Day 2 - 1st October 2026- Sorrento Italy
We awoke in our apartment in Sant Agnello and we walk to the train Station to catch the train into Sorrento.
We walk from the Station onto the Corsa Italia and down to the Piazza Torquato Tasso.
Here at the Piazza is the Santuario della Madonna del Carmine (Sanctuary of the Madonna of Carmel).
Built originally in the 3rd century (around 230–240 AD) on the site of an old pagan temple.
R#It was rebuilt in the 16th century under Bishop Lelio Brancaccio and entrusted to the Carmelite fathers.
It features a classic Baroque style with a richly stuccoed single-nave interior
In the centre of the Piazza Torquato Tasso is the statue of Sant'Antonino Abate (Saint Antonino the Abbot).
He was an Egyptian hermit and the Father of Christian Monasticism, born around 251.
Born in Coma, Egypt, he was orphaned at age 20 and gave away all his inherited wealth to the poor.
He retreated into the solitary Egyptian desert to live a life of prayer, fasting, and intense spiritual battle against demonic temptations.
His disciplined example attracted many followers, leading him to establish the foundations of early Christian monastic communities. His life was famously recorded by Saint Athanasius.
He protects domestic animals, farmers, butchers, basket makers, and people suffering from skin diseases like shingles (historically called "St. Anthony's Fire").
We walk down Via Sant Antonino and then through Il Rampa Marina Piccolo and this is a pretty alleyway with lush planting.
This leads us out onto the winding road that leads down to the Marina.
Views across the Bay of Naples, The Marina and out to Mount Vesuvius.
Sorrento has two main waterfront areas: Marina Piccola and Marina Grande. Despite their names, Marina Grande is actually the smaller fishing village, while Marina Piccola is the larger transport and ferry port.
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| White Seabream swimming in the harbour. |
Here in the harbour was a jolly Italian Man bellowing Ciao at everyone passing by. We stopped at his restaurant for a cappuccino.
We walk on along the front to find a sunbed and swimming spot.
We hire two sunbeds and a umbrella here at Bagni Salvatore
It isn't cheap, but hey we're on holiday and we'd thought we will have at least one relaxing day.
Lovely location to chill and swim.
Bagni Salvatore is one of Sorrento's most historic and uniquely situated bathing establishments. Operating since 1930, this premier beach club sits right along the coastal cliffs of Marina Piccola, nestled uniquely among ancient Roman ruins with expansive views looking out across the Gulf of Naples toward Mount Vesuvius.
We order beers and pizza and its delivered to your sunbed.
After a few hours we take the lift back up the cliff for a small fee to save the climb back up.
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| Looking back down to Bagni Salatore. |
We walk back through the town and down along the Corsa Italia.
The Roman name for Sorrento was Surrentum. From the 8th century BC the area had the presence of a community of indigenous villages, which was a crossing point for Etruscan traffic. Subsequently, the area fell into the hands of the Osci, who exercised an important influence there, in fact the oldest ruins of Surrentum are Oscan, dating from about 600 BC.
Before its control by the Roman Republic, Surrentum was one of the towns subject to Nuceria, and shared its fortunes up to the Social War; it seems to have joined in the revolt of 90 BC like Stabiae; and was reduced to obedience in the following year, when it seems to have received a colony.
Numerous sepulchral inscriptions of imperial slaves and freedmen have been found at Surrentum.An inscription shows that Titus in the year after the earthquake of 79 AD restored the horologium (clock) of the town and its architectural decoration. A similar restoration of an unknown building in Naples in the same year is recorded in an inscription from the last-named town.
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| A charming old Fiat 500. |
We catch the train back to the apartment, and later that night we walk out to the Ristorante Il Capanno dal 1965 in Sant Agnello.
I have a lovely Lasagna and Mel had a Lemon pork chop. She really disliked the sauce on the pork sadly!
Back to the apartment for the night.
