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Savoring Sorrento

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For me, Sorrento was a delightful introduction to the Amalfi coast. While the ride in from Naples was not as harrowing as what would follow further down the coast, the views were nonetheless beautiful and the terrain a premonition hinting at the gorgeous cliffside towns dotted along the Mediterranean. No exception here, most of Sorrento is built into the rock high above the water, affording the visitor magnificent views.

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One of the first things one notices and comes to appreciate about this region is the extraordinary produce, particularly the enormous and vibrant lemons. The fresh cuisine borrows generously from the local bounty with lemon infused pastas and the ever present limoncello.

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This view of the water from our hotel terrace is actually seen through a mirror. You can glimpse Vesuvius in the distance.

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Nothing says good morning like a sumptuous buffet served in a lovely space, with tables available overlooking the water.

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A stroll into town reveals the tropical greenery one can find in this part of Italy.

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A colorful roadside farm stand.

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Sun beds line the decks below built out into the water along the beach.

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The colorful town is painted with a palette of ochres and terracottas.

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And always I find the antique shop! This was a particularly successful shopping venture, in which I unearthed a pair of gorgeous crystal sconces.

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Painted ceramics are ubiquitous, even decorating this wonderful bench.

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One can see Mount Vesuvius from almost every vantage point.

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The sun filled dining room at the Hotel Bellevue Syrene.

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Lush views are everywhere.

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The sun sets over the Mediterranean.

 

Comments

  4. Surprising for a staging area for Capri and the Amalfi area, Sorrento is also an attractive destination worth visiting and the restaurants are pretty good without being overly touristy.

    Reply

    • I agree Noel. We found a lovely place for dinner one night that was one of our best meals on that entire trip. Of course we spent much more time in Positano and Capri (those posts will follow at some point… ;-)) but I’m so glad we didn’t miss Sorrento.

      Reply

  5. Good Evening Lory, What a wonderful surprise to discover your blog and to see photographs of Sorrento…. it is a place I love. The photographs are beautiful and the colours are so vibrant. Our hotel looked over the Bay of Naples and we used to have to take the lift, which was cut through the rock, to allow us to take a swim.
    Oh the memories came flooding back….. thank you so much.
    Best Wishes
    Daphne

    Reply

    • Thank Julie! Yes, it was a great shop. I’ll have to get a photo of the sconces we bought up on the blog one day. Poor hubby had to carry them all through Italy, as we purchased them on one of our very first days. By the time we got to Positano we were shipping stuff home, but the sconces we actually carried with us… 😉

      Reply

  7. Gorgeous photos, every time I look at your blog I so want to go back to Europe. Did you get a chance to go to Monaco at all? The drive down the hill to Monaco is pretty winding and it was so busy the day we drove down that it took 3 hours for a 15 minute trip!! We couldn’t do anything, you couldn’t turn around and I was desperate for the bathroom. It was worth it when we eventually got down the hill, just to see the big yachts and fancy cars outside the Casino. I much prefer the smaller villages though and love your photos of the lemons.

    Lee 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Lee! So glad you came back for a visit… 🙂 Yes, we did get to Monaco on a different trip (look out for that post one of these days). We were staying in Cannes and then Nice, so we drove from Nice. I found the roads in Monaco to be a bit scary, but fortunately we didn’t have the traffic you had. I was actually happily surprised by Monte Carlo, probably because I had low expectations since everyone told me it’s not worth the trip. Did you go inside the Casino? It was quite magnificent! One of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever been in. I was so upset that you couldn’t take pics inside, but it was truly extraordinary. I agree though, about preferring the small villages.

      Reply

  10. Such beautiful pictures and views! I’m swooning! I hope to get back to Italy someday. Haven’t been to this area but we had the pleasure of spending a couple of nights in the Bellagio area 9 years ago. Also saw Venice, Florence and the Tuscan region. Oh to be there again! ~Ann

    Reply

    • Thanks so much, Ann! Actually our most recent trip was to the exact places you mentioned – Venice, Florence and Tuscany. My daughter was studying in Florence so we were there in April. You can find the Venice pics in another post on my blog, and some of the Tuscany ones (Pienza). Will do a Florence post soon and some more of Tuscany.

      Reply

  11. Gorgeous photos of the miraculously beautiful Sorrento! What colour, what land and sea scapes, what vibrancy of life! Thank you for these stunning images of a place I long to visit!

    Poppy

    Reply

  12. Hi Lory, I’m visiting from Rustic and Refined to check out your tablescape, but got sidetracked by the Venice pic at the top of your blog and clicked on it. It was karma, I have be researching the Amalfi coast trying to get inspiration for a tablescape. Last night I had decided to shelf the 1/2 created project for a couple months, as the table really should be outside. I have a lemon tree which will be fruit laden soon, positioned in a rustic rock wall planter in my back yard. Perfect, as the Amalfi lemon is such an icon of the coast it seemed like the right thing to do. Your pictures are the best, I have spent a couple weeks searching the web and I’m surprised I didn’t find your blog. Congratulations, your picture of the revelers sunbathing on piers was unique, something I did not see on other sights. Thanks so much, love the post. Now to your tablescape!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Wanda!! That’s really funny because I’ve also started to work on an Amalfi setting. I’ve been inspired by Dolce and Gabanna’s spring line, which reminded me so much of our trip to the coast. Amusingly, we were only in Sorrento for a day and a half, so you can look forward to some of my upcoming posts, as we spent much more time in Positano and Capri! I bought a wonderful Italian pottery urn in Positano, which you can see in my post about my entry way, from this past weekend. I also picked up one of D&G’s scarves in the pottery pattern, so those 2 items will no doubt play into the setting. Thank you for visiting and I’m glad you had a chance to wander about the blog… 🙂

      Reply

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