Sorrento

Sorrento sits on a clifftop terrace above the Bay of Naples, looking out toward Vesuvius across water that shifts from turquoise to deep blue as the day wears on. It is less dramatic than its Amalfi Coast neighbors and all the better for it: a town built for lingering rather than rushing, with a gentler, more livable charm. The historic center unfolds around Piazza Tasso and the narrow lanes of Corso Italia, lined with shops selling limoncello and inlaid wood crafts, a local tradition dating back generations. Descend to the Marina Grande for a glimpse of the working fishing town Sorrento once was, or take in the sweeping coastal views from the Villa Comunale gardens, perched right at the cliff's edge. From here, Capri is a short boat ride away, and the rest of the Amalfi Coast unfolds just beyond the horizon. Meals here follow the coast's easy rhythm: gnocchi alla sorrentina rich with tomato and mozzarella, seafood pulled straight from the bay, and limoncello served ice-cold as an evening ritual. As the sun sets behind Capri, the terraces along the cliffside fill with diners in no hurry to be anywhere else.