What should I do or see in Sorrento?

[michelle028]

Planning to take the ships tour to sorrento and Naples through Ncl epic.

 

What is a "can't miss" in Sorrento? Not sure how many hours I will have there. But just want to walk around and explore the area.

 

The Naples part of the tour is just going to be a drive around the city looking at the sites from inside the tour bus. Let me know what you think!

[cruisemom42]

Is it too late to pick another tour? :o

 

I'll be honest -- there is not much to see in Sorrento and the "must do" things usually include shopping and eating. However, after having stayed there for a week a couple of years ago, I didn't find the food to be all that great. And I'm not a shopper....

 

It seems a waste to simply ride around Naples and see a few sites from inside the bus, as well. (Unless you have mobility issues, but I'd guess not if you are planning to walk around Sorrento.)

[John Bull]

Sorrento is very pleasant, but there's really not much to see there.

 

Do go down to the harbour, also very pleasant for a lazy hour or two of people-watching from behind a tall cold beer. The harbour is at a much lower level than the town - there's a one-euro shuttlebus, or (somewhere) there's an elevator to the harbour.

 

JB :)

[Hlitner]

What should you do in Sorrento? We have no idea, which is why it is not a place we recommend here on CC. But I suppose you could sit in a cafe and just enjoy being in Italy. Otherwise, consider changing your day and going to places like Pompeii, Capri, Positano, Ravello, Herculanium, etc.

 

Hank

[agabbymama]

We did Pompei first, then on to Sorrento, then back to Naples for a short mini-tour.

 

We enjoyed lunch and shopping in Sorrento. I had planned to go down to the beach, but after seeing the narrow roadway (not realizing there was a bus) we decided against it, as what goes down, must come back up.

 

I'm going to try and post some photos. Look for the little white Tourist train.

Edited May 11, 2015 by agabbymama

[Poconolady]

Planning to take the ships tour to sorrento and Naples through Ncl epic.

 

 

 

What is a "can't miss" in Sorrento? Not sure how many hours I will have there. But just want to walk around and explore the area.

 

 

 

The Naples part of the tour is just going to be a drive around the city looking at the sites from inside the tour bus. Let me know what you think!

 

 

The "can't miss"in Sorrento is just the thing that many posters on CC seem to be against-- it is just a wonderful, relaxing place to wander around and soak up the atmosphere. A great place to enjoy a relaxing day without having too much pressure to absorb history, see ruins, learn about the areas economic issues,visit every church within a two mile radius, you know what I'm talking about.

 

Every cruise needs a port day where you can just chill out in a wonderful foreign city. It is a great place to do a little shopping, kind of touristy stuff but with an Italian flair, ideal for those gifts to take home.

 

Enjoy a great lunch at a cafe, sip a limoncello (plenty of shops to buy it in and see it made, also), have a gelato in the afternoon before boarding your transport back to your ship. I loved all of the ceramic shops, and yes they will ship it home for you, and yes it arrives in great shape and isn't too costly. Be aware that many of the shops are shuttered between 1-3, so plan to have lunch during that time slot.

 

We stayed here 5 days post cruise a couple of years ago and will have an overnight here on a cruise this summer, I can't wait, it's one of my favorite places.

[cruisemom42]

The "can't miss"in Sorrento is just the thing that many posters on CC seem to be against-- it is just a wonderful, relaxing place to wander around and soak up the atmosphere. A great place to enjoy a relaxing day without having too much pressure to absorb history, see ruins, learn about the areas economic issues,visit every church within a two mile radius, you know what I'm talking about.

 

Every cruise needs a port day where you can just chill out in a wonderful foreign city. It is a great place to do a little shopping, kind of touristy stuff but with an Italian flair, ideal for those gifts to take home.

 

Enjoy a great lunch at a cafe, sip a limoncello (plenty of shops to buy it in and see it made, also), have a gelato in the afternoon before boarding your transport back to your ship. I loved all of the ceramic shops, and yes they will ship it home for you, and yes it arrives in great shape and isn't too costly. Be aware that many of the shops are shuttered between 1-3, so plan to have lunch during that time slot.

 

We stayed here 5 days post cruise a couple of years ago and will have an overnight here on a cruise this summer, I can't wait, it's one of my favorite places.

 

I'm not against having a chill-out day (and I'm not one to go on those marathon 10-hour, 4 location tours either). I just think it would be shame to take a relaxed day in this particular port, where there is so much on offer. By all means, enjoy a "recharge" day on Corfu or Santorini or Mykonos or Messina. But with so many really great options from Naples, it seems to me a missed opportunity not to take greater advantage of them.

[Hlitner]

We also agree with the "chill out" philosophy but can think of better chill out places if one's port is Naples. The easiest is to simply stay in Naples. Another easy option is to simply grab a jetboat to Capri (we love this island) or the more laid back Ischia (not often visited by cruisers). Even more laid back would be the charming small island of Procida (also reached via jetboat from the Molo Beverello ferry terminal).

 

As for those who are actually tendering directly into Sorrento we again recommend Capri or Positano to "chill out."

 

Hank

[southerngirl8]

Planning to take the ships tour to sorrento and Naples through Ncl epic.

 

What is a "can't miss" in Sorrento? Not sure how many hours I will have there. But just want to walk around and explore the area.

 

The Naples part of the tour is just going to be a drive around the city looking at the sites from inside the tour bus. Let me know what you think!

I sailed on the Epic in May 2013, was amazing- Barcelona to Barcelona! Had a great trip. We did the tour with Rome in Limo. We had a great tour guide in our group of 8. Was perfect number of people. We went to Positano, Sorrento and then Pompeii. Our tour spent enough time in each are wondering around and see the sights. Not too long in an one area. Enough time to sight see and shop. Wonderful lunch in Sorrento. Our tour guide brought with him a chilled bottle of Champagne and we drank it overlooking the water. You can check out the Rome in Limo website as they have tours that you can add onto or they can help you set up you own. They have various tours for that port. All are reasonable.

[hubofhockey]

If I could have a do over on my first Med cruise it would be more time in Positano and NO time in Sorrento. At some point, we'll do a land vacation that includes Positano. On another cruise, we spent a day in Capri. OP, you can cancel your excursion and hop off the ship and hop on a hydrofoil in a three minute walk and head to Capri. No excursion needed and a great day.

[Poconolady]

We also agree with the "chill out" philosophy but can think of better chill out places if one's port is Naples. The easiest is to simply stay in Naples. Another easy option is to simply grab a jetboat to Capri (we love this island) or the more laid back Ischia (not often visited by cruisers). Even more laid back would be the charming small island of Procida (also reached via jetboat from the Molo Beverello ferry terminal).

 

As for those who are actually tendering directly into Sorrento we again recommend Capri or Positano to "chill out."

 

Hank

 

 

The only reason I didn't mention Capri or Positano as additional chill out places is because OP has already booked her tour package. Those places would necessitate additional travel beyond what her package includes. I would agree that the smart thing to do would be to cancel the tour and then hop the hydrofoil to Sorrento or Capri. Positano will need additional cab/bus connections,and possible long delays on the Amalfi road-- beautiful yes, but worth missing the ships sailing out of Naples? No.

[DeeDee Groff]

The "can't miss"in Sorrento is just the thing that many posters on CC seem to be against-- it is just a wonderful, relaxing place to wander around and soak up the atmosphere. A great place to enjoy a relaxing day without having too much pressure to absorb history, see ruins, learn about the areas economic issues,visit every church within a two mile radius, you know what I'm talking about.

 

Every cruise needs a port day where you can just chill out in a wonderful foreign city. It is a great place to do a little shopping, kind of touristy stuff but with an Italian flair, ideal for those gifts to take home.

 

Enjoy a great lunch at a cafe, sip a limoncello (plenty of shops to buy it in and see it made, also), have a gelato in the afternoon before boarding your transport back to your ship. I loved all of the ceramic shops, and yes they will ship it home for you, and yes it arrives in great shape and isn't too costly. Be aware that many of the shops are shuttered between 1-3, so plan to have lunch during that time slot.

 

We stayed here 5 days post cruise a couple of years ago and will have an overnight here on a cruise this summer, I can't wait, it's one of my favorite places.

 

Would welcome any specific suggestions for shopping venues in Sorrento where I could buy embroidered and leather goods and porcelain.

[Keith1010]

If you have one day in Sorrento then I would take a tour rather than just stay around there. For an overnight or a return then I would spend a couple of hours walking around the city and I would do it earlier in the day. Don't limit yourself to the square but walk on the side streets/alleyways and while we rarely eat of the ship, this is one place we do. They have exceptional Italian Cuisine.

 

As to tours consider:

 

Amalfi Coast which is one of the most beautiful drives in the world with some very charming towns to visit.

 

The Island of Capri

 

Pompeii

 

The big items to purchase in Sorrento are the music boxes that you will see in other parts of Italy but many are made there and the porcelain.

 

Keith

[DeeDee Groff]

If you have one day in Sorrento then I would take a tour rather than just stay around there. For an overnight or a return then I would spend a couple of hours walking around the city and I would do it earlier in the day. Don't limit yourself to the square but walk on the side streets/alleyways and while we rarely eat of the ship, this is one place we do. They have exceptional Italian Cuisine.

 

As to tours consider:

 

Amalfi Coast which is one of the most beautiful drives in the world with some very charming towns to visit.

 

The Island of Capri

 

Pompeii

 

The big items to purchase in Sorrento are the music boxes that you will see in other parts of Italy but many are made there and the porcelain.

 

Keith

 

Thank you, Keith!

[RMLincoln]

Lots of little shops in Sorrento including leather for sure and linen I think. Also good gelato.

 

There's an amazing shop of wood inlay work, family run of course. Your ship tour may stop there to hear the story and use the restrooms. Just very interesting work to see, even if you don't buy anything, do see the inlaid pictures on the wood furniture. The family also did the wood inlaid floors in the Cathedral but it is closed in the early afternoons for siesta time so if that interests you try for it early. m--

[Tiggertastic]

We love sorrento. We ignore the ship and either get the train which takes an hour or go across on the ferry. We wander the shops, find ourselves a great place for lunch and chill with a carafe of wine.

[cleobella]

We had a couple of hours in Sorrento as part of a larger tour. I would certainly go back to spend an afternoon or day the next time around. It is a quaint, touristy, Italian seaside town. Very pretty, with good boutiques and some nice restaurants. Lemons are very big there! This would be a nice relaxing day for you.