{postcards from italy-Sorrento}

{views of Sorrento's cliffs (all photos my own)}

I spent the day in Sorrento yesterday. It's a bit touristy, but definitely much more calm than Naples and it's not yet full of foreign tourists (it's full of americans & brits in July & Aug).  I was actually planning on taking the ferry to Positano but the times I looked up online weren't accurate so instead I decided to go to Sorrento. I've been before, but this time I paid for a place on a private beach. This is one strange thing about Italy. Most beaches are private & you'll have to pay a fee which varies depending on what you choose: mere access, a seat, a lounge chair, an umbrella etc... While the Amalfi coast is breathtaking, it has little sand. Most of the cities cling to the cliffs which hang over the Med, so there is actually few beaches with sand. Those spots where there is sand are prime real estate & it's hard to find 'public' beach access. If there is, it's usually a tiny bit stuck in between private beaches and it's usually impossible to find a spot to put down a towel. You'll notice in the photos below that the Italians have tried to get around having no beach & have built docks extending outward which they fill with lounge chairs. It does mean it's quite cool as it catches the breezes blowing across the Med.
I got a lettino, or a lounge chair, & took in the sun, the super warm water, & relaxed for the day. I love all the stripes, the little cabins (also rentable for a fee), & the breathtaking views (look above & you'll see hotels built on the cliffs overlooking the beach & sea below).

{arrival into Sorrento by ferry}

{how gorgeous is this?}

{public beach is the tiny stretch at the lower right (where there are no ombrellini (umbrellas)}

{my new green nail polish adorning my sandy feet, matching my green bikini. I love the little striped toilet doors (top left) & the striped cabins}

I also wandered around the orange & lemon-tree lined streets of Sorrento--mostly filled with restaurants & tourist shops. The town is great for walking--meandering streets, relatively little traffic, and pleasant breezes that funnel through the narrow streets.

{chiesa di San Francesco & cloister below}

{gentleman's club of Sorrento-check out the breathtaking  frescoes}

{leather sandals}

{icons of the Virgin are everywhere}

{sorrento is well known for its lemons, and consequently its limoncello}

{having a prosecco & waiting for my ferry back to Napoli (notice how many  nibblies they bring you if you order a drink in the late afternoon. Note too, the fresh green olives, typical of the south)}

{a Napoli!}

I spent the day having an art history overload at the Museo Capodimonte. More blogging & photo soon!