Chiesa di Sant'Antonino (Church of Saint Antonino), Sorrento (must see)

Leaving San Cesareo Street, a short walk will bring you to Saint Antonino Square, a small urban space filled with local activity. On your right stands the Church of Saint Antonino, dedicated to the patron saint of Sorrento.

According to tradition, Antonino arrived here in the 6th century during the Lombard invasions and later became known as a protector of the town and its seafarers. One of the most repeated stories tells of a boy swallowed by a whale on the Sorrento shoreline. Antonino intervened and saved him, and the whale bones displayed at the church entrance recall this event.

The church you see today was built in the 11th century on top of a 7th-century oratory that once held the saint’s remains. Its grey tuff facade reflects modifications made in the 18th century, featuring a Romanesque style and an understated appearance from the outside.

Enter the Church of Saint Antonino through the main doors and step into the central nave, flanked by three aisles. Take a moment to admire the 12 marble columns, some of which were salvaged from Roman-era buildings. As you look up, notice the frescoes covering the ceiling and walls, illustrating key moments from Saint Antonino’s life and miracles. One standout is the 1734 ceiling painting by Giovan Battista Lama, showing the saint rescuing a noble’s daughter from demonic possession.

Walk toward the main altar, where a statue of Saint Antonino greets you. Pause at the side altars to see relics of other saints. Behind the altar, a double-ramp staircase leads down to the crypt, the heart of the church. Here rests the tomb of Saint Antonino, surrounded by ex-voto offerings, including silver plaques and maritime tokens from sailors saved from shipwrecks. Don’t miss the wooden crucifix with a silver cover, used in historical processions. A 15th-century fresco of the Madonna delle Grazie adorns one side of the crypt, while the processional crucifix sits on the other.

If you have access, visit the sacristy, which resembles a small museum. You’ll find period paintings, a 16th-century silver statue of Saint Antonino, and a detailed nativity scene with figures from the 17th and 18th centuries, alongside other devotional artworks donated over time.