Even though this was our home base for this portion of our trip, we had spent very little time exploring the charming town of Sorrento. While larger than its cousins along the Amalfi coast, Sorrento is worth spending time exploring the streets. We had a later start this morning, allowing ourselves time to catch up on much needed sleep. By the time we hit the streets it was mid-morning and already getting a little warm.
Tasso Square is the center part of the town and the jumping off point for the pedestrian alleyways containing both retail establishments and churches of various shapes and sizes. When we came to a church that was open, we popped in for a look even if only for a few minutes. By far the most spectacular was the Sorrento Cathedral, home to the Archbishop for the region. We spent several minutes exploring and taking photos.
We stopped at other churches along the way. One displayed black and white photos of Raffaele Celentano, a local photographer who has documented Sorrento locals over the years. Some were quite funny like the one with nuns enjoying tree swings. Others showed much emotion on the faces of their subject. He also has collected photos of Sofia Lauren over the years and these photos were on display at another museum which we also visited. The third site of his photos was in the Saint Francis Cloister where we got to meet the artist.
For lunch, we hunted down Inn Bufalito Taverna which specializes in all things buffalo. We started with the mozzarella sampler which contained 5 kinds of cheese all of which were delicious. We all tried different main courses. Pasta with buffalo ragu, spagheti with pesto and muscles and salad with tuna were all delightful. Don't miss trying this place if you are ever in Sorrento.
After lunch I was on a mission to find a pair of sandals from one of the many streetside vendors. We ended up at a small store which would custom make a pair for you and have them ready the next afternoon. This was exactly what I was looking for and was thrilled that I found a pair already in their inventory since we have an morning departure for Florence.
The last item on my Sorrento bucket list was swimming in the ocean. Our hotel has a deck at water level filled with chairs and umbrellas along with a ladder that allowed entry into the water. After seeing beaches of people playing in the ocean, I assumed the water would be warm and inviting. Warm it was not even though the clear waters were quite inviting. I took the plunge if only for a few minutes so I could say I had done it.
Early evening we set out to find other unexplored streets of the city. Heading in the opposite direction up from Tasso Square, we ran across an abandoned water mill in a valley far below street level. Quite overgrown, it was still a site to behold. We then wondered further up the hill which took us into more of the locals area. We came upon the leftovers of an ancient fortification which also housed a inlaid wood museum. Franco demonstrated how inlay is made and gave us a souvenir to take with us. Next we climbed to the top of the wall for a view over the city.
It was almost sunset, so we hurried down to the waterfront for our final sunset over the ocean. This was the best of the trip because some scattered clouds added interest to the red setting sun. People gathered in a ritual found all over the world, witnessing the end of another day.
Dinner consisted of ice cream drinks and potato chips which was all we needed after our early afternoon lunch. Sorrento welcomed us with open arms and we loved exploring her sites.
Tomorrow: Traveling to Florence
Tasso Square is the center part of the town and the jumping off point for the pedestrian alleyways containing both retail establishments and churches of various shapes and sizes. When we came to a church that was open, we popped in for a look even if only for a few minutes. By far the most spectacular was the Sorrento Cathedral, home to the Archbishop for the region. We spent several minutes exploring and taking photos.
We stopped at other churches along the way. One displayed black and white photos of Raffaele Celentano, a local photographer who has documented Sorrento locals over the years. Some were quite funny like the one with nuns enjoying tree swings. Others showed much emotion on the faces of their subject. He also has collected photos of Sofia Lauren over the years and these photos were on display at another museum which we also visited. The third site of his photos was in the Saint Francis Cloister where we got to meet the artist.
For lunch, we hunted down Inn Bufalito Taverna which specializes in all things buffalo. We started with the mozzarella sampler which contained 5 kinds of cheese all of which were delicious. We all tried different main courses. Pasta with buffalo ragu, spagheti with pesto and muscles and salad with tuna were all delightful. Don't miss trying this place if you are ever in Sorrento.
After lunch I was on a mission to find a pair of sandals from one of the many streetside vendors. We ended up at a small store which would custom make a pair for you and have them ready the next afternoon. This was exactly what I was looking for and was thrilled that I found a pair already in their inventory since we have an morning departure for Florence.
The last item on my Sorrento bucket list was swimming in the ocean. Our hotel has a deck at water level filled with chairs and umbrellas along with a ladder that allowed entry into the water. After seeing beaches of people playing in the ocean, I assumed the water would be warm and inviting. Warm it was not even though the clear waters were quite inviting. I took the plunge if only for a few minutes so I could say I had done it.
Early evening we set out to find other unexplored streets of the city. Heading in the opposite direction up from Tasso Square, we ran across an abandoned water mill in a valley far below street level. Quite overgrown, it was still a site to behold. We then wondered further up the hill which took us into more of the locals area. We came upon the leftovers of an ancient fortification which also housed a inlaid wood museum. Franco demonstrated how inlay is made and gave us a souvenir to take with us. Next we climbed to the top of the wall for a view over the city.
It was almost sunset, so we hurried down to the waterfront for our final sunset over the ocean. This was the best of the trip because some scattered clouds added interest to the red setting sun. People gathered in a ritual found all over the world, witnessing the end of another day.
Dinner consisted of ice cream drinks and potato chips which was all we needed after our early afternoon lunch. Sorrento welcomed us with open arms and we loved exploring her sites.
Tomorrow: Traveling to Florence
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