5 top things to do on the Sorrento Peninsula, Italy

This charming part of Italy was a Greek colony during the Magna Grecia period, and the Romans built opulent villas and temples here and used it as a summer resort. Ibsen, Dickens and Byron visited as part of their Grand Tours, and today it’s a destination that many Italians choose to holiday in. The Sorrento Peninsula and its star attractions – namely the Amalfi Coast, the ruins of Pompeii and the elegant town of Sorrento itself – is the perfect retreat for a relaxing tour or holiday enjoying some of Italy’s most celebrated scenes, sights and flavours.

The charming coastal town of Sorrento has an historic centre of which Piazza Tasso is its beating heart. Visit the Correale di Terranova with its exquisite collection of art and artefacts collected by the counts of Terranova; visit the Duomo whose interior showcases some of the town’s trademark marquetry; and visit Museobottega della Tarsialignea, a restored 19th-century townhouse full of period furniture, paintings and artefacts. You can also enjoy delicious freshly caught seafood in the marina and charter a boat to glamorous Capri.

Referred to as Limoncello in the south and Limoncino in the north, this popular liqueur is made from the zest of Femminello St Teresa or Sorrento lemons and is served chilled as an after-dinner digestive. You’ll get a taste of real limoncello on our Contrasts of Ischia and Sorrento tour, during an included visit to a local lemon grove, and later on we pop into a patisserie to taste delize a limone (lemon delight) – a sponge cake drizzled with sweet limoncello syrup. If it hits the spot, you can make your own limoncello back home using lemons, vodka, sugar and boiling water.

The Amalfi Coast is sophisticated, beautiful, and one of the most famous stretches of coastline in the world. Some say it’s best seen from the water. Others swear the Amalfi Coast drive (with its pulse-quickening views) is not to be missed. You can exprience both on our Highlights of the Beautiful Amalfi Coast tour, driving first to pretty Positano and then cruising to Amalfi and back by boat. Walkers and hikers might prefer to set off on foot and follow the Walk of the Gods – one of the most famous walking routes on this whole coastline. You’ll feel as if you are walking in the sky as you travel through breathtaking scenery from Bomerano to Montepertuso on the trail supposedly made by gods as they were lured to the sea by sirens.

If you enjoy ancient history and archaeology, Pompeii is an absolute must-see. Once a wealthy Roman city, Pompeii was famously smothered in ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Today you can still walk amongst its civic buildings, bathhouses and dwellings with preserved wall paintings and original graffiti – poignant echoes of the past, frozen in time. We include a visit to Pompeii and a guided walking tour on our Highlights of the Beautiful Amalfi Coast escorted tour, or you can visit both Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius on an optional excursion on Contrasts of Ischia and Sorrento.

Mount Vesuvius stands on Italy’s west coast overlooking the beautiful Bay of Naples. It’s the only active volcano in continental Europe, and its looming shape on the skyline is one of the most iconic natural landmarks in southern Italy. On Contrasts of Ischia and Sorrento you can ascend to the summit of legendary Mount Vesuvius on an optional tour and see smoke and gas rising from the craters of this dormant giant. The same trip also visits the ruins of Pompeii, the Roman city destroyed by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Got a taste for Italy and the charms of the Sorrento Peninsula? If you’d love to sip real limoncello in Sorrento, walk back in time through the ruins of Pompeii or experience the dramatic dips and curves of the spectacular Amalfi Coast, take a look at our expertly planned Italy holidays.