Sorrento has a reputation for being a seaside resort without any good
beaches, but there are some great places for swimming and sunbathing just out
of town if you know where to look.
Many of the hotels in the centre of the resort have their own stretches
of beach for the use of guests. But if your hotel doesn’t have its own beach
there are small strips of beach accessible from the centre of town for people who don’t
have time to explore further afield.
Take the lift from Villa Communale to Marina Piccolo, at a cost of one
euro, to access the beach next to the harbour and other areas of pebbly
sand set out for sun bathing and swimming, such as Leonelli’s Beach, Peter’s Beach, Marameo Beach and Bagni Salvatore. But they can be crowded during the summer and the
hire charge for sun beds and beach umbrellas is likely to be higher than the
cost at beaches outside the centre.
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| Bathing platforms in the cenntre of Sorrento. |
You could also walk down Via Marina Grande to Sorrento’s other port,
where there is a stretch of public beach as well as a wooden bathing platform
with sun beds and umbrellas for hire. Down at Marina Grande you are handy for
some good bars and fish restaurants.
If you head south west out along the Sorrento peninsula you will come to
several good beaches.
To see stunning views in different directions across the bay of Naples,
visit the point of land protruding from the Sorrento peninsula known as Punta
del Capo. To get there leave Sorrento along Via del Capo in the direction of
Massa Lubrense. You could walk, taking in the view over Marina Grande along the
way, but it is uphill and can be hard work in hot weather. Or, you could take
the Linea A (Line A) orange bus to Capo di Sorrento from Piazza Tasso, which
takes about ten minutes.
Get off at Capo di Sorrento, where there are a few shops and a bar, and
you will see a signpost pointing to i ruderi romani (Roman ruins). It is a
pleasant walk down to the sea along Via Punta Capo past the church of San
Rosario.
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| The beach at Marina Grande |
You will come first to a natural triangular pool with an archway of rock
over it, which is known as il Bagno della Regina Giovanna (Queen Joan’s bath).
The clear shimmering water of the pool is popular for swimming and snorkelling.
On the tip of Punta del Capo are the ruins of a large Roman villa which would
once have had grand rooms with panoramic views of the bay and access from the
sea for visitors arriving by boat. You can sunbathe and swim in the sea off a
narrow strip of rock nearby where there is a bar and access to toilets.
A lovely stretch of public beach can be found at the old fishing village
of Marina di Puolo further out along the peninsula.
To get there, take the Linea A (Line A) bus to Capo di Sorrento and get
off at the stop for the Hotel Dania, from where you can make your way down to
the beach along an old path.
Turn off Via Capo down Calata Puolo and then turn left again to go down
some gradual steps and along a narrow path past olive groves and a vineyard
until you reach the intersection with Via Marina di Puolo. You will pass a car
park (the nearest point to the beach that you can drive to if you come from the
main road) before going down a steeply descending, winding path to reach Marina
di Puolo.
You will find a shop, a few restaurants and a hotel with its own private
area of the beach when you get down there. There is a good stretch of grey, volcanic sand open to the
public. You can hire sunbeds, deckchairs and umbrellas from the resident
bagnino, who can usually be found near the restaurant Da Raffaele. Along with
his helpful staff, he provides good customer service and keeps the beach in
good order.
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| A lone swimmer at the beach at Marina di Puolo |
When you enter the sea, it is shallow for the first few metres. Once you
have crossed a pebbly area, you will find it is soft under foot and the water
is pleasant for bathing.
After your swim you will enjoy having lunch outside one of the
restaurants along the sea front enjoying the view while you sample the fresh
fish and local wine. You can see Vesuvius and the coastline across the bay. To the right is
the rocky end of Punta del Capo and to the left there is a promontory of land
known as Capo di Massa, which is surmounted by the remains of a 16th century
look out tower.
Marina di Puolo can be crowded on Saturdays and Sundays during the
summer when many Italian families head for the beach. But on weekdays it is a
pleasant place to escape to.
Further along the peninsula you will come to the pretty, seaside village
of Marina della Lobra, with its sandy beach that is rare for the area.From the town of Massa Lubrense, you can walk down to the seafront along
a winding road. When you reach Marina della Lobra, there are restaurants and
bars, a beach that is free to the public and places where you can hire boats.
During the summer, you can take a boat trip from the harbour to explore
the coastline and get a closer view of Capri and the Amalfi coast. A few buses
run between Marina della Lobra and Massa Lubrense, so check the timetable if
you would prefer to ride back up the hill rather than walk.
The local Linea A (Line A) buses operated by EAVBUS run all the way out
to Massa Lubrense from Sorrento during the summer. The SITA coaches that
connect Sorrento with resorts such as Positano and Amalfi further along the
coast call at Massa Lubrense all the year round. The journey from Sorrento to
Massa Lubrense’s main square takes about 15 minutes.
Further out along the peninsula, accessible by car or bus, is Nerano,
which has a lovely beach down at Marina del Cantone, near the tip of the
Sorrentine peninsula.
Marina del Cantone looks out over the gulf of Salerno and is situated
between the bay of Ieranto and Recommone. Its pebbly beach is ideal for
sunbathing and you can hire sunbeds and beach parasols. The clear water of the sea in this part of the bay makes it perfect for
swimming and snorkelling.
You can walk from Marina del Cantone along a panoramic path to the beach
at Recommone, which takes about ten minutes. You will pass a 15th century watch
tower which was built to look out for pirates and invaders.
Down at Marina del Cantone you will be able to book boat trips to the
other coves along the coast, to the three islands out in the bay known as Li
Galli, or, to visit the Grotta Azzurra, (blue grotto) on the isle of Capri. If you arrive at Marina del Cantone by car you will find a parking area
near the hotels, shops, bars and restaurants just above the beach.
Going north east out of Sorrento in the direction of Castellamare di
Stabia you will pass several towns with beaches.
The nearest is at Sant’Agnello,where you can access the sandy beach at
Lido Marinella, which has good facilities and restaurants.
Further along, there is a long expanse of beach known as Meta Alimuri,
which has made the town of Meta, near Sorrento, a popular seaside resort in its
own right. Meta lies between Piano di Sorrento and Vico Equense on the main coastal
road going in the direction of Naples.
A road leads down to the beach from the town, making it accessible by
car or on foot. There is a good stretch of grey volcanic sand with free access,
even though some Meta hotels have their own private sections of beach. From the
beach there are lovely views across the Bay of Naples
There is a bar and restaurant down at the beach, deck chairs and sun
umbrellas can be hired and there are opportunities to rent boats.
The Line A bus from Sorrento to Meta Alimuri will take you close to the
beach or you can travel on the Circumvesuviana train to Meta and walk down to
the beach from the station. If travelling by car, you will find parking close
to the beach.
There are also beaches at Vico Marina and Marina di Equa, which can be
accessed from the town of Vico Equense, further along the coast.
