Audio Guide: Sorrento Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Sorrento

The Greek historian Diodorus Siculus claimed that Sorrento was founded by Liparus, who also founded the city of Lipari on the island of the same name. According to the legend, three mermaids settled on the tip of the Sorrentine Peninsula, enchanting the seafarers in transit through those waters. Even the legendary Ulysses had to use stratagems to resist the deadly song of the Sirens. Thus, the name Sorrento likely derives from the Greek Sirentum, linked to the mythic Sirens said to have inhabited the nearby coast.

Sorrento’s history stretches back to ancient Greek and Oscan settlements before becoming a Roman resort town famed for its villas and mild climate. In the Middle Ages, it endured Saracen raids and shifted control among Byzantines, Normans, and later the Kingdom of Naples. There were periods of self-rule, followed by more duchies. The town thrived on maritime trade and agriculture, especially citrus cultivation.

In 1558, the town was devastated by a major Ottoman raid, one of several attacks during that era. The 17th century brought Spanish rule and outbreaks of plague, while the 18th century saw shifting Neapolitan governments. In 1861, Sorrento was unified with the newly formed Kingdom of Italy. The waves of invaders finally subsided, but tourists soon began answering the Sirens’ call.

From the 18th and 19th centuries onward, Sorrento charmed literary and artistic giants such as Lord Byron, John Keats, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Charles Dickens, Richard Wagner, Henrik Ibsen, and Friedrich Nietzsche. The great Italian poet Torquato Tasso was born here, and the town’s main square is named after him.

Today, Sorrento’s old town offers narrow cobblestone streets lined with pastel buildings, artisan shops, and family-run cafés. Visitors can browse handmade ceramics, leather sandals, and bottles of local limoncello. Lemon-scented courtyards, tiny bakeries, and sea-view terraces add charm, while hidden lanes lead to peaceful cloisters and viewpoints overlooking the Bay of Naples.

Tourists-famous and ordinary alike-visit the Big Marina, the Port of Sorrento, Tasso Square, the Correale Museum, the bustling San Cesareo Street, the 14th-century Cathedral of Sorrento, the Church and Monastery of Saint Francis, and the dramatic Valley of the Mills.

Today, the song of the Sirens is as irresistible as ever, and people still hum the tune of “Come back to Sorrento.” And once you set foot in Sorrento, you will want to return again and again.