An Itinerary for 4 Days in Sorrento With Exciting Side Trips

Sorrento is a Great Hub for Lots of Exploring

Sorrento is a great hub for lots of adventures and excursions. Not only can you explore the Amalfi coast, but you are also close to Pompeii. Sorrento itself has interesting things to see and unusual places to hike and swim. Staying four days in Sorrento will give you lots of time to explore.  Here is a great itinerary filled with a wide variety of activities for four full days in Sorrento.

Positano and Amalfi

The roads along the Amalfi coast are narrow, windy, and known for traffic especially in the summer months. A beautiful and peaceful way of traveling to Positano and the town of Amalfi is by ferry boat. You can book online or go to the ferry office in Marina Piccola to purchase tickets in person. The ferry boats make frequent stops along the coast, so it is doable to see Positano and Amalfi in one day.

The trip from Sorrento to Positano is between thirty minutes to one hour depending on what type of vessel you book. The view along the coast is spectacular. Dramatic cliffs give way to the crystal blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Once you disembark from the ferry you can explore Positano on foot for a couple of hours. Positano is a gem of a seaside town with colorful, cliffside villas overlooking the sea and lots of expensive boutiques, resorts, and restaurants. Start climbing up the stairs and enjoy peeking down little alleys and pausing to look out at the impressive view. The boutiques feature lots of linen, lemon products, leather sandals and ceramics. The Church of Santa Maria Assunta is easy to spot, so take some time and look inside. While you wait for the next ferry to take you to Amalfi kick off your shoes and wade in the water noticing the pebbly beach with abundant bits of sea glass. 

The ferry ride between Positano and Amalfi provides you with another opportunity for stunning views of the coastline.  Amalfi is smaller than Positano and nearly as pretty. Explore the narrow alleys and walk along Ruga Nova Mercatorum, Amalfi’s main street which extends from the water and past St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Grab lunch in one of the many little cafés and then look in some of the bustling boutiques and souvenir shops. It takes roughly forty-five minutes to see the main area of Amalfi.  Additionally, there are lots of hikes you can do in the hills of the Amalfi coast if you are looking for less city exploration, including the famed Path of the Gods if you can fit it into your itinerary.

Capri

Capri is worth splurging for a private or semi-private boat tour with a captain if you would like to swim and explore the grottos and coastline.  A captain, with local knowledge of the coastline, enables you to jump off the boat and swim without worrying about anchoring.  You can book one in Sorrento’s Marina Piccola with the Nautica Sic Sic company.

The crossing to Capri is relatively quick from Sorrento and before you can say limoncello you will be gazing at the dramatic sea cliffs and rock formations that define this beautiful island.  A captain can show you Grotta Bianca (White Grotto), cruise through I Faraglioni, and take you to a series of coves to swim in the warm blue water.  You can decide also if you’d like to disembark to see the famed Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto).  It’s fun to have lunch in a Capri waterfront restaurant and spend time exploring the island on foot. For the ultimate view of Capri, the Amalfi peninsula and the Bay of Naples ride the Mount Solaro chairlift on the top of the island.

Sorrento and the Queen’s Baths

Sorrento is easy to navigate on foot.  You can take a self-guided walking tour of the city and see Chiostro di San Francisco, Piazza Tasso, Marina Grande and Marina Piccolo, and Villa Communale with a stop at Limonoro to try the acclaimed Limoncello.  Walking along Corso Italia gives you a chance to shop and stop for a bite to eat. The Sorrento Cathedrale and Basilica di Sant’ Antonino are notable.

For an active adventure right in Sorrento, visit Bagni della Regina Giovanna, aka the Queen’s Baths.  This grotto is said to be where Queen Giovanna would entertain young lovers away from prying eyes. There are a variety of ways to get to the Queen’s Baths by bus, car, or boat, but if you are looking for exercise and a mini hike, walking is your best bet. From the center of Sorrento, it is a thirty-minute cliffside walk and hike down into the baths. Along the way you will have great views of Mount Vesuvius, Capri, and Ischia. Leave the center of town and follow the signs for Capo di Sorrento. At the sign turn right down a scenic lane towards the baths. This is an important archaeological site on the Sorrentine peninsula. You can also explore the remains of the ancient Roman villa. The baths are a perfect little bay surrounded by rock. On the coastal side there is a natural arch over the sea.  If you are arriving by boat the driver drops you off in the water and you must swim through the arch.  Take a dip in the natural pool than dry off along the cliffs and take in the views.

Pompeii

The archeologic ruins of Pompeii are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Italy’s most visited tourist destinations. Nearly two-thirds of the city has been excavated and you get an excellent idea of what this elegant, vibrant ancient city was once like. You can see the roads designed to accommodate chariots and the small city dwellings and shops in addition to more grandiose residences, buildings, and temples.  The enormous Amphitheater towards the far end of Pompeii is not to be missed; it’s the oldest surviving Roman amphitheater (dating from 80 BC) and seated 12,000 spectators.  Mount Vesuvius looms over the city and you can get some incredible pictures of this ominous volcano.

If you are driving take Motorway A3 Napoli-Salerno (exit at Castellammare di Stabia), continue along SS145 (exit Garegnano) and via Passeggiata archeological.  It is convenient to park in Pompeii Parking Zeus for ten Euros.

If you choose to go by train, there is a train station right near the Pompeii entry gates. From Sorrento take the regular Circumvesuviana to Pompeii Scavi. Trains run twice an hour, the ride is 30 minutes, and tickets are inexpensive. Click here for more train and driving information.

Three hours gives you enough time to explore a lot of Pompeii, but there is certainly enough to see to spend a longer time here. If you have more time, embark on a hike along the Mt. Vesuvius crater rim trail. Additionally, you can visit the archeological city of Herculaneum whose excavations are considered better and are less visited than Pompeii. Either buy your Pompeii tickets online or at the official gates.

Helpful Info:

• Inn Bufalito, Sorrento – moderately priced meals and good food.
• Donna Sofia, Sorrento – good food in a restaurant that pays homage to Sofia Loren.
• Caffe Positano – beautiful cliffside café in Positano that serves breakfast.
• Grand Hotel La Favorita – Sorrento rooftop restaurant has an amazing view and live music. We didn’t stay in this hotel, but I would next time. The staff was very friendly.
• Lo Smeraldo Restaurant– delicious and fresh seafood restaurant on Capri with a great view.
• Trainline is a great resource for visiting the Amalfi coast by train. Their app is Europe’s leading train or bus app.  
• If you would like to read more in depth about Amalfi and Positano click here.
• For further information about exploring Capri click here.
• More details about visiting Pompeii can be found here.
• To read about visiting the Queen’s Baths click here.

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