Sorrento Italy Sightseeing, tourism, guides, hotel, history, geography ~ sources of knowledge

Jumat, 04 Februari 2011

Sorrento Italy Sightseeing, tourism, guides, hotel, history, geography

Tourist Information on Sorrento, Italy

Sorrento is a small village southeast of Naples that is the starting point for your Amalfi Coast tour, but don't leave so quickly; Sorrento has a lot to offer. This city on water has been a vacation spot for centuries and its charm is still apparent today. Ancient villas and cathedrals for the historical, blue waters and pink sunsets over the Bay of Naples for the romantics, and quaint shops with artisan merchants for the prize seekers.

History
- Fotolia.com"> Santa Maria del Lauro image by Ingrid Walter from Fotolia.com
  Known as Surrentum by the Greeks and later by the Romans, Sorrento has a long history of trade, culture, and even war. Some of the oldest structures found in the city originate from Italian tribes (900 BC) before they were incorporated into the Roman Empire. Sorrento is also the site of the mythological sirens that tempted sailors to certain doom with their enchanting voices and singing. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Sorrento passed from hand to hand and was even its own duchy until being conquered by Spain. Eventually, Sorrento overthrew the Spanish and became part of the brief Kingdom of Naples until it failed and Sorrento fell under the rule of Ferdinand II. In 1861 it was annexed into the new Kingdom of Italy.
Geography
- Fotolia.com"> View of Marina in Sorrento, Italy image by abstrand from Fotolia.com
  Sorrento is located on a peninsula forming the southeast wall of the Bay of Naples. The peninsula separates the Bay of Naples from the Gulf of Salerno and is formed by the Lattari Mountains. Sorrento is positioned in a ravine of limestone cliffs that offered natural protection from invaders in ancient times and now offers natural beauty. The island of Capri is only 5 km away by ferry. The islands of Ischia and Procida are also nearby.
Sights
- Fotolia.com"> sorrento image by euforbo from Fotolia.com
  For some examples of Sorrento's traditional craft intarsio, inlaid woodwork, check out Duomo, Sorrento. It also features marble tombs and relics from long dead saints, some of whose bones rest in one of chapels. The Museo Bottega Della Tarsia Lignea is housed in an 18th Century villa and showcases even more of the famous woodwork. You can admire frescos and sip café at the Sedil Dominova, a domed building that was a traditional meeting place for nobles in the 15th Century.
Limoncello
- Fotolia.com"> limone limoncello image by Fotograv from Fotolia.com
  In Sorrento, don't be surprised when you see lemons the size of footballs barely hanging onto straining branches. The citrus smells are the beginnings of the famous local beverage, limoncello. Although there are arguments as to whether the aspertif or digestif originated in Salerno, Capri or Sorrento, the sweet liqueur is common all over Sorrento. Served ice cold, its syrupy sweet citrus smell hides the cold burning that occurs as it slides down your throat and warms your stomach.
Shopping
- Fotolia.com"> sorrento piazza tasso image by euforbo from Fotolia.com
  Via San Nicola offers artisan shops and demonstrations of inlaid woodwork. You can even buy beautiful inlaid wood tables and music boxes directly from the artisans. For the upscale shopper looking for designer merchandise, Piazza Umberto I offers items from the top designers in Italy. Via S. Cesareo is Sorrento's main pedestrian street.