The Sorrento Peninsula – avoiding the crowds

Nature
The wow factor for nature - does it show nature at its best? Doesn't need to be the wildebeest migration or diving with hundreds of hammerheads. Rather make you pause as you realise just how awesome the natural world can be
10
Culture
How much does this experience showcase some of the better and finer things that us humans can offer? Sure, it can be ancient ruins and renaissance churches, but it can also be festivals or soaking up some of the great modern cities of the world
7
Fun factor/activity
Very simple - was it fun? This is usually linked in with doing some kind of activity - i mean, walking along some cliffs is nice, but paragliding from them, now that is fun. Its a vastly underrated factor in a truly great experience
9
Avoid the crowds
Big tour groups and being surrounded by loud fellow tourists can sap the life out of even the greatest of travel experiences. This score is to reflect just how much you can avoid this. But. . . The score also takes into account if the crowds actually add to the experience, such as with a party town or a bustling local market
7
World famous
How world famous is the experience?
9
unique
How hard is it to have a similar experience in other places round the world?
9
Overall TE Score
The overall travel experiences score:  fun factor + avoid the crowds + (best of nature or culture) + (best of world famous or unique). Then convert into a score out of 100
87 *What the scores mean and where do they come from
RANKING
How this travel experience ranks compared to all the other experiences on this site, based on the travel experience (te) score
10th/454
Top 5%
continent
Europe
country
Italy
Length of time
Around a week
Typical daily price
This gives you a rough idea of the daily price based on 2 people travelling where they can split costs like accommodation. It excludes travel there and back, and factors in inflation the numbers in brackets show the price range for the full time of the experience (so not necessarily daily). It is a range to reflect different budget vs higher end
$380 ($850-$3,500 in 2025 prices)
Time of year visited
June
Primary Tags
Click on any of the tags to see all travel experiences with the same tag
Boat trip Cliffs Hilltop towns
All Tags
Ancient ruins Beach promenade Beaches Big city Bustling restaurants Christian site Cool neighbourhoods Driving Ferry Hiking Islands Local villages Mountains Museums Old town Partying / Lash Restaurant recommendations Romans Sunsets Swimming UNESCO world heritage site Volcanoes
Wow Factor
The wow factor reflects just how much you’re likely to say “wow”. As there’s a lot of experiences in the world, and a lot of wows, i’ve gone with a simple ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ to ⭐️ score, and a separate category for the truly "gash"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Summary

The Sorrento Peninsular, which includes the Amalfi Coast part of the Bay of Naples is, in my opinion, in the top 5 most beautiful places in the world.  The dramatic cliffs, turquoise clear waters and idyllic islands that look like something from an AI-generated image are even further enhanced by the exquisite Italian villages that hug the impossibly dramatic mountain sides.  It really is wow, and you find yourself often stopping and just gawping at the beauty. 

 

The problem though is the crowds and general mass tourism of it all – the queues along some of the narrow roads are some of the worst I’ve seen anywhere in the world, and the prices are utterly, utterly mental (think €2,000+ a night in summer).  The experience is still wow . . . but the crowds diminish it.

 

If you tweak it a bit, primarily with staying in the small towns to the west of Sorrento Town itself, you can quickly change this from a basic Wow to a max Wow-factor experience.  See below for the tips to help you do this.

 

Sorrento Peninsular - views of the beach of Positano

Table of Contents

The Sorrento Peninsular – where is everything

The below map shows where the main attractions are, including the areas I recommend staying on the Sorrento Peninsular to the west of the town of Sorrento.  Staying there gives you the world-class views and vibe you’re looking for, without the fellow tourist hoards.  Use the places as a base for day trips to the major attractions of Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii and Naples.

 

 

 

Snapshot of the Highlights

Sorrento Peninsular - 1. The chilled out vibe in the south west tip of the peninsula. Towns such as Massa Lubrense and Narano offering the picturesque streets and dramatic views, without the crowds

1. The chilled out vibe in the south west tip of the peninsula. Towns such as Massa Lubrense and Narano offer the picturesque streets and dramatic views, without the crowds

Sorrento Peninsular - 2. Boat ride from Massa Lubrense to Positano for lunch

2. Boat ride from Massa Lubrense to Positano for lunch. It really is wow wow wow

Sorrento Peninsular - 3. Lunch in Positano for the sheer audacious vibe and beautiful views of the town itself

3. Lunch in Positano for the sheer audacious vibe and beautiful views of the town itself

Sorrento Peninsular - 4. Views of Capri all to yourself when you stay in one of the quiet peninsula towns, in this case Marciano

4. Views of Capri all to yourself when you stay in one of the quiet peninsula towns, in this case Marciano

Sorrento Peninsular - 5. Hike from Nerano down to the seculded Baia di Leranto

5. Hike from Nerano down to the seculded Baia di Leranto beach

Sorrento Peninsular - 6. Experiencing Capri Town's whitewashed labyrinthine Old Town. Magical before the crowds arrive

6. Experiencing Capri Town's whitewashed labyrinthine Old Town. Magical before the crowds arrive

Sorrento Peninsular - 7. Enjoying lunch at the sensational Dream Beach Club next to Nerano

7. Enjoying lunch at the super impressive and atmospheric Dream Beach Club next to Nerano

Sorrento Peninsular - 8. Walking up to Capri's Villa Jovis for drop-dead views from its peak, learning the horror's planned by Emperor Tiberius and wandering the gorgeous nearby Parco Astarita

8. Walking up to Capri's Villa Jovis for drop-dead views from its peak, learning the horror's planned by Emperor Tiberius and wandering the gorgeous nearby Parco Astarita

Sorrento peninsular - 9. Naples' Spanish Quarter with its narrow grid of streets to get lost in as you move from one pizzeria and bar to the next

9. Naples' Spanish Quarter with its narrow grid of streets to get lost in as you move from one pizzeria and bar to the next

Sorrento Peninsular - 10. Swimming in the hidden cove of Bagni Regina Giovanni - stunningly beautiful and part of an old Roman villa complex.  You walk down to the inner pool and then swim out under the arch to the open water

10. Swimming in the hidden cove of Bagni Regina Giovanni - beautiful and part of an old Roman villa complex.  You walk down to the inner pool and then swim out under the arch to the open water

Sorrento Peninsular - 11. The walk down from Naples' Vomero down the Gradini del Petraio back down to the Spanish Quarter for the best views of the city

11. The walk down from Naples' Vomero down the Gradini del Petraio back down to the Spanish Quarter for the best views of the city

Sorrento Peninsular - 12. The Path of the Gods - views of the best parts of the whole peninsular (best do in the late afternoon)

12. The Path of the Gods - views of the best parts of the whole peninsular (best do in the late afternoon)

Sorrento Peninsular - 13. Wandering the ruins of Pompeii - there is so much to see, but start with the Amphitheatre on the far east side

13. Wandering the ruins of Pompeii - there is so much to see, even for non Roman history fans

Key Tips for how to avoid the Crowds

 

Stay and focus your time on the south west tip of the Sorrento Peninsula

 

The vast majority of tourists hit the main sites of the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Capri, Naples and Pompeii.  Whereas the smaller and no less charming villages, hikes and coastline to the south west of Sorrento go largely missed.  You can still use this as a base to explore the more famous spots, but avoid being near-constantly surrounded by crowds. I’d suggest:

 

  • Nerano – regularly voted “best hidden gem in Italy” because of its stunning beach setting, and the hikes you can make from the second half of the village a bit further up the hill.

 

Sorrento Peninsular - the village of Nerano view from the nearby cliffs

View from the nearby cliffs of Nerano

 

  • Massa Lubrense – similar to Nerano, this has a coastal half and a hill half.  The hill half is nice enough, but the coastal part is magical.  Be sure not to miss the walk along the beautiful Via Cristoforo Colombo, walk the beach promenade to nearby Riviera di Marcigliano, and have sundowners from Angelo’s.  The food at Funiculi Funicular is also nice.

 

  • Termini – the village itself is only so-so, but it is the entrance point for 2 wonderful mini-hikes – down to Punta Campanella and along the ridge for Chiesa di San Costanzo.  There is also an outrageously warm family run bar / restaurant called Chico Bar San Costanzo along Via Campanella, which is worth stopping at just for the theatre of the family.

 

  • Marciano – we stayed in the little village in an Airbnb 21 Via Baccoli, with fabulous views of Capri.  Would highly recommend.

 

Sorrento Peninsular - views of Capri from the terrace of an Airbnb in Marciano

Evening views of Capri from the terrace of an Airbnb in Marciano

 

Rent a car

Yes its a bit more expensive, but it avoids the dependency on the not-so-great public transport and allows you to find an idyllic place away from fellow tourists.  When everything is factored in, you’ll no doubt save more than the price of the rental car in the process.

 

Rent a private boat for the Amalfi rather than driving

The views are way better, there are no traffic jams, and you get to see some of the caves and villas only accessible by the water.  It isn’t cheap – the prices for a private boat where there would be 6 people and drinks / snacks provided starts at around €500 per boat.  Or you can go with a non private boat for around €75 per person.  But it provides a completely different experience and will likely be one of the highlights of the trip.

 

Start early

There is no comparison between being able to wander the old town streets when there are only a handful of fellow tourists, or simply locals getting on with their day, vs the hoards around lunchtime.  Capri Town’s narrow streets were magical at around 930am – one of the best old towns I’ve ever experienced, but were unpleasant from around noon. 

 

Similarly, we drove the Amalfi around 11am one day and, whilst beautiful, it was just rammed and I found myself wanting to leave.  Few days later we hit it at 645am and found a world-class experience with the roads and lanes to ourselves.  Early bird catches the Aamalfi.

 

Do some of the hikes on the Sorrento peninsula

 

The views are insane and routes typically not crowded.

  1. The Path of the Gods is the famous one and really is wow.  Not to be missed but does get crowded. 2.5hrs.  See the All Trails – Path of the Gods for the specifics.
  2. The walk to the secluded beach of Baia di Leranto from Nerano – leave before 830ish to avoid the crowds.   2.5hrs there and back.
  3. Walk to Punta Campanella from Termini with the best views anywhere of Capri. Its a there-and-back walk, but you can avoid the down and uphill slog by stopping halfway and don’t massively miss out on views.  2.5hrs.
  4. Walk along the ridge of Pineta di San Costanzo to the church on the point – you can drive to the top if want to avoid the uphill from Termini.  2hrs without the drive, 45mins with drive.

 

Explore some of the unusual spots along the coast

 

There are plenty of wonderful spots to explore.  Our favourites were:

 

1. The SENSATIONAL beach club by Nerano called Dream Beach Club with its gorgeous setting – either rent a lounger by the sea (cheap) / pool (expensive); or just head there for lunch.  You can actually just rock up without a lounger reservation.  Get there either via a water taxi from Nerano, or the walk along the cliffs is a pretty and easy 10-15min walk. 

 

Sorrento Peninsular - 1. The SENSATIONAL beach club by Nerano called Dream Beach Club with its gorgeous setting - either rent a lounger by the sea (cheap) / pool (expensive); or just head there for lunch. 

Dream Beach Club by Nerano 

 

2. Swimming in the hidden cove of Bagni Regina Giovanni – stunningly beautiful and part of an old Roman villa complex.  You walk down to the inner pool and then swim out under the arch to the open water.

 

2. Swimming in the hidden cove of Bagni Regina Giovanni - stunningly beautiful and part of an old Roman villa complex.  You walk down to the inner pool and then swim out under the arch to the open water.

Hidden cove of Bagni Regina Giovanni for swimming

 

3. Massa Lubrense waterfront – walk along the beautiful Via Cristoforo Colombo, walk the beach promenade to nearby Riviera di Marcigliano, and have sundowners from Angelo’s.  This will be the least busy of the three.

 

Which of the famous sites to Prioritise

 

There’s a lot to do and so much of it is brilliant.  If you want a real “what should I prioritise” list, I’d go with the following:

 

1. The Amalfi Coast, stopping for lunch in Positano – its such Wow.  To get the best: get a boat there otherwise you miss so many of the sensational views; be sure to wander all the way up Via Cristoforo Colombo rather than only the sea front; restaurant recommendation is the Terrazzo Cele as part of the Hotel Marincanto for great views.  You could stay in Positano – it is probably the only major site I would suggest to do so because it is magical in the early mornings and generally 10/10 beautiful – but very expensive.

 

Sorrento Peninsular - views of Positano from the boat

 

2. Capri – it lives up to the hype, but you’ve got to get there early as by lunchtime it gets daft.  Don’t spend much time by the Marina Grande ferry arrival area and instead head straight up the funicular (don’t walk – the walk is ok, but just unnecessarily tires you out) to Capri Town which is one of the best old towns I’ve seen anywhere in the world – the whitewashed labyrinthine streets are magical before the crowds arrive. 

 

Walk up to the Villa Jovis – its a nice 20min walk from Capri Town, has sensational views from its peak, is the former enormous villa of the Emperor Tiberius (where all sorts of nasty shit went down), and the nearby Parco Astarita is gorgeous.  Chose any of the small restaurants in the tiny Old Town streets for lunch, but I would recommend Ristorante Pizzeria Verginiello for the location and the staff (ideally can get a spot by the windows).

 

Sorrento Peninsular - views from Capri and the Tiberius' Villa / Villa Jovis

 

3. Naples – don’t get scared by the crime stories.  The centre of Naples has cleaned up its act – the mafia figured they can make a hell of lot more money from welcoming tourists than robbing them, and they are of course correct.  The narrow grid streets of the Spanish Quarter is the highlight as you get lost amongst it all.  Be sure to take the funicular up to Vomero (from Station de Montesanto) and walk down the Gradini del Petraio back down to the Spanish Quarter for the best views.

 

Sorrento Peninsular - steps with Napoli shirts in the Spanish Quarter

 

4. The Path of the Gods – stunning viewing of the best parts of the whole peninsular.  Unless you have a driver, start in Bomerano (a nice little town on its own), stop around halfway to Positano and return to Bomerano.  The reason is it’s a major faff having to get transport back back to Bomerano from Positano and you don’t particularly miss any major views doing this half.  Other tip is to go late in the day – sunset views are cracking and we found it nearly deserted.

 

Sorrento Peninsular. view from the Path of the Gods across to the water

 

5. Pompeii – even if you’re not a Roman history fan (which my girlfriend is not), it’s still an incredible sight (which she agreed, it was).  Top tip – don’t go the usual route (starting at the forum).  Instead, head straight for the Amphitheatre (in the far east), and then make your way through the less busy spots nearby to end at the more famous forum / temple of Apollo / Basilica area (which is usually very busy).  Give yourself 1.5 hours in total, otherwise its easy to get a bit ruined-out.

 

Sorrento Peninsular - the old Roman Forum of Ancient Pompeii

 

6. Sorrento – yes the Old Town is nice and the Corso Italian is good for gelato, but it doesn’t offer anything ahead of those already on this list and is busy AF.  Nice to visit if passing through for ferries etc.

 

Sorrento peninsular - the small streets of Sorrento town and outside restaurant eating

Is the Sorrento Peninsular the most beautiful place in the World?

 

Short answer, its right up there.  Hard to think of other spots that rival its combination of natural dramatic beauty with elegant villages, plus having the world-famous sites such as Napoli, Capri and Pompeii on the doorstep.  Lake Como though might just shade it.  Here would be my top 5:

 

  1.  Lake Como, also in Italy – and you can see all the tips and its rating on the travel entry for 2 days by beautiful Lake Como.
  2. Lake Atitlan, in the mountains of Guatemala – 3 days relaxing and diving by the beautiful Lake Atitlan.
  3. The Sorrento Peninsular.
  4. The mountains surrounding Machu Pichu on the Inca Trail in Peru – Hiking the 4 day / 3 night Inca Trail.
  5. Cape Town in South Africa – the most stunning setting for a city – A week in Cape Town.

 

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Score Detail

The scores above are the real point of this site.

Over 20+ years and 100+ countries, I’ve tried to rank the world’s best travel experiences — from genuinely mind-blowing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to the properly gash.

Every one of the 500+ places on this site has both a Wow Factor rating and a more analytical Travel Experience (TE) score based on the things that actually make travel memorable.

If you're curious about the thinking behind it, head to the About page.

Otherwise, explore the map above or on the Home page and see which places truly deliver maximum wow.

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