With kids · Sorrento · Italy
Sorrento with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Sorrento works well for families thanks to its flat centre, hotels with pools along Via Capo and in Sant'Agnello, and easy trips to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Capri. Beaches are small and mostly platforms, so pools and the pebble beach at Marina del Cantone suit younger swimmers. Top picks: Piazza Tasso, Marina del Cantone and Basilica of Sant'Antonino. Families usually base themselves in Via Capo.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Via Capo
- Rainy-day options
- 0
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Landmark · Centro storico and Piazza Tasso
1.Piazza Tasso
Sorrento's main square, built over the gorge that once divided the town, is named after the poet Torquato Tasso, born in Sorrento in 1544, whose statue stands on its western side. Cafés ring the square, Corso Italia runs through it and the road down to Marina Piccola starts here.
Take an evening coffee or gelato here around 9pm, when locals come out for the passeggiata along Corso Italia.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- After dark
Beach · Massa Lubrense
2.Marina del Cantone
A long pebble beach below Nerano on the southern side of the peninsula, with beach clubs, public stretches and restaurants known for spaghetti alla Nerano. Boats leave from here for the grottoes and coves of the coast.
Reach it by local bus via Sant'Agata or by boat; parking fills up fast on summer weekends.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Outdoors
- Food
- Kids
- Free
Religious site · Centro storico and Piazza Tasso
3.Basilica of Sant'Antonino
The basilica of Sorrento's patron saint has a crypt with the saint's relics and walls covered in ex-voto offerings from sailors. Legend says Antonino rescued a child from a whale, and whale bones hang near the entrance.
Visit on 14 February to see the saint's feast-day procession.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Art
- Kids
Street · Centro storico and Piazza Tasso
4.Via San Cesareo
A narrow pedestrian lane running parallel to Corso Italia, packed with shops selling limoncello, lemon soaps, ceramics, inlaid wood and leather sandals. It is the busiest shopping street in the old town.
Many shops offer limoncello tastings; compare a few before buying.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- After dark
Waterfront · Marina Grande
5.Marina Grande
The old fishing harbour below the western edge of the old town has wooden boats on the shingle, nets drying by the quay and restaurants with tables over the water. It is reached on foot through an old gateway and a stepped lane from Via Marina Grande.
Walk down for a seafood lunch, then swim from one of the bathing platforms.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Couples
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Centro storico and Piazza Tasso
6.Villa Comunale
A small public garden on the cliff edge next to the church of San Francesco, with a terrace looking across the Bay of Naples to Vesuvius. A public lift and steps lead down from here to Marina Piccola and the bathing platforms below.
Come at sunset, then take the lift down to the port for a seafront walk.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for families, couples and quiet stays
Via Capo
Via Capo runs west from the centre along the cliffs towards Capo di Sorrento, lined with hotels set in gardens, many with pools and sea views. It is quieter than the centre and close to the Bagni della Regina Giovanna, with local buses and a walk of 15–25 minutes into town.
- Good
- More space, pools and gardens; Sea views; Quieter nights
- Watch out
- Uphill walk or bus into the centre; Busy road with narrow pavements in places
- Nearby
- Bagni della Regina Giovanna, Capo di Sorrento, Marina Grande
Family travel tips
- Choose a hotel with a pool; Sorrento's bathing platforms drop into deep water.
- Visit Pompeii first thing in the morning with hats, water and snacks, as shade is scarce.
- Herculaneum is easier than Pompeii with young children because it is smaller.
- Strollers work in the flat centre but not on the steps to Marina Grande or on the archaeological sites.
- Pizza and pasta in bianco are easy children's meals almost everywhere.
Day trips for families
- Pompeii (About 30 minutes by train) — The Roman city buried by Vesuvius in AD 79 has streets, houses, baths, theatres and frescoed villas over a huge site.
- Herculaneum (About 50 minutes by train) — Smaller and better preserved than Pompeii, Herculaneum was buried under deep volcanic material that preserved wooden beams, upper floors and mosaics.
- Mount Vesuvius (About 1.5 hours by train and shuttle) — A path climbs from the car park to the rim of Vesuvius's crater, about 30 minutes up, with views over the Bay of Naples.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–June and September. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Sorrento good for kids?
Sorrento works well for families thanks to its flat centre, hotels with pools along Via Capo and in Sant'Agnello, and easy trips to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Capri. Beaches are small and mostly platforms, so pools and the pebble beach at Marina del Cantone suit younger swimmers.
+What can kids do in Sorrento?
Piazza Tasso, Marina del Cantone, Basilica of Sant'Antonino, Via San Cesareo and Marina Grande.
+Where should families stay in Sorrento?
Via Capo: Hotels and villas along the clifftop road west of town towards Capo di Sorrento.