Things to see in Sorrento
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Latest page update: 6 February 2025
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By: Dion Protani
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There's a great variety of things to see in Sorrento; culture-buffs will find plenty of interest in the town's museums while there are beautiful churches, bustling piazzas and beautiful marinas to see.
The town is also steeped in history; dating back to 6 BC there are some fascinating remnants of Sorrento's past to be discovered. If you've never visited Sorrento before, this is a great place to start with your research of the town. Below you'll find a brief video of the town followed by an overview of each of the major sights in order of popularity. You can get more information and photos of each sight by clicking the photo next to it. |
Sorento and the Bay of Naples
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Sorrento on Video
Marina Grande
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Sorrento's Marina Grande is one of the most charming little harbours in the whole of Southern Italy. It's made up of colourful old fishing houses clustered around an historic bay where you can pass the time looking out to sea and soaking up the views.
Some of Sorrento's best restaurants can be found down here as well; some of them are along the Harbourside and there are others built on a series of bathing platforms where the restaurants double-up as batching establishments/beach clubs. Of the two Marinas of Sorrento, Marina Grande is slightly the smaller which makes its name all the more amusing! |
Marina Grande, Sorrento
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Marina Piccola
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Just as ironically as above, Marina Piccola is the larger of the two main marinas in Sorrento and there are two distinct areas to it.
Marina Piccola is Sorrento's ferry port which connects it by sea to Capri, Naples, the Amalfi Coast and Ischia. During the summer this is one of the busiest areas of the town with ships coming and going throughout the day and taxis waiting to collect the passengers as they step off their boats. The other side to Marina Piccola is quite different; a series of beach clubs which take advantage of Sorrento's glorious turquoise waters. You can get a great view of these from the cliffside above. |
Marina Piccola
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SORRENTO BEACH CLUBS
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The Sorrento beach clubs are clustered around different areas of the town and across the wider Sorrento Peninsula area.
Most popular of these areas is the aforementioned Marina Piccola where there are five different beach clubs or bathing establishments. Within these establishments you'll find all the facilities you need for a day of relaxation: they each have sun beds, parasols and snack bars/restaurants as well as lockers and changing rooms. You can find details and more images of each beach club by clicking on the photo to the right. |
Sorrento Beach Clubs
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Piazza Tasso
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Without a shadow of a doubt, the most important of all the squares of Sorrento is Piazza Tasso. It's almost impossible to spend any time in the town without passing through Piazza Tasso at least once and you're likely to see quite a lot of it during your stay.
There are lots of good reasons for that too. It stands at the intersection of the busiest streets of Sorrento which gives it great hustle and bustle with people heading in every direction depending on their purpose. One of the most popular activates in Sorrento is sitting in the famous Bar Fauno with a cocktail and people-watching on this busy square where something always seems to be happening. |
Piazza Tasso
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VILLA COMUNALE PARK
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In a similar way to Piazza Tasso, another of those areas of Sorrento that you'll almost certainly gravitate to on a regular basis is the Villa Comunale Park. Whether it's day or night, there's always a good reason to come here.
During the day you can come and enjoy the breathtaking scenery from the park's balcony which overlooks the Bay of Naples with Most Vesuvius in the background, forming the typical picture-postcard image of Sorrento. By night, the park turns into an area for romantic walks, perhaps after dinner while enjoying an ice-cream and reflecting on the day. |
Villa Comunale Park
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Church and Cloisters of San Francesco
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Just at the edge of the Villa Comunale Park is another of Sorrento's most famous sights where a certain type of event is almost always taking place.
The Church and Cloisters of San Francesco is one of the prettiest churches of Sorrento and the venue for many a wedding. It's easy to understand why as well: the cloisters form an open courtyard which gets bathed in sunshine during the summer months, creating a beautiful backdrop for wedding photos. You can pop in and watch the weddings taking place as well while admiring the elegant surroundings. |
Church and Cloisters of San Francesco
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Corso Italia
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One of those streets that the aforementioned Piazza Tasso intersects with is Corso Italia, the main thoroughfare in Sorrento.
The various streets of Sorrento have their own characteristics and Corso Italia is one that you'll certainly spend a good deal of time exploring. It's an extremely long street that's split halfway by Piazza Tasso and the one that has the most shops on it. Corso Italia's western side is just about the busier of the two halves with an abundance of heat restaurants ands bars where you can watch the world go by. It's also pedestrianised for most of the day meaning you don't have to think about passing vehicles. |
Corso Italia
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Via San Cesareo
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Running parallel to the western half of Corso Italia we find another of the town's most popular streets: Via San Cesareo.
Whereas Corso Italia is a wide, open boulevard, Via San Cesareo is much more tightly-packed which makes it all the more intriguing. It's made up of a similar number of shops, bars and restaurants, but they tend to be smaller than those on Corso Italia with most of their wares displayed outside on the street to tempt you in. One of the main temptations along Via San Cesareo is limoncello and you can take your pick from dozens of places that sell it. |
Via San Cesareo
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Sorrento Cathedral
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Situated along the western half of Corso Italia, Sorrento Cathedral was originally built in the 11th century, before later being reconstructed in the Romanesque style.
The Cathedral's striking bell tower, adorned with a 15th-century clock is one of the main features along the Corso, while the interior is decorated in an elegant Neapolitan Baroque style. Inside, visitors can admire exquisite frescoes, intricate wooden choir stalls, and a beautifully painted ceiling. The church also houses notable artworks, including paintings by Nicola Malinconico. |
Sorrento Cathedral
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Sedile Dominova
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The Sedile Dominova is an historic landmark along the busting shopping street of Via San Cesareo.
Built in the 14th century, it was originally a meeting place for the city’s noble families to discuss the politics of the day. It is the only surviving noble seat in the Campania region, showcasing a blend of Renaissance and Baroque architectural elements. The structure features an open loggia with elegant arches and intricate frescoes depicting coats of arms and decorative motifs. A striking dome, covered in yellow and green majolica tiles, adds to its charm. |
Sedile Dominova
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PARSANO BASTION & ANCIENT WALLS
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The Parsano Bastion and Ancient Walls in Sorrento are remnants of the city’s historic fortifications.
Built during the 16th century, the bastion was part of a defensive system designed to protect Sorrento from invasions. The walls, originally constructed by the Greeks and later reinforced by the Romans and Spanish, encircle parts of the city. The Parsano Bastion features well-preserved stonework, offering a glimpse into Sorrento’s military history. Visitors can walk along sections of the walls which can be found down a side street close to Sorrento Cathedral on Corso Italia. |
Parsano Bastion and Ancient Walls
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VALLEY OF THE MILLS
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The Valley of the Mills is a deep, lush ravine that once housed ancient mills used for grinding wheat. Dating back to the 13th century, the site was an important part of the local economy.
The valley, formed by a volcanic eruption, provided an ideal location for milling due to its constant humidity and water supply. Over time, the mills were abandoned in the 20th century, leaving behind eerie yet beautiful remnants of stone buildings. You can get a bird's-eye view of the Valley from the viewing area just above it. It's just a very short walk from Pizza Tasso, past the taxi ranks and opposite the multi-storey car park. |
Valley of the Mills
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