Amalfi Coast Adventures: Arriving in Sorrento

Saluti from the sun-soaked cliffs of the Amalfi Coast!

As you may recall from my previous travel-related post, my family and I took a trip to explore Italy's western coastline. We started our adventures in Cinque Terre then ventured further south to the picturesque towns of the Amalfi Coast.

From La Spezia, we boarded the train to Sorrento, which was nearly an 8-hour ride. When we arrived in Sorrento, we didn't have much time to explore the city, as it was our only day to do so due to our packed agenda for our short trip along the Amalfi Coast.

Our accommodation was the MelRose Relais hotel, situated just outside of Sorrento in Massa Lubrense. After looking at accommodations throughout the Amalfi Coast, we chose Sorrento due to its affordability and the value it offered. However, we soon discovered that the bus ride to and from Positano (one of our day trips) would take almost an hour and a half and was quite nauseating due to the winding roads, fast driving, and overcrowded buses!

We found the MelRose Relais hotel to be very nice, with a beautiful pool area, spacious rooms, very friendly staff, and a great breakfast. It was at this hotel that we tried taralli for the first time! For those who don't know, taralli is a delicious snack from the Puglia region made of just white wine, flour, salt, and extra virgin olive oil.

MelRose Relais Hotel

Although our time in Sorrento was brief, we managed to explore the bustling marina and enjoy dinner in the Piazza Sant'Antonino at a restaurant called Ristorante Pizzeria L'Abate. The food wasn't bad but it wasn't extraordinary. And as is customary in many major cities across Italy, the restaurant charged a service fee for dining in. But they didn't require a reservation (at least at the time that we arrived) and the outdoor seating was quite nice so overall it was a good experience.

Sorrento Marina

Part of our meal at Ristorante Pizzeria L'Abate

Part of our meal at Ristorante Pizzeria L'Abate

While Sorrento offers its own attractions, it primarily serves as a hub for day trips to other destinations. Options include a ferry to Capri, a guided boat tour to the Blue Grotto, guided bus tours to Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius, or a bus and/or ferry ride to the coastal towns of Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello.

Although our agenda was packed with many of these excursions, weather conditions limited us to only a few. I'll dive deeper into our experiences in my upcoming posts, so stay tuned!

With gratitude,

Amin