Sorrento

Sorrento and it's sister towns live on the south side of the Bay of Naples. It has been a popular resort with the British since the second world war, and the natives are friendly and well disposed to us. 


Built on volcanic Tufa rock, parts of the town perch on vertical cliffs overlooking the bay with a fantastic view of Vesuvius in the distance. Inevitably, as a tourist destination, the picturesque town centre is surrounded by a large number of hotels.

On the other side of the peninsula you find the picturesque Amalfi coast.


If you go down to the old harbour and search out the older corners you can still find decaying splendour that hints of the 19th century. The sad and unused building on the left was a hotel, has had several names over the years, and now seems to be a boat hire shop.



Many of the visitors arrive by cruise ship, and these appear before dawn to present the passengers with breakfast at sunrise. (Click for full size panorama)




Just around the corner from Sorrento you find Marina Grande. It is a tiny fishing port that the tourist trade mostly misses. Walking down the steps from the cliff top hotels is a leg breaking experience, but it is a charming backwater. Click for the bigger picture once again.




Dawn and sunrise in Autumn can be a special experinece, as mist hangs over Sorrento and the buildings are defined by the receding effects of perspective and grey.




These pictures were taken from the Bel Air hotel to the South West of Sorrento, which gets our stamp of approval.

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