Sorrento Ferry & Hydrofoil Port
With many visitors making their way to Sorrento by sea, its port is one of the busiest places in the town, a real hive of activity with passengers arriving from or on their way to nearby locations. Given the general hustle and bustle around the port it can be a bit confusing trying to understand where you're supposed to go so I'll try and explain some of the key points about the port here.
The port for all public ferries and hydrofoils is located in Marina Piccola. At the centre of the port is a semi-circular area with ticket kiosks for all the companies that operate services in and out of Sorrento. You can either buy tickets here or if you've pre-booked on-line, this would be the place where you exchange those tickets for boarding cards.
The most popular route is the one between Sorrento and Capri, the short hop across the Gulf of Naples proving an attractive proposition for a day-trip but there's an increasing clamour for the larger island, Ischia whose charms have until recently, relatively flown under the radar compared to those of Capri. Other important destinations that you can sail to and from Sorrento include Naples, Positano, Amalfi and Salerno.
The port for all public ferries and hydrofoils is located in Marina Piccola. At the centre of the port is a semi-circular area with ticket kiosks for all the companies that operate services in and out of Sorrento. You can either buy tickets here or if you've pre-booked on-line, this would be the place where you exchange those tickets for boarding cards.
The most popular route is the one between Sorrento and Capri, the short hop across the Gulf of Naples proving an attractive proposition for a day-trip but there's an increasing clamour for the larger island, Ischia whose charms have until recently, relatively flown under the radar compared to those of Capri. Other important destinations that you can sail to and from Sorrento include Naples, Positano, Amalfi and Salerno.
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Taking a day-trip to Capri
This is the most popular use of the port with dozens of crossings in each direction every day of the summer season*. The departure jetty for crossings to Capri and Ischia is the one to the back and to the left of the ticket office area. If you're standing in the semi-circular ticket office area, walk up the steps on the left hand side, turn right at the top and you'll see the jetty directly ahead of you between the trees.
The pier has two sides and it's usually the case that for Capri you can take the hydrofoil from either side. One crossing goes only to Capri and another stops in Capri first before continuing on to Ischia.
Taking a day-trip to Ischia
There can often be some confusion about which jetty you need to depart from and there are two possibilities. You can usually depart from the right hand side of the pier described above, the same one that crosses to Capri. However, that's not always the case and sometimes the hydrofoil to Ischia will depart from the right hand side or "internal" side of the marina.
This other side is a very short walk away, from the "Capri Pier" (numbered 8 and 9), walk to your right, down the stairs and then to your left towards the remaining piers which are numbered on the wall from 1 to 7. Always be certain that you're in the correct queue for your destination. Sometimes the ticket office will say one thing and one of the pier officials something different to if you're unsure at all, just double-check with one of the port attendants. Most of them speak some basic English but if you literally just say "Capri" or "Ischia" they'll point you to the correct waiting area.
Arriving from Ischia
If you've sailed from Ischia you'll most likely have stopped along the way at Capri first. This hydrofoil comes in to the internal jetty (usually around number 4 or 5). When you arrive you'll find there's only one way to walk with the sea on one side and a wall on the other. After 100 metres or so you reach a bar/restaurant called Bar Ruccio which is a popular meeting point for private transfers or waiting taxis as they're unable to get any closer than that to the port.
Private tours to other locations
For mini-cruises, ferries and hydrofoils to the Amalfi Coast you'll find companies using both of the jetties described above. For mini-cruises your tour operator will usually be very clear about your meeting point but with the public ferries or hydrofoils it's best to be 100% sure you're in the right area or the right queue by double-checking as the ticket offices don't always provide precise information. One of the most popular meeting points for mini-cruises is Ristorante Leonelli which is just opposite Bar Ruccio.
This is the most popular use of the port with dozens of crossings in each direction every day of the summer season*. The departure jetty for crossings to Capri and Ischia is the one to the back and to the left of the ticket office area. If you're standing in the semi-circular ticket office area, walk up the steps on the left hand side, turn right at the top and you'll see the jetty directly ahead of you between the trees.
The pier has two sides and it's usually the case that for Capri you can take the hydrofoil from either side. One crossing goes only to Capri and another stops in Capri first before continuing on to Ischia.
Taking a day-trip to Ischia
There can often be some confusion about which jetty you need to depart from and there are two possibilities. You can usually depart from the right hand side of the pier described above, the same one that crosses to Capri. However, that's not always the case and sometimes the hydrofoil to Ischia will depart from the right hand side or "internal" side of the marina.
This other side is a very short walk away, from the "Capri Pier" (numbered 8 and 9), walk to your right, down the stairs and then to your left towards the remaining piers which are numbered on the wall from 1 to 7. Always be certain that you're in the correct queue for your destination. Sometimes the ticket office will say one thing and one of the pier officials something different to if you're unsure at all, just double-check with one of the port attendants. Most of them speak some basic English but if you literally just say "Capri" or "Ischia" they'll point you to the correct waiting area.
Arriving from Ischia
If you've sailed from Ischia you'll most likely have stopped along the way at Capri first. This hydrofoil comes in to the internal jetty (usually around number 4 or 5). When you arrive you'll find there's only one way to walk with the sea on one side and a wall on the other. After 100 metres or so you reach a bar/restaurant called Bar Ruccio which is a popular meeting point for private transfers or waiting taxis as they're unable to get any closer than that to the port.
Private tours to other locations
For mini-cruises, ferries and hydrofoils to the Amalfi Coast you'll find companies using both of the jetties described above. For mini-cruises your tour operator will usually be very clear about your meeting point but with the public ferries or hydrofoils it's best to be 100% sure you're in the right area or the right queue by double-checking as the ticket offices don't always provide precise information. One of the most popular meeting points for mini-cruises is Ristorante Leonelli which is just opposite Bar Ruccio.
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