Sorrento, the jewel of the Amalfi coast

November 25, 2011 in Places, Travel

Sally Franz

I approached Sorrento from the sea. Our boat from Capri jetted along tall cliffs decorated with old hotels, vineyards and small villages resting just on the edge. The sunlight danced on the water and flashed up to the homes above. Small smoke plumes emanated from distant farms burning off last summer’s chaff. Clouds rolled methodically along the far edge of distant greed hills.

The Amalfi coast has been featured in hundreds of movies: dramatic cliffs, smashing waves, huge estates, sweeping beaches and the blue-green waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Sorrento is the jewel of the coast. A small port with roads directly up to the where the action is. Sorrento boasts massive old hotels built into stone walls with vistas of the sea squeezed between restaurants, churches and art galleries.

Our first stop was way above the main plaza at a small restaurant. Nothing would do but we were served the local wine and Chicken Sorrento, a braised chicken breast with fresh mozzarella and chopped tomatoes, a side of fresh peas and buttered potatoes. Dessert was a light apple tort and, of course, gelato. No one’s complaining here.

On very narrow streets in wide buses we squeaked past small parked cars and oncoming traffic toward the main plaza of Sorrento. From a rather high perch in the bus I could see into the walled courtyards of the homes. Every inch was used for planting, Grape vines created a tent above, tomatoes, beans, basil and oregano below. Chairs were placed under this arbor around long tables. Families gathered for meals while children played in and out of the vines.

Once down the hills and into town we visited jewelry shops, lace shops and of course more gelato stands.Sorrentois sun drenched. The walls of chapels and hotels are ochre, orange, yellow and cream white. Flowers are blooming everywhere. The medians of the streets are pink with shrubs, window boxes spilling reds and blues and parks filled with fountains and old people chatting waiting for buses.

They are particularly proud of their inlaid wood artistry, Paturzo. Table tops, jewelry boxes, music boxes and game boards are laid in intricate designs combining exotic woods, stains and grains. The popular art tradition is said to have been developed by the Benedictine monks in the Covent of St. Agrippino in Sorrento during the VI-VII century. The monks used local woods such as walnut, olive, orange, lemon, cherry, pear, and mulberry. Now exotic woods such as walnut briar, sequoia, ebony, poplar, maple, padouk, tulipe, elm and peroba are also used.

Hotels, limitless pools and spas abound. At the seaside there are marinas filled with yachts, day fishing cruises and sailing. Plan to play, stay up and eat late. There are street fairs, cafes and music. Eating out can take 7-12 courses and several hours. But most of all plan to enjoy the people of Sorrento, they are gracious, warm and welcoming.

Sally Franz

Sally Franz is a motivational speaker, corporate trainer and author. Her newest book, about contracting an auto-immune disease (Transverse Myelitis-TM), which threatened to leave her paralyzed is an Amazon Best Seller: “Scrambled Leggs…a snarky tale of hospital hooey”. She is an avid gardener, artist and world traveler. And now she is about to venture out on her 26th move since the age of 20. Next stop? Portland, Oregon.