Will we be missing out if we stay in Sorrento for 7 nights?
 

we are 4 women heading to sorrento for a week after a week in florence. We first decided on 5 nights in sorrento and 2 in capri or positano but finding accomodation within our budget and a hotel that will take all 4 of us for 2 nights was difficult. So now we have3 decided on 7 nights in sorrento renting on apartment and doing day trips to capri, positano, pompeii, ischia, etc.
Are we missing out? We will be in sorrento in the first week of August.
Maryann

Maryann, for me, Sorrento was tacky, but a good base for day-trips. We spent 2 nights in Sorrento as a base...I do recommend Hotel Minerva in Sorrento for the great views and fantastic breakfast at a reasonable price. But ask for a room on the upper floors...the lower floor hallway smelled a bit musty.

Praiano, where we stopped for lunch, seemed much more interesting as a place to stay. It is tiny, and has a wonderful local seafood restaurant right on the tiny beach, where the dock is.

That said, I would recommend you skip sorrento entirely and stay in Rome instead! Or have you already been to Rome? Rome was our #1 favorite place in Italy!

Buon viaggio

Seven nights in Sorrento may be fine since you really won't be around much in the day.

If it really bugs you, check out previous posts by IRA, who based in Praiano. It's much cheaper than Positano, and apparently offers magnificent views from the hotel he recommends, LE SIRENE.

In Capri, there's two budget hotels called HOTEL WEBER and VILLA KRUPP.Did you check these two out? I haven't stayed at either, but have friends who stayed at both and said that they are fine and better than missing Capri entirely. Be warned that in the summer months Capri is swamped by daytrippers. That's why most people try to stay overnight if possible, so they can enjoy the beauty of the island without the mass tourist invasion.

Sorrento - tacky ???/
Did we go to the same place ?
Sorrento, as is the rest of Italy was scenic, beautiful where the people were warm and friendly.
I had intended to stay in Salerno but didn't find it very quaint. So I trained it to Sorrento and stayed at a great little hotel near the station called Hotel Nice (as in France but I suppose some can read it as the adjective) and used it as my base for Positano, Capri and the rest of the Amalfi Coast. The prices were extrememly reasonable and if you decide to change your plans and stay in a specific town later during the week, you can decide to that also.
For my part, I loved Sorrento.

Hi Maryann,

Sorrento is a very good base. You can get to Naples, Pompeii, Ercolano, Caserta and Paestum as well as the other towns on the AC.

It also has a goodly number of restaurants and more nightlife than other towns on the AC.

OTOH, if you are looking for quiet, rest and relaxation Praiano would be my choice.

((I))

I am going to Sorrento in August for six nights and the reason I choose it was because you could visit so many places from there.

Don't know if it is tacky or not as I have never been there but friends and relatives tell me it is a great place and a good base. The vast majoeity of threads on Fodors would agree.

If you have found affordable accommodation in Sorrento I would stay there and use it as a base for the many other attractions on the Amalfi Coast and Naples .

Enjoy your trip

Helen

My best friend and I also chose Sorrento as a base for exploring the Amalfi Coast. We did not find it tacky (and I can't imagine how someone would think that either). We stayed at the Bellevue Syrene, which was fantastic, but as you've stated you already have reasonably priced accomodations.

We easily visited Capri & took the SITA bus down to Amalfi. We were only on the AC for 3 days as part of a trip that included Rome & Florence as well, but I would probably stay there again for a longer period of time when I eventually have the pleasure of a return trip with my husband.

As Ira mentioned, staying in Sorrento makes for easier access to Pompeii & Herculaneum too.

For a first trip, I think Sorrento is a great home base. Trish

Mariastefnyc: There is a section with many shops that cater to tourists, but even this area is charming, especially at night. The buildings are old, the streets cobbled and pedestrian only and, as Ira suggests, there are many cafes, retaurants and many of the shops are truly interesting. I remember we bought a beautiful hand-made table cloth at one of them.
Certainly, Sorrento is not tacky. The views from the hotels are spectacular. You can see the lights from Naples across the Bay of Naples at night. Fantastic!
We also used Sorrento as a base for day tripping and it is very well located for that purpose. The argument for a night at Capri is valid. Before and after the day-trippers is the best; serene and beautiful. Don't miss Pasteum. After all the Roman Ruins, the Greek Ruins at Pasteum are marvelous.
If you go across to the other side of Sorrento for a day (the non-hotel, townish area), you will get to wander among locals at their shops and stores and it is entirely another experience; one we enjoyed very much. You can do the same at Solerno. These areas have no tourists. Have a great trip.

Ira, I like your classy style, you simply give your opinions without even hinting that someone else's opinion is wrong. Every time I check up on the Italy board, there you are, generously advising travellers.

Grazie mille!

Answers here are opinions unless they are stating facts about schedules and times.

Melissa5: Like the rest of us, Ira is human. That is, he can be wrong, as he was in offering advice (opinion?) to this traveller about secure parking in Sorrento.

As expressed by SeaUrchin, facts and opinions are not one-and-the-same.

Well, Sorrento is package vacation central for the Brits and other groups visiting that part of Italy. The area it is located in is lovely, but the town is very touristy in terms of the types of shops and restaurants catering to tourist tastes--I wouldn't say it's overwhelmingly tacky, but it does appeal more to the dedicated WalMart crowd than the Amalfi Coast does.

Just one couple's opinion--that said, we did spend 3 days there a few years ago and found it a good central location for exploring the area, and the setting is pretty. But 7 days in Sorrento would be a tad much.

Be that as it may, until proved otherwise I will chose to take ira's opinion as (close to it as I can get it) fact.

His advice will be the predominant decision maker as I plan my (first) trip to Italy next year.

We went to the amalfi coast three years ago and after reviewing all the postings on this page, we decided to make Sorrento as our base to visit capri, naples, and Pompei. It was a good decision since the train and boat service from sorrento is great. We also stayed in Positano for two night and loved it. Unless you are beach person, I would not recommend staying longer than 2 nights in Positano or capri.

Thanks for the kind words, Melissa5.

Oh my, starrsville, you are setting a very high standard for me. :)

((I))

I'll wade in and vote for Sorrento. We've been there twice and stayed in a little hotel just off the main square.

Walking distance down to the marina and train station.

Beautiful views, restaurants, shops.

Great connections to Capri, Amalfi Coast, etc

Seven nights in Sorrento is not too much if you are viewing it mainly as a base to visit other places. In addition to the 4 you mentioned (Capri, Positano, Pompeii, Ischia), you could take day trips to Naples and Paestum. I highly recommend both of those. As others have said, Sorrento is the easiest place on the AC from which to travel around the area.

I don't know if I'd exactly call it tacky, but it definitely was extremely tourist-oriented. What we felt about Sorrento was that tourists were its main reason for existence, as opposed to other places we've been in Italy that had more of a life of their own. We heard more English spoken on the streen than Italian. But of course, we are all tourists, and it hardly seems fair to criticize Sorrento for accommodating us!

You can see my trip report on 5 days based in Sorrento, with photos, starting at:
http://www.rozault.com/italy2004/report04.html

nonnafelice, GREAT trip report and pics. I bookmarked your link to use in planning my trip next year.

Ira, actually, it's you who set a high standard for us!

Ira, I'd like to know when you last visited the Amalfi Coast, how many times you have been there, how many places you've stayed in besides Praiano, in order to make inform comparisons about different towns, and whether you have ever stayed in Sorrento itself .

You are considered to be quite an expert here on this subject, which one pster here saying they would use your opinions above all others when actually planning their trip, so now it's made me curious as to how you gained such an extensive expertise-you must be a regular visitor to this wonderful part of Italy. Are you?

I'm certainly not an "expert" on Sorrento/Amalfi Coast, but I would opt to make Sorrento my base for all of the popular opinions posted before me.

What I found in Sorrento were the PEOPLE. That was the treasure my husband and I found there. They are so warm and friendly - and unpretentious. I've made friends in Sorrento, and plan on re-visiting with my entire family in 2006.

Dang, that sounds like a challenge, bellastar.

Sorry, ira. My compliment was not meant to draw you fire.

But, as harsh as it sounds, bs' comments ARE true. I read and "listen" to lots of voices on this forum...but if I were to have one voice make a final decision for me, it would be ira's.

Rufus how could you! I certainly don't consider myself part of the "Walmart crowd" and Sorrento is one of our favorite places in Italy. We too stay at the Bellevue Syrene on our visits and I love that old part of the city.

Piazza Tasso gets crowded when ships are in port, and there are lots of people walking around downtown. I love it there in spite of that. We find the food wonderful (gnocchi Sorrentino a favorite), the people extremely kind and friendly, and the area drop dead gorgeous. Additionally, as others have said, it is so easy to catch a hydrofoil to Capri or Naples or Ischia, take a SITA bus to Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, and Circumvesuviana trains to Pompeii, Herculaneum, etc.

I NEVER saw it as "tacky" but I guess tacky is in the eye of the beholder to paraphrase.

Thanks Giovonna, I didn't want to get into the "discussion" so to speak, but I sure have never thought of Sorrento as a "WalMart" kind of place either. And I probably dislike WalMart more then anyone. I have one just one block from me and I haven't been in it for two years.

Beautiful Sorrento, with her gracious residents, lovely view, wonderful food is a jewel IMO. And although I have always been there with a car obviously it is a good base for exploring other areas. BTW, I do not know if there is a bus that will take you to Massa Lubrense which is about 6 KL south of Sorrento but if there is (just make sure you can get back) that would be a fun short side trip also.

Enjoy Sorrento, I am sure you will.

I am a Walmart hater too LoveItaly! I guess that's why the comment stung even more. The insult to one of our favorite places was bad enough.

I agree that the four ladies should have a wonderful time, with so much to see and do in this beautiful part of Italy.

Hi Giovonna, don't we wish we were there. I haven't been to Sorrento for some time and miss it. But maybe one of these days. Take good care.

WHEN WE WERE KIDS, and a vigorous difference of opinion arose, you know what my Dad used to say?

He would say, very calmly, "Well, we'll just have to agree to disagree." I remembering falling into silence for a few moments as I was struck with how calm he was, when we kids were feeling so passionate! Dad taught me that it's really okay if we don't all see things the same.

So sorry if my questions for Ira sounded harsh, as I wrote them in a hurry at the office, and, to starrsville, if you want to see ira's as the ultimate expert and follow all his advice, more power to you.

To be more clear, I was just curious about the extent of his direct experience of Sorrento. There were other responses here for example from joegri and tpatricco) which gave very good and helpful information about actually staying in Sorrento based on direct experience. I had the impression that Ira has only stayed in Praiano.

Mariastefnyc (Mary ann), I think you have the right idea by basing yourselves in the place that offers the most options. Sorrento is glowing at night, and has a wonderful passegiata, a miracle of Italian life which you'll absolutly love being a part of-or you can check out the little nightclub located next to Piazza Tasso on the stairs that lead down to the dock
There are tourist shops all around Piazza Tasso, to be sure, but I can't remotely connect the flavor of them to Walmarts (yikes! not!) I have bought beautiful little boxes of inlaid wood (marquetry is a local craft) but I'm not really a shopping maven.

On one of my trips to the Amalfi Coast I stayed there once at a hotel just on the edge of town on the road up to Masslubrense, which fit my budget at the time, and the room had sweeping views of the bay of Naples and the twinkling lights the town and the Marina below us- We the New Year's fireworks displays over Naples and Sorrento from our balcony there with some friends. I was there at Christmastime, when Sorrento was at her finest. Loveitaly is so right when she points to the great warmth and gracious charm of the local people.
Other times I have stayed on the other side of Sorrento in a local area, which I also enjoy greatly, because I got the chance to use the local shops to buy everyday things and interact with people.

Ira is right that Praiano is a quiet and relaxing village on the coast. I stayed once for a week. Marina di Praia is a good place to visit-there's a fantastic seafood restaurant right there on the tiny beach, and La Braccia in the town also has wonderful food.

Hope you and your friends have a great time, and post about it when you return-I'd love to know what it's like in August-I've never been there in Summer!

I find it strange that Ira hasn't answered bellastar's question. If so many of you are going to follow Ira's advice, he should let you know his credentials so to speak. I had been under the impression that his experience is reaped from a few days in Praiano.

I think that's one reason I respect ira's opinions so much. He doesn't get caught up in these little squabbles on the board.

Having said that, I will follow his modeling - and shut up.

Okay, one more thing. Please note that I took the time to follow nonnafelice's link and bookmarked a place recommended. I'm not a lemming - but do highly respect ira's input.

Okay, I really WILL try to shut up now :-). Time to go out and enjoy the beautiful sunshine and 80 degree weather in my own pitiful replacement for Tuscany.

I wasn't aware of a squabble. Just the facts ma'am.

BTW, the name of the club is Matildas. Here is a site with a section dedicated solely to Sorrento by those who have recently visited. This question is about the same as yours Mariastefnyc.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic..._Campania.html

Why is this irritating me so much?

>>Answers here are opinions unless they are stating facts about schedules and times.<<

Absolutely, completely, 100% right.


>>OTOH, if you are looking for quiet, rest and relaxation Praiano would be my choice.<<

Absolutely, completely 100% offered as ira's personal opinion / choice.

Where the heck is the conflict?

I believe it was another poster who had negative things to say about Sorrento and recommended Praiano. Weadles is the one that directed the OP to a previous post by ira. I can't find anywhere we ira has posted anything that is negative or controversial. Once again, he remains a gentleman.

I have stayed on the Amalfi Coast many times...at boths "ends" of the AC in Sorrento & Salerno, as well as nights in Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Praiano...and Ischia & Capri.

For ease of getting around, Sorrento is the best...IN MY OPINION...because they have rail service in addition to a fairly large port with ferries, & hydrofoil service up & down the Amalfi Coast as well as Ischia & Capri. Plus, regular buses all day.

It makes a good base for tavelling down the coast, and for visiting Pompeii & Herculaneum...and Naples.

You might consider 5 nights in Sorrento and 2 nights on Ischia (instead of Capri). Cheaper hotels are more plentiful, and they have service to Capri.

Just some thoughts.

JIm Tardio has taken some georgeous photos of the area, which may (hopefully ) still be on his website. There's one he made of Positano taken from the beach which is still etched in my visual memory.

starrsville- just read the last post about how you find this irritating- well I confess to feeling just a wee bit that way as well-for a different reason.

There are quite a number of posts on this thread where people took the time to offer excellent advise based on their experience of the location in question, and were generous (and classy) enough to come up with specific details to help the OP.

Ira came up with an extremely generalised statement that you could find in any guidebook. I saw nothing controversial, there but also nothing that was all that helpful eiither, at least on this thread.

Seeing so much praise heaped on one person who made a generalized statement containing no specific suggestions, while not acknowledging any of the numerous others who DID spend the time and effort to give useful advice and opinions based on experience is what prompted my question.

There are obviously several of us who hold a special place in out travel hearts for the Amalfi Coast, and have dedicated many of our travel days to getting to know her people and her places better with multiple visits, over years.

I simply asked Ira if he was one of those, or rather a one-time visitor. A direct question perhaps, but hardly a controversial one!

As a first-time traveller to the Amalfi Coast area, this thread has been most helpful for my wife and I to decide on where to set-up base for 4 days and 5 nights and before we head on to Puglia in September.

As we plan on doing a lot of daytime travelling (Naples, Pompeii, Capri, Positano), we decided on setting up base in Sorrento.

Now, we have 3 hotel choces so far:
Hotel Grand Hotel De La Ville (205E Double with Seaview).
Grand Hotel Riviera (218E with partial sea view).
Hotel Bellevue Syrene (still waiting for reply on rates and availabilities).

We like to take advantage of nocturnal activities that any town that we're in has to offer - hence, night public transportation or easy walking distance would be preferred. Plus, as I noted above, we will be doing daytrips to other towns and points of interests.

Can anybody suggest which of the 3 hotels above would suit our needs and preference?

Thank you.

I just have to add my 2 cents :-) I stayed on the Amalfi coast for 6 or so days last May. First stayed at Ravello, then at Sorrento. Ravello was my favorite. The tour buses pull in for a short time, then leave. Then you have the place to yourself, the townspeople, and a few other savvy tourists. I think there is enough there to keep you busy a few days, and you can get reasonably priced accommodations. But it is difficult taking day trips from there. In that sense, Sorrento is better. But I would say (in comparison) that Sorrento is a little tacky -- or at least, very touristy. I had stayed there 8 or 10 years before, and it was totally different than now. But I know a lot of people do like it and it is great as a base for day trips to the other places. You have several choices of transportation among boats and buses. Yes, the views are great, but not as great as the views from Ravello. And it's just a busier scene. The Amalfi is just flat out wonderful, and wherever you end up you will be glad you went.

Let me preface my post with the statement that I have been to the region in question only once, that it was several years ago, and that we stayed all of our 10 nights in Sorrento.

In my opinion, Sorrento is not tacky, but it is certainly no stranger to the tourist. There are many restaurants and shops that cater to the large tourist trade and the town makes no pretense of doing it's best to do this. Other towns that many prefer as their base, such as Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, Capri are just as busy catering to tourist visitors but are perhaps catering to a slightly different subset. I think anyone who feels superior about avoiding the well trodden path by staying in these towns instead of Sorrento is deluding themselves somewhat. That's my opinion.

That said, Sorrento may not be to everyone's taste, since we all have different preferences.

We liked it because, despite there being many fellow visitors, it still retained an Italian ambience, we were still able to meet with and converse with many friendly Italians and it gave us a great choice of excellent drinking and dining options for lunch and dinner. It was a pleasure to walk around the many streets and to browse in some of those tourist-oriented shops.

That said, we visited in October when shops and restaurants were still open but tourist numbers had already dropped off somewhat since high season.

We did find it an excellent base for exploring the area as it had excellent train, bus and boat links.

Maryann, I am sure you will have a wonderful trip and make the most of the base you have chosen. Looking forward to reading your report when you get back!

Sorrento is lovely and a good place to do trips from. There is lots of transportation direct from Sorrento that is harder to get to from Positano. There was a rock slide when I was there in May that was a traffic nightmare.--Probably still there at Eden Rock. We had a great driver from Sorrento see.. He was appropriately priced, accomodating and very well versed in English! www.francescomarrapese.com

My husband and I will be staying at a house/villa in Massalubrense. I am finding very little information on this city. I know it is very close to Sorrento and am wondering if anyone has any info? Thanks so much - it is appreciated!