Visited: July, 2024. Written August, 2024.
I’ve been dreaming of the Italian Coast for a few years now – hot summer days with unbelievable views and the best food.
And let’s be honest – watching the first season of The White Lotus on Max only turned my interest to visit southern Italy into an obsession. If you haven’t watched it, you might want to check it out. The only dangerous side effect is a hyper-fixation with vacationing in Palermo, Italy.
While I didn’t plan this trip for Palermo, I still made it to super southern Italy: the beautiful, lemon crazed city of Sorrento. I genuinely was obsessed with this city, the weather, and the way I felt like I was living in a vintage summer movie. Here are some sights you need to see when you visit:
Spiaggia La Marinella
A free beach with unbeatable views. The sun was HOT, but the ocean water was cold and refreshing. If you want to splurge for chairs and an umbrella, there’s a private beach club there as well, accessible by the same staircase that takes you to the free beach. There’s also a little restaurant called La Marinella, so if you don’t wanna pack your own lunch like I did, you can take a break from the sun for a waterfront dining experience. But the free beach was perfect and I could have sat there all day. Check out the amazing views.
Being surrounded by these tall, moss covered walls with cut outs in the stone created the ultimate Italian beach ambiance.
This trip was part of my month long Euro Summer with my friend Olga, so we opted to stay at some more cost effective accommodations. Hotel Florida is a great place to stay with a pool, a bar, and a restaurant, and it’s surrounded by lemon trees. They also offer a hostel accommodation in a second building at the back of the property.
And the best part? You still get to enjoy all of the same amenities as the hotel stayers, including the pool (an absolute summer necessity in Sorrento).
Check “Eating an amazing dinner in a lemon orchard” off your bucket list.
Wow – the ambiance was impeccable, and the cheese ravioli with a creamy lemon sauce was absolutely perfect. I enjoyed a glass of the house white wine and treated myself to dessert – Olga and I each got one and split, so I got to try both the lemon delight and the chocolate cigar. Both phenomenal. La Limonaia also offers cooking classes and tours at the orchard.
Downtown Sorrento
You’ll find samples of limoncello, pistachio cream, chocolates and everything lemon flavored in the stores located in downtown Sorrento.
We spent a full evening shopping, taste-testing and enjoying the lively energy of the downtown scene, and it was a great way to spend the night.
I did not need to get dessert after I filled up on free samples of Italian treats…but I did, anyway, at Rika, a delicious and tiny gelato shop. You know the gelato is exceptional when you walk in and it’s being stored in those covered tubs sunken into the counter with the silver tops. And yes, it was delicious!
You’re gonna wanna try this place: classic Italian food but absolutely delicious and not breaking the bank. I had a slight obsession with spaghetti and clams during my trip, so that was the dish I ordered and absolutely devoured at this restaurant.
OH – let me mention an important detail: You have to get there early if you want a table. I’m talking about 30 mins before they open for dinner. If you don’t make it in on the first round (Olga and I JUST made it – we were the last table sat in the first seating after they opened), it’s not all that bad to wait – they serve cheese and red wine in the line to the waiting customers.
Day trip to Positano
Don’t even get me started on this place. It’s totally worth it. I’m writing another post as we speak about everything Positano has to offer. The views don’t compare, the shopping was incredible, and the beaches were a little different than Sorrento but just as stunning.
How I got there
I was traveling from Florence, so I took a train from Florence to the Naples train station where I transferred onto a train that took me into Sorrento.
I paid about $40 for my ticket from Florence to Naples, which took 3 hours, and I had bought it months in advance from ItaliaRail.
The ticket to Sorrento, which I bought at the station, was about $15 after fees. The train from Naples to Sorrento took about an hour. From there, we walked 20 minutes to the Florida Hostel…I was soaked in sweat after that trek, would not recommend if you want to stay dry.
Why Sorrento?
That was an easy question for me. I wanted to explore the coast of Italy and be close enough for a day trip to Positano on the Amalfi Coast, the famous town on a hill that never seems to look like a real place in photos. I wanted to see this cliffside city for myself. Please, you have to see this place at least once, but I have a feeling you’re gonna want to return the second you get back to Sorrento.
Check out my other article to read about everything I did in Positano in just one day – imagine if I had more time! I would recommend going for longer, but if a day trip is all that fits into your schedule, try to make it happen!
Lily's Travel Journal 
Leave a comment