Enjoy Winter in Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast

After spending a couple of weeks in Rome and Tuscany, during November and December, my partner and I drove down south, where we spent 4 nights in the serene seaside enclave of Sorrento.

Find a local guide in Sorrento here.

Sorrento was dressed up and buzzing with holiday cheer, making it extra festive.  Our home base was the Hotel Antiche Mura, a conveniently located and charming boutique hotel perched above a deep ravine.

Valley of the Mills

Our hotel overlooked a ravine with an old mill. During the 13^th century, flour mills were built in deep ravines where water flowed steadily to power the grinders. Later, they became sawmills, which operated until the 1940s. This abandoned mill, along with others, became an ecosystem of ferns, holly oak, and ash trees that embedded themselves in the old stone buildings.

Piazza Tasso

The hotel was only a block from the Piazza Tasso, a cafe-lined square in the center of town.

Sorrento was busier than usual because an Italian film festival was being held there. Filmmakers and their entourages filled the cafes and crowded the sidewalks as they networked and made deals. We took advantage of our film industry connections to score free passes to the festival and were invited to several parties, even though we didn’t understand a word of Italian. It was Felliniesque, to say the least.

Taking a drive along the Amalfi Coast to Pompeii

We hired a driver who took us on a private tour of the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii.  It’s the best way to maneuver the winding coastal roads. Giuseppe was familiar with the terrain, knew exactly where to go, and was laid-back and relaxed.  He took us to an olive oil tasting and then to the towns of Positano and Amalfi.

The road was closed beyond Amalfi because of a landslide, so we took the mountain route to Pompeii. Rain began to pour down, but we traversed through the sparkling and wondrous wet ruins. I think it made some of our photographs even better.

Sorrento, Italy

Sorrento is located on the coast of southeastern Italy, facing the Bay of Naples on the Sorrentine Peninsula. Below are some of the images I collected during our stay there.

To view the images below in FULL SIZE, click on the individual photos below.

The Amalfi Coastline

The stunning Amalfi Coast is a 50-kilometer stretch of coastline along the southern edge of Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula, in the Campania region, and about an hour from Sorrento.

Positano and Amalfi are packed with tourists during the high season, but it was winter, so it was easy to walk around and explore without the crowds.

Pompeii in the rain

When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D., it covered the city of Pompeii in ash. Now it’s a vast city in ruins in southern Italy’s Campania region. The rain made it even more mysterious and sparkly in these photos. Pompeii is only about 40 minutes from Sorrento.

Visiting Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast in the winter has the advantage of fewer crowds and friendlier service, according to locals. It’s just as beautiful, but much more laid back. Despite the rainstorm, the weather was comfortable but not bikini weather. I’d do it again in a heartbeat because there’s no place better to enjoy a glass of Limoncello and people-watch.

Favorite Restaurants in Sorrento

Ristorante Il Convivio – Via Correale, 19, Sorrento 80067 081 877 3530. This restaurant is owned by a man and his daughter. They cooked us fresh whole fish that they filleted at the table. They also served delicious homemade Scialatelli pasta (native to Sorrento).

Ristorante Da Filippo – This restaurant is located in the hills of Sorrento and is a favorite for locals. A driver from the restaurant picked us up from our hotel because it was difficult to find. The food was excellent.

Ristorante Pizzeria Tasso – Via Correale, 11d Sorrento 80067 +39 081 878 5809 – This restaurant is on the Piazza Tasso and was also delicious.

Check out the top things to do on the Amalfi Coast here.

Find places to stay in Sorrento, Italy

Click on the map below.