The Best Day Trips From Sorrento Italy

Sorrento’s well-placed location close to Naples makes it the perfect launching spot for a variety of day trips to nearby islands, ancient ruins and the Amalfi Coast towns. These are our picks for the best day trips from Sorrento Italy.

Capri

The famous island of Capri is a short ferry ride from the main port of Sorrento with plenty of departures in the months between the Easter holidays and early October. You can also take a private boat and schedule your day to your liking. Once in Capri you can have a coffee in the famous piazzetta, shop for designer duds on the luxurious Via Camerelle and take the chairlift to the top of Monte Solara for a bird’s eye view of the island and back towards Naples.

Positano

Positano is the first Amalfi Coast town coming from Sorrento and is a short ferry or bus ride away. Spend the day in the pastel vertical town shopping for beach coverups and made to measure sandals. Swim at one of the chic beach clubs and have a long leisurely lunch near the sea. Before you head back, make sure to stop and have an ice lemon granita from the small cart in the Piazza Mulini.

Naples

Naples is a chaotic, noisy, ravishing city and well worth the trip from Sorrento. For the archaeology buff, the National Archaeological Museum is filled with many of the most important artifacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum. At the other end of the historical spectrum is MADRE, an art museum filled with three floors of contemporary art. For the food lover, Naples is home to some of the world’s best pizza, pastries and coffee.

Paestum

Paestum was an ancient Greek city that was known as Posidonia. The remains of this rich empire are still visible today. Visit the remarkably intact remains of three temples dedicated to Neptune, Athena, and Hera in the Archaeological Site of Paestum. The museum holds more fragile items like ancient urns and the magnificent painted Tomb of the Diver from 470 BC. There are several water buffalo farms nearby where you can try gelato, cheese, and salami all made from rich creamy buffalo milk.

Mount Vesuvius

One of Italy’s active volcanos, the last major eruption was in 1944. Of course, the mountain is most famous for the eruption that destroyed Pompeii in 79 AD. There are nine hiking trails to choose from on the slopes of Vesuvius; the four mile Monte Somma climb from the trailhead to the 4,000-foot summit is reached by foot along a wide flat ashy covered trail. From the edge of the crater are views over Naples, Pompeii, and the sea, and you might even see smoldering depressions.

Pompeii

One of the world’s most famous archeological sites is a 30-minute drive from Sorrento. Arrive early to beat the crowds and summer heat as there is not much shade inside. Pompeii is vast so it really makes sense to book a guide so that you really get some context to this amazing Roman city. There is so much to see here; highlights include temples, frescoes, salacious graffiti, Roman roads with ruts made by ancient carriages and ghoulish plaster casts of citizens who did not escape the volcanic eruption from nearby Vesuvius.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.