art nouveau style
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Hotel Belair
You may be assured of a great welcome at Hotel Belair and as you walk through reception to the terraces at the front of the hotel
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Hotel Bellevue Syrene
This beautifully decorated hotel located in the centre of Sorrento with its many shops, cafés and bars
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Hotel Caruso
Refurbished to the highest standards by Orient-Express Hotels, Caruso is now an exquisite and sumptuously appointed hotel enjoying an elevated position on the highest point of Ravello
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Hotel Delfino
Hotel Delfino is perched on a hillside and is ideally situated for guests to enjoy a relaxing holiday
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Hotel Minerva
Boasting arguably the most outstanding views of Sorrento and the Bay of Naples
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Hotel Plaza
Located just a few steps from Sorrento’s Piazza Tasso, the contemporarily stylish Hotel Plaza is centrally located
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Hotel Santa Caterina
In an enviable position high on the coastline approximately 1km outside Amalfi
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Hotel Villa Franca
Originally a private villa, this delightful hotel is set high above Positano with stunning views over the picturesque town
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Imperial Hotel Tramontano
Imperial Hotel Tramontano was established in the early nineteenth century, founded from two aristocratic villas
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Le Agavi Hotel A Positano
Enjoying the most striking of locations, 200m above the sea, and literally cascading down a series of cliff-side terraces Le Agavi Hotel
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Le Sirenuse
Originally an 18th century private residence and latterly a favoured haunt of writer, John Steinbeck, La Sirenuse is a wonderful 5 star luxury hotel
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Palazzo Sasso
In the famed hilltop village of Ravello enjoying an extraordinarily delightful location perched high on the cliffs looking towards the Mediterranean
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Villa Garden Hotel
This charming family-run establishment is located in Sant’ Agnello, a quiet residential area
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Map
Climate
The climate of Southern Italy can be very hot in the height of summer although refreshing coastal breezes tend to moderate the temperatures, spring and autumn months are cooler and ideal for sightseeing.
Did you know?
The Amalfi coast is famed for its production of Limoncello liqueur. But as most lemons will produce satisfactory limoncello, production is not restricted uniquely to the Amalfi coast. However authentic limoncello is generally considered to be that produced from lemons which are grown in an area bounded by Vico Equense, Massa Lubrense and Capri, and which bears the lemon-shaped ‘Ovale Sorrentino’ logo. Limoncello is made from lemon rinds to which alcohol, water and sugar are added. The final product is bright yellow in colour, sweet and lemony to the taste, but not sour since it contains no actual lemon juice.
Sorrento & Amalfi Coast sightseeing
Cities
Rome is a bustling city with fabulous shops and boutiques alongside beautifully preserved buildings and monuments; The Vatican, St Peter's Square and the Colosseum in Rome, can just about be squeezed in to a one-day visit.
Naples is lively and choatic. It gave the world Enrico Caruso, Sophia Lauren and pizza, and is famous for its Duomo Cathedral plus a wealth of historic monuments, and museums housing classical treasures.
Cruises
Enjoy sunbathing, swimming and spectacular coastal scenery during a mini cruise to Ischia with its therapeutic thermal springs, or Capri boasting the Blue Grotto.
Amalfi Drive
Drive from Sorrento through some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the world including the cliff-side village of Positano, the small fishing town of Amalfi, and Ravello famed for its gardens, and links with Wagner. The hills and villages above Sorrento are also wonderful to visit in addition to those on the coastline.
Pompei and Herculaneum
Following the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD, Pompei lay buried until the excavations unearthed bodies, houses, temples, and works of art. It is also worth visiting the houses and baths in Herculaneum which was devastated during the same eruption.
Mount Vesuvius
Dominating the Bay of Naples, Mount Vesuvius is the one active volcano on mainland Europe. A drive to the original crater at 3,000 ft and a walk to the top gives impressive views of the inside of the crater as well as fanastic view of the whole Bay of Naples.
Map
Climate
The climate of Southern Italy can be very hot in the height of summer although refreshing coastal breezes tend to moderate the temperatures, spring and autumn months are cooler and ideal for sightseeing.
Did you know?
The Amalfi coast is famed for its production of Limoncello liqueur. But as most lemons will produce satisfactory limoncello, production is not restricted uniquely to the Amalfi coast. However authentic limoncello is generally considered to be that produced from lemons which are grown in an area bounded by Vico Equense, Massa Lubrense and Capri, and which bears the lemon-shaped ‘Ovale Sorrentino’ logo. Limoncello is made from lemon rinds to which alcohol, water and sugar are added. The final product is bright yellow in colour, sweet and lemony to the taste, but not sour since it contains no actual lemon juice.
Sorrento & Amalfi Coast cuisine
The gastronomy of Southern Italy is essentially inspired home cooking based on fresh ingredients including fresh bunches of basil, perfect plum tomatoes, fennel, artichoke, aubergine, onions, garlic, and fragrant lemons still attached to their leaves.
Traditionally pasta is served as a first course, and Neoplitan classics include a delicious variation of sauces such as alle vongole (clam sauce), aglio e olio (oil, garlic and parsley) and alla siciliana (chilli peppers), followed by meat or fish as a second course.
Desserts range from a simple fruit salad to more elaborate affairs such as coviglie al caffe, a rich and coffee-flavoured cream, and a number of delicious pastries and cakes can be found in the local pasticcerie.
Elegant restaurants abound where Neapolitan and International dishes are served with a sophisticated Italian flourish, and there is nothing better than dining al fresco in the shade of a vine arbour or on a quay where the fishing boats rock on the tide, or beside a wood-fired oven that brings forth a sizzling Pizza Margherita washed down with local red wine.
Map
Climate
The climate of Southern Italy can be very hot in the height of summer although refreshing coastal breezes tend to moderate the temperatures, spring and autumn months are cooler and ideal for sightseeing.
Did you know?
The Amalfi coast is famed for its production of Limoncello liqueur. But as most lemons will produce satisfactory limoncello, production is not restricted uniquely to the Amalfi coast. However authentic limoncello is generally considered to be that produced from lemons which are grown in an area bounded by Vico Equense, Massa Lubrense and Capri, and which bears the lemon-shaped ‘Ovale Sorrentino’ logo. Limoncello is made from lemon rinds to which alcohol, water and sugar are added. The final product is bright yellow in colour, sweet and lemony to the taste, but not sour since it contains no actual lemon juice.
Sorrento & Amalfi Coast offers
Casa Angelina
The cliff-top hideaway of Casa Angelina offers a tranquil and peaceful retreat where guests are assured the warmest of welcomes
3 offers
Grand Hotel Ambasciatori
Grand Hotel Ambasciatori is close to Sorrento's lively main square and is a prestigious and very professionally run hotel
3 offers
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-
Grand Hotel Capodimonte
Grand Hotel Capodimonte enjoys a wonderful location just a short stroll downhill to the old town of Sorrento
3 offers
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Grand Hotel Convento di Amalfi
Perched dramatically on a cliff at the top of Amalfi is the site of a 12th century monastery
2 offers
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Grand Hotel de La Ville
A short stroll from the historic old town of Sorrento and with splendid views over the Bay of Naples
3 offers
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Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria
The most famous hotel in Sorrento the Edwardian Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria (established 1834) perches on a secluded cliff-side
3 offers
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Grand Hotel La Favorita
Grand Hotel La Favorita with its charming ambiance offers the warmest of Italian welcomes in a perfect location
1 offer
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Grand Hotel President
Perched high on the cliff edge above Sorrento, Grand Hotel President is approximately 3km from the centre of town and offers stunning views over Sorrento and the Bay of Naples
2 offers
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Grand Hotel Riviera
In a dramatic cliff-top setting, Grand Hotel Riviera enjoys the most magnificent views over the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius from its panoramic split-level terraces
2 offers
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Grand Hotel Royal
Located in a dramatic cliff-top setting in the heart of Sorrento with breathtaking views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius
3 offers
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Hilton Sorrento Palace
The beautifully renovated Hotel Sorrento Palace is situated on a hillside with breathtaking views of the Bay of Naples
1 offer
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Hotel Belair
You may be assured of a great welcome at Hotel Belair and as you walk through reception to the terraces at the front of the hotel
1 offer
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Hotel Bellevue Syrene
This beautifully decorated hotel located in the centre of Sorrento with its many shops, cafés and bars
3 offers
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Hotel Caruso
Refurbished to the highest standards by Orient-Express Hotels, Caruso is now an exquisite and sumptuously appointed hotel enjoying an elevated position on the highest point of Ravello
1 offer
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Hotel Delfino
Hotel Delfino is perched on a hillside and is ideally situated for guests to enjoy a relaxing holiday
3 offers
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Hotel Minerva
Boasting arguably the most outstanding views of Sorrento and the Bay of Naples
1 offer
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Hotel Plaza
Located just a few steps from Sorrento’s Piazza Tasso, the contemporarily stylish Hotel Plaza is centrally located
1 offer
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Hotel Santa Caterina
In an enviable position high on the coastline approximately 1km outside Amalfi
1 offer
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Hotel Villa Franca
Originally a private villa, this delightful hotel is set high above Positano with stunning views over the picturesque town
2 offers
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Le Agavi Hotel A Positano
Enjoying the most striking of locations, 200m above the sea, and literally cascading down a series of cliff-side terraces Le Agavi Hotel
3 offers
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Villa Garden Hotel
This charming family-run establishment is located in Sant’ Agnello, a quiet residential area
1 offer
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Map
Climate
The climate of Southern Italy can be very hot in the height of summer although refreshing coastal breezes tend to moderate the temperatures, spring and autumn months are cooler and ideal for sightseeing.
Did you know?
The Amalfi coast is famed for its production of Limoncello liqueur. But as most lemons will produce satisfactory limoncello, production is not restricted uniquely to the Amalfi coast. However authentic limoncello is generally considered to be that produced from lemons which are grown in an area bounded by Vico Equense, Massa Lubrense and Capri, and which bears the lemon-shaped ‘Ovale Sorrentino’ logo. Limoncello is made from lemon rinds to which alcohol, water and sugar are added. The final product is bright yellow in colour, sweet and lemony to the taste, but not sour since it contains no actual lemon juice.