Why Sorrento should be on your summer 2018 bucket list

Cafe-lined squares, stunning clifftop views and fine fare, Liz Connor falls for the charms of Italy’s west coast
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Liz Connor30 July 2018

While Positano and Ravello still remain major targets for millennial tourists looking for the perfect Instagram shot of precipitous Italian houses tumbling into the sea, well-seasoned travellers and locals know that Sorrento should be more than just a rest stop on the way to Amalfi.

Often overlooked for the more photo-friendly parts of the coast, this handsome town offers the best of ‘la dolce vita’ - think buzzing pavement bars and perfect pizza with fewer infuriating crowds than some of the more well-trodden spots on Neapolitan Riviera.

Perched on a peninsular that’s washed by the Tyrrhenian Sea, it’s easy striking distance from London; direct flights to Naples take just short of three hours, and Sorrento is just an hour’s pretty drive along winding coastal roads from there.

Where to stay

Sorrento isn’t short of fine hotels, but if you want to be in the thick of it, it has to be the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. Towering over the clifftop in all of its old world glory, this gorgeous Belle Epoque hotel dates back to 1838 (it’s been owned by the Fiorentino family for hundreds of years) and prioritises everything that well-heeled travellers are looking for - faultless service, Michelin-starred dining and luxury at every turn. Rumour has it that it was a favourite stay of everyone from Oscar Wilde and Richard Wagner to Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe.

Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria

As well as Hollywood patrons, there are plenty of original features for history lovers to swoon over: 18th century columns, classical frescos and impossibly high ceilings, spread throughout the hotel’s suites and dining areas. Spending a night here sort of feels like holing up in a billionaire’s private house, and you could easily spend an afternoon just marvelling at the marble busts and cabinets of artefacts or exploring the lush gardens around the hotel, filled with orchids and fragrant citrus and olive groves. If you’re lucky enough to bag a sea-facing room, you’ll really get the best of the hotel’s clifftop location. Either way, on arrival you should enjoy a coffee (or a glass of Italian fizz, as we did) on the outdoor terrace and drink in the impressive views of mount Vesuvius and Naples across the bay.

There are 92 rooms in total, spread over seven palatial floors in the original hotel, and two smaller adjacent extensions. Our room was generously sized with a squashy king-sized bed, antique furniture and a small terrace, but there are plenty of different options to suit different budgets - you could seriously splash the cash on a suite complete with chesterfield sofas and a baby grand piano. Despite its size, the homely feel of of the hotel affords it a pleasant boutique feel, and you’re by no means fighting for space with other holidaymakers - at certain times of the day you’ll feel like you have the run of the place. After a day of navigating Sorrento’s cobbled streets on foot, there’s no better place to unwind with an Aperol Spritz and a splash in the pool.

Where to eat and drink

Sorrento is a lure for foodies and its dining scene is one of the area's biggest assets. No stay in Sorrento is complete without a visit to Pepe Aversa’s restaurant Il Buco, which plates up gourmet comfort food and has a Michelin-star in its arsenal. Housed in a former monk’s cellar, you can either eat al fresco or you can dine in the intimate stone vault. We feasted by candlelight on linguine with scorpion fish, ravioli ragu and (a highlight) seared sea bass in squid in crumble. There’s an excellent wine list with around 1,000 different labels, but if you’re unsure, ask the attentive waiting staff and they can pair something to your dishes.

Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria

If you stay at Excelsior Vittoria, you don’t have to go far to find good grub. Terrazza Bosquet, the hotel’s signature restaurant holds one Michelin Star under the helm of chef Antonino Montefusco and serves up gutsy, richly flavoured Italian dishes like Fresine pasta with red prawns, seaweed, lemon oil and Snapper in bread crust with escarole, olives, raisin, pantelleria capers. There’s a seven-course tasting menu that’s so brilliant you won’t want to miss it, but if you’re on a budget, they also have a la carte options too.

L'Antica Trattoria is a local hidden gem where the setting is just as special as the menu - weeping foliage that cascade from the restaurant’s beamed ceiling to the tables below. For more wallet-friendly eats, try Soul and Fish - an intimate waterside restaurant on Marina Grande with a fish shack vibe and a creative seafood menu.

What to do

Sorrento is one of those places where you’ll simply want to relax and enjoy your surroundings (you’ll never tire of that coastal view) rather than flitting from museum to landmark. Marina Grande is a small sandy harbour that's a great place to soak up the sun with a glass of wine in a pavement cafe - from here you can watch as the colourful fishing boats bring in the day’s catch.

Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria

If you’re looking to top up your tan, beneath Sorrento's Villa Comunale, there’s a small strip of volcanic sand occupied by a number of beach clubs that offer floating sun beds, towel service and access to wooden jetties where you can while away the hours with a good book.

Strolling the streets of Sorrento’s old town feels almost like stepping back in time, with cobbled lanes, 15th century cathedrals and lovely little independent bars - we loved meandering through the area without an itinerary, stopping every now and then for limoncello and gelato.

If you do get itchy feet though, Sorrento is perfectly poised for several great day trips by train and boat. The island of Capri is where the rich and famous holiday, and you can reach here by ferry in just half an hour - we suggest you pre-book (www.capri.net) as the queues for on the day tickets can be painful and peak times get booked up quickly. Famed for its dramatic rock formations and impossibly blue waters, you’ll see why it’s cove-studded coastline attracts so many tourists each year. One of its best-known natural sites is the Blue Grotto, a dark cavern where the sea glows electric blue as a result of sunlight passing through an underwater cave - hop aboard a wooden rowboat at Marina Grande, lie back and let your skipper guide you through the peaceful waters.

Capri Palace

If you fancy making a night of it, Capri Palace is the place to stay - a cool design hotel with a very good wellness spa and a contemporary art collection. It’s crowning glory is the romantic Michelin-starred restaurant Il Riccio beach club, which is perched off-site on the most magnificent clifftop location. If the hotel is out of your budget, this makes for a special lunch spot. The sprawling restaurant has an airy indoor-outdoor feeling with an open kitchen and nautical wooden furniture. Overlooking the sea of Capri, it serves simple, fresh seafood with flair - shellfish pastas, grilled octopus and whole lobsters. The calamari, swished down with a glass of white wine, is unrivalled. Open-top taxis are also quite expensive here - as we found out the hard way - so arrange for the hotel to pick you up via their shuffle service instead.

Pompeii is also in easy striking distance of Sorrento - the train takes 30 minutes and costs around € 2 per person. This vast archaeological site (Pompeii was buried under meters of ash and pumice after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.) is a great way to pack some history into your beach holiday. A day trip is all the time you need to explore the preserved site and its fascinating excavated Roman streets and houses.

Details

Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria (exvitt.it), Piazza Torquato Tasso, 34, 80067 Sorrento. Rates start from €460 per night, based on two people sharing with breakfast, excluding taxes.

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