• Bus to Termini; then metro to Tiburtina. Walked to the bus depot located behind the metro/train station.
  • Marozzi bus to Sorrento. We bought the tickets online from home on August 13, 2009 (€17.50 per person). When buying, the online system (we admit, it’s not the easiest one to use…) was showing that we were the first passengers taking the seats on the bus. However, when the bus was leaving the Tiburtina at 7:00 AM, all the seats were taken. The trip was very nice; the weather was perfect and the highway – the autostrada – was very impressive, extremely well-maintained. We arrived at the Sorrento Circumvesuviana stop next to the Sorrento Circumvesuviana line station around 10:45 AM.
  • NOTE: Originally, we had quite a big plan for this day that could include a visit to the island of Capri (by boat, about 1 hour or by ferry, 30 minutes or by jet boat, 20 minutes). The day was very beautiful and just right for such an escapade, but when we came to Sorrento, we quickly realized that it would be too tiring and we could have easily missed the bus back to Rome. Plus we were rather tired already – after 10 exciting days in Italy. So we decided to slow down and have a very relaxing – almost lazy – stay in that scenic town. And that’s how we left  Capri and its Blue Grotto for another trip, another year.
    Sorrento Marina

    Sorrento Marina

  • Hotel Royal/Hotel Europa Palace (11:17 AM) – Ristorante Caruso (11:22 AM). According to the website, the Ristorante Caruso is actually “The Museum Caruso Restaurant, placed in the historical center of Sorrento, over that to be known for its refined and delicious kitchen, it distinguishes for its prerogative to be a small “museum/temple” devoted to the great tenor Enrico Caruso”. Visit the website to learn about the restaurant, Caruso and to listen to Caruso’s unforgettable music. Fascinating! [NOTE: when you feel bad, come back and listen again to Caruso's voice]
  • Piazza San Antonino (11:35 AM) - San Antonino Abbate monument (11:40 AM). St. Anthony (Antonino) was the Sorrento’s town saint and he has the monument and the basilica dedicated to him.
  • Cliffside Square (Villa Comunale) – overlooking the harbor (marina) and private beaches and offering a nice view of the Bay of Naples (11:50 AM till 12:25 PM).
  • Sorrento Franciscan Church – from 13th-century, built in Norman, Gothic and Arabic styles (12:30 PM) – Palazzo Marziale (12:32 PM) – Via Vittorio Veneto (12:33 PM)
  • Slice of pizza at Pizza al Taglio at Via P.R. Giuliani (12:45 PM)
  • Via dell’Accademia (12:48 PM)
  • Torquato Tasso’s monument in the central point of Sorrento – Piazza Tasso (1:25 PM). The famous poet/sonneteer, Tasso (“Jerusalem Delivered”, 1580) was born in Sorrento in 1544.
  • Dinner (1:30 PM – 2:30 PM) at the Sant’Antonino’s restaurant (Via Santa Maria delle Grazie 6). It was nice to enjoy good food, great house wine and delicious desert on the outdoor patio.
  • Shopping for fine Italian cosmetics at Scotti Antonino’s store on Via San Cesareo (3:00 PM)
  • Hunting for the famous lemon products made in Sorrento (3:25 PM).

  • Giardino di Cataldo, Sorrento

    Giardino di Cataldo, Sorrento

    Visited L’Agruminato/Giardino di Cataldo on Corso Italia (it has a second entrance (Via Capasso/Via Rota). It is a very nice park or rather a lemon grove garden with tasting/buying stand. Sitting in the shade of lemon and lemon-orange trees, we were trying – for free! – a number of very tasty lemon products. We bought there a few little bottles of the made-in-Sorrento, worldwide-famous limoncello drink (liqueur) and few jars of marmelade (3:52 – 4:00 PM).

  • Thirsty after trying so much of limoncello, we were looking for a grocery store to buy some water or Coke, but couldn’t find anything and the bus was departing soon. Finally, we spotted the Standa Supermarket (Corso Italia/Via Marziale). It was stocked nicely and the prices were surprisingly reasonable (4:35 PM); we bought some water for the trip back and something to eat in the evening. The store was just a short walk from the bus stop (Circumvesuviana station).
  • When we came to the CV bus stop at 4:40 PM, the Marozzi bus was already there after coming from Amalfi – with the same driver that took us from Rome. He recognized us and greeted us with a big smile. He casually glimpsed at our tickets bought online from home on August 13, 2009 (€17.50 per person) and we took our seats.
  • We left Sorrento as planned – at 5:00 PM – and had a nice, quiet and safe trip back to Rome, with one stop around the middle of the trip for a WC, coffe, tea or a cigarette.
  • The bus came on time to the Tiburtina depot (9:00 PM).
  • We walked by the Tiburtina metro/train station to the local bus loop. Took bus #490 to Piazza Fiume and from there it was just a 200-meters walk to our hotel.
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