The small town of Sorrento, which people in the area call Surriento, is on the south side of the Bay of Naples. It is surrounded by rocky cliffs that rise 55 meters above the water and are filled with lemon and orange groves. Sorrento is a good place to stop because it has a laid-back vacation vibe, beaches, and old streets lined with grand homes.

The town center is the busy Piazza Tasso, which is surrounded by small streets with shops and places to eat. It’s a great place to stroll, take it easy, and enjoy a little bit of la dolce vita. Sorrento is close to a lot of interesting places, so there are lots of day trips you can take from there.

Sorrento has been ruled by the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, the French, the Spanish, and the Turks. Its architecture shows these influences, and you can even hear Spanish in the way people talk. As you walk, look for the Sedil Dominova, which was built in the early 1600s, the Correale Palace, which was built in the 1400s, and the rare Veniero Palace, which was built in the 1300s and has details in late Byzantine and Arab styles.

On a more modern note, be sure to stop in a pastry shop to try some of the local sweets, especially the Caprese almond cake. This list of the best places to see and things to do in Sorrento makes it easy to find the best places to go.

From the water, you can see Sorrento and the cities around it. Some tours visit the whole Amalfi Coast, while others focus on Sorrento, Positano, or Capri. Some of them include a trip to the Blue Grotto, which is a beautiful place.

The length of these tours ranges from a few hours to a whole day. There is a separate fee to get into tourist spots like the Blue Grotto. Most of the time, these things are not part of the price of the boat tour.

Along the steep coast, the two harbors, Marina Grande and Marina Piccola, are spread out. Marina Grande, which means “big,” is actually smaller than Marina Piccola, which means “small,” but it is more interesting for tourists.

Its waterfront has a boardwalk feel and is lined with seafood restaurants with terraces that look out over the water. If you walk away from the beach and sunbathing piers, you’ll find a small fishing village. Fishermen still come here in the morning to unload their boats so they can bring food to the restaurants.

From the busy Piazza Tasso, which is the center of business in Sorrento, a road leads down to Marina Piccola, where tourist boats dock. Here, you can take ferries and boat tours to Capri (20 minutes), Naples (30 minutes), the Amalfi Coast, and the islands of Ischia and Procida. Several of the almost two dozen beaches along the coast of Sorrento are close to the Marina Grande.

Make sure to find one that goes from Sorrento to Capri so you don’t miss seeing the sights in Capri.

Full-Day on the Amalfi Coast: For $43.15, this seven-hour tour starts in Sorrento and stops in two beautiful Italian coastal towns. If you get hungry during this tour, you’ll have to bring your own lunch or buy one.

The St. Francis monastery was built in the early eighth century, and the vine-covered cloister from the late 1300s is its most famous feature. On two sides, there are tufa arches that are crossed, and on the other two sides, there are round arches on top of octagonal columns.

As with other buildings in Sorrento, look for parts of older buildings. For example, three of the corner columns came from pagan temples. The cloister is a place where concerts and art shows are held in the summer. Several Renaissance chapels are in the church next door, which was built in the 1600s.

You can go to its churches, restaurants, shops, and cliffs to hike. Many people use this small town as a starting point for other trips, but its beauty is unmatched, and the fact that most streets in Sorrento can only be traveled on foot makes it a great place for tourists. Try the limoncello that the country is known for, and buy things like fine lace from street vendors. Don’t forget to try the gelato, gnocchi, and seafood.

At the tip of Capo di Sorrento, there are the ruins of a Roman villa from the first century BC called Villa Pollio Felice. One of the most interesting things to do in Sorrento is swim in the beautiful natural pool below it. The pool is separated from the sea by a rock arch, and steep rock cliffs are all around it.

You can get here by boat or by a path from the road. From the center of town, you can take a bus or walk for half an hour. There is a path across the natural arch. Even though Sorrento has a lot of beaches, swimming here is something you’ll never forget.

You’ll go to several wineries to taste their wines and have lunch. In the time it takes to get from one place to another, you can see a lot of Italy’s wine country.

On the Montepulciano Wine Tour, you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to three wineries and a restaurant for lunch. The price for this full-day tour is $201.30.

Taking the ferry from the Marina Piccola to the famous island of Capri is one of the most popular things to do in Sorento. The Marina Piccola port is where fast ferries leave (an elevator will take you between Villa Comunale and the port, or you can take a bus).

Capri’s Marina Grande can be reached by ferry, and it takes 20 to 30 minutes to get there. Once you get there, you can book a boat trip to the Blue Grotto or take a funicular to Capri, the main town on the island. Or, you can book a full-day trip from Naples or Sorrento to Capri and the Blue Grotto that includes a jetfoil ride to the island and a minibus ride to Anacapri. With a small group, you’ll see the best of the island and stop in Anacapri and the village of Capri to shop and look around. There will be a stop at the Blue Grotto.