Sorrento & Ischia

Arriving into Naples airport was a bit of a shock! The arrivals terminal looked like a warehouse with no facilities at all. Our rep was there to meet me and quickly directed me to my private taxi which I had pre-booked as an upgrade from the normal shared coach. The transfer took about an hour, passing Vesuvius on the way and hugging the cliffs along the coastal road into Sorrento.

For the first week I stayed in the Grand Hotel Royal in Sorrento in a sea view room on half board. I think to stay in Sorrento and not book a sea view room is a real shame. Most of the best hotels have room upgrades which afford spectacular views across the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius. The room was large and brightly coloured with tiled floors and high ceilings. The hotel is perched on the edge of the cliffs which gives Sorrento its vistas. It has a lovely garden and seating areas from which we could gaze across the bay and have a snack or drink. If you prefer to swim in the sea rather than use the hotel’s pool you can take the lift down to the hotel’s bathing platform by the sea.

Sorrento itself is perfectly situated for those wishing to spend days out sightseeing. The train service is cheap and reliable with regular trains running from the station in the middle of the town to Naples, Vesuvius, Pompeii and Herculaneum. You also have the option of bus or ferry to Capri, Ischia, Positano or Amalfi. All of which are well worth a visit.

The centre of Sorrento is based around Piazza Tasso, which is more of a road junction than an actual piazza. I found this the only disappointing thing about Sorrento. There are several restaurants and café bars around the perimeter but seating is at a premium and if you are lucky to find one then most people stay there for the duration. If you like Italian food, then you are in for a treat, with plenty of family run pizzerias and delicious ice-cream shops dotted around.

For the second week, I transferred by hydrofoil to the small island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples to stay at the Grand Hotel Excelsior which is in the main town. The hotel is beautiful with lush gardens, grand dining room and a breakfast terrace that looks over the pool. As we wandered through the grounds we came across a small security gate. Passing through it and crossing a small road we came out onto the hotels private stretch of beach with its own beach bar. A walk into town takes about 5 minutes and it is virtually pedestrianised. Here we found plenty of designer boutiques, ice-cream shops, restaurants, bars and small shops selling souvenirs and the famous Limoncello liqueur. In fact, I preferred Ischia Town to Sorrento as it was much more laid back and offered plenty of places to sit and people watch. It also has great ferry and hydrofoil links to all the main tourist attractions in the area. The island is famous for its Thermal Springs which have attracted visitors since the Roman times. A day visit to one of them was great fun and here we relaxed and enjoyed the different treatments, ranging from mud baths to underwater massages. In summary, Sorrento is a perfect gateway for all the amazing tourist sites in the area plus it doesn’t attract many families as there are no real beaches. Ischia is a lesser known destination which is quieter and more laid back than Sorrento. To combine the two destinations in one holiday made my visit almost perfect! Highly recommended.