Sorrento Coast holidays

Almost all of the Sorrentine Peninsula’s coastline is rocky, so lots of the sunbathing real estate consists of raised-up platforms. You’ll find them teetering above the water, with ladders that make it easy to hop in and out for a swim.

Spiaggia Pubblica beach, in Sorrento, is one of the main spots for sunbathing, despite only having a few narrow slivers of sand. It’s at the foot of steep cliff faces, with zig-zagging walkways that lead to a collection of wooden jetties. They’re furnished with beach huts, sunloungers and umbrellas, and rocky breakwaters keep the swimming conditions calm.

For a seaside spot that hardly anyone knows about, make a beeline for Bagni della Regina Giovanna beach. It’s tucked away among grass-tufted rocky cliffs, just up the coastline from Sorrento. You’ll find a cove secreted away in the middle, which gets its name from a former queen of Naples, who was said to have bathed here.

One of Sorrento’s tucked-away side streets is a great spot for a bargain. From Piazza Tasso Square, you can follow narrow Via San Cesareo street, which is loaded with little fruit and veg vendors, souvenir shops and handicraft workshops. Limoncello’s sold in bottles shaped like the outline of Italy, and hand-carved wooden keepsakes are a popular item to take home.

For something that falls between luxury and low-price, head for Corso Italia, in Sorrento. Italian labels that sell designer shoes and clothes reside here, but it’s not just about style and glamour. Cafés and souvenir shops get in on the act, too, and there are gelato bars on the narrow streets that peel off in either direction.

Nowhere stretches the purse strings more than the island of Capri, which reels off heavy-hitting fashion brands faster than a London Fashion Week catwalk. Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton – the list of big names goes on and on. They’re joined by jewellery shops where you can customise your own piece of bling, too.

For a night of cocktails and sunset views across the Bay of Naples, there’s a good selection of scenic watering holes in Sant’Agnello. It’s close to the town’s premier sunbathing spot, Spiaggia La Marinella, so it’s easy grab a drink after a day in the sun.

Sorrento’s Piazza Tasso is bustling during the day, and that doesn’t change when the sun goes down. You’ll find a handful of clubs – including one hidden beneath the square – plus plenty of bars with outdoor seating areas.

These individual cakes are a Sorrento speciality, as lemons are one of the region’s prized ingredients. Sponge semi-circles are filled with lemon cream and topped with whipped cream.

You’ve heard of the red, white and green shades of Sorrento’s pizzas, and this gnocchi dish replicates the colour scheme in pasta form. Fluffy blobs of potato pasta are topped with tangy tomato sauce and sprigs of fresh basil.

You can’t go far in Sorrento without stumbling on a gelato bar. This thicker, creamier version of ice-cream comes in all sorts of flavours – from pistachio to hazelnut and mint to Stracciatella.

Simple ingredients are the Sorrento Area’s forte, and you won’t find a better example than the Caprese salad. Big slices of rich buffalo mozzarella are layered with chunky discs of tomato, then topped with basil.

This might be the second lemon instalment on our list, but they’re just so good in Sorrento. Bright-yellow bottles of zesty limoncello are absolutely everywhere, and it’s a popular after-meal aperitif.