Exploring Sorrento & the Amalfi Coast

I’ve wanted to travel to see the beautiful sights of Italy including Sorrento & the Amalfi Coast for a while now.. so when I was invited on a FAM Trip (Familiarisation Trip) by one of our suppliers – Citalia. I jumped at the chance – Literally!

A team of 20 of us flew out from Gatwick (getting the train, underground and Gatwick express was interesting! Haha).

At the airport, I met a great team of like minded travel agents and we began our trip together..

A direct two and a half hour flight across the Mediterranean ocean, led us to Naples, where we arrived to meet our guide Becky. She had lived in Sorrento for over 20 years, so what she didn’t know about Sorrento, wasn’t worth knowing.

We collected our luggage and the drive began towards Sorrento. On the way, we stopped at the incredible Pizza A Metro Da Gigino L’Università della Pizza – the University of Pizza and WOW it lived up to our expectations (with metre long sharing pizzas). There, the Pizza obsession began..

The transfer overall was around 60-90 minutes (due to traffic and the crazy Italian drivers!). We checked into Hilton Sorrento Palace for three nights.

This hotel is in an incredible location, just a short 10-15 minutes to the centre, shops and restaurants. Oh and you begin your day, eating breakfast, overlooking Mount Vesuvius – it’s pretty spectacular! The lobby is very spacious and grand, the staff were very friendly and inviting and the bar and fireside seating area was very special too. It has an indoor and outdoor pool, some great authentic restaurants and an executive club lounge also (with a rooftop bar and pool) which I would highly advise upgrading too!

After breakfast, we went for a walk around Sorrento. What is there to do in Sorrento? Other than drinking endless of the local authentic Limocello?

Well..

Simply walking around the edge of the old town Piazza Tasso offers lots to see, including the Basiica of Sant’ Antonino (with live music in the courtyard in the summer).

You can head to the Public Gardens and Port of Sorrento where there are bathing platforms/decking for sunbathing overlooking the incredible colours of the ocean blue. Here, you can board a boat to Naples, Capri, Amalfi, Positano and Ischia! Such a great location to offer more and more beauty, to maximise your trip.

Then lunch at Fauno Notte Club – an authentic Italian restaurant in the central square of Sorrento (Piazza Tasso). Hand made Pasta… need I say anymore? The BEST pasta I have ever eaten.

Following lunch, we visited the incredible Pompeii. Just a 30 minute drive to a heart quenching experience. For those of you that don’t know.. Pompeii is an archeological site of a Roman city which was covered in ash and was excavated following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

It’s an incredible Unesco World Heritage Site and a must see when travelling to Italy. From the houses, to the baths, theatre and casts of those to unfortunately lost their lives.

Day Two;

My favourite day! Positano & the Amalfi Coast. You know when you try and think of words to explain what it is you really saw? But the photos can never quite do the place justice?

In one word – Picturesque.

It was around a 60 minute drive Positano from Sorrento, driving along the coast and up to very high points only availed more beauty. Positano is a Cliffside village along the Amalfi Coast with many buildings and homes built in every colour of the rainbow.

Here there are boutique hotels, family run shops and cafes all layered with beautiful flowers.

We went in November so the weather wasn’t sunbathing weather however you could see the beach at the bottom, where you could relax and soak it all in, in the summer months (June-September).

Another 40 minutes and we had arrived in the centre of Amalfi. More pasta (and Pistachio ice cream) later.. we explored around more shops and the iconic Cathedral Steps.

Hotels along the coast overlooking every colour of blue, the beaches to relax and maybe even board a board to Capri (with the most spectacular beaches and vibrant nightlife too!). Also head to the top, to view the heights of Ravello, for even more beauty to the naked eye!