In the last days of March I explored Sorrento, knowing that from the beginning of April the crazy tourist season will begin. For fifteen years I have been visiting towns the length and breadth of Italy, but I have never seen as many hotels in one town as there are in Sorrento, especially five star hotels. There are an estimated 21,000 hotel beds available. I can only imagine how crowded it must get in a town that has a local population of 16,000 people and an area of only ten square kilometres. For now, it is perfect.

Early morning walks had me following the cliffs high above the port with views of Capri, Ischia and snow-capped Mount Vesuvius; down to Marina Grande (big Marina) whereas Marina Piccola (small Marina) is really the big marina where the ferries arrive (go figure); and up into the hills high above Sorrento to a small village called Sant’Agata, ten kilometres away.

In the 1800s, Sorrento was a stop on the Grand Tour, the journey taken by wealthy international travellers to become more worldly. Great artists such as Keats and Byron drew inspiration from the town and the culture of the Sorrentini people. Today, Sorrento is a magnet for tourists with an estimated three million visitors last year.

The town is famous for its juicy lemons that are grown in the volcanic soil of the Amalfi Coast. Is it any wonder there are so many limoncello shops lining the main street of Corso Italia. Limoncello is made using the same recipes and techniques that were developed centuries ago.

Sorrento has another centuries old tradition which is called intarsia, or marquetry, the art of wood inlay. Intarsia is a meticulous, delicate style of woodworking that produces detailed mosaics and images inlaid onto jewellery, jewellery boxes, doors, furniture and other wooden surfaces. Once upon a time these artisan workshops outnumbered limoncello shops - now it is the other way round.

For ten years I have been obsessed with Nino and Friends, a little piece of Italy made with warmth, quality and passion. The story began ten years ago from a small shop in the heart of Sorrento with the aim of distributing the true flavour of the best Made in Italy food and beverage excellence. The family business now has 15 stores across Italy with chocolate fountains in each store and the best sweet and savoury Italian delicacies. And of course limoncello. Everything in one place!

What makes the experience truly special is the spirit of generosity and friendly welcome the moment you step inside. The staff are holding trays of cappuccino cookies, limoncello filled sweets, pistacchio chocolates and so much more. Never hold back because they seriously want you to taste everything. Then there are the balsamic vinegar, sundried tomatoes and pistacchio pesto, cacio e pepe with truffle cream, limoncello tastings. Everything is so delicious that it requires a lot of discipline not to go on a crazy spending spree.

I bought a box of mixed cookies for Sam, but they only lasted two hours in my room before I opened them. Aptly written on the box is “I can resist everything except temptation”.

Nino and Friends can be found in Siena and San Gimignano (Tuscany/Italian Riviera/Lake Como tour), Amalfi, Capri, Anacapri (Amalfi Coast tour) and Taormina (Sicily tour). They also have stores in Florence, Venice and of course Sorrento.

Through talking to locals and my own discoveries, here are my top recommendations for eating out in Sorrento.

Veneruso Bar Pasticceria

Open since 1930, this is one of the oldest family businesses in Sorrento. The Pasticceria is pastry heaven tempting you with Neapolitan and Sorrento delicacies made daily by the pastry chefs. Standing at the bar each morning with my cappuccino, I devoured the flakiest, tastiest cornetti filled with light custard and homemade apricot jam. Unbelievably good.

A’Marenna Bakery and Bistrot

So glad I stumbled across this tiny treasure in a side street. The friendly, smiling welcome was enough to inspire confidence, but then I tasted the food! Gourmet panini with amazing combinations, a great selection of salads and vegetarian and vegan options. The perfect lunch.

Trattoria dei Mori

Recommended by a local as the place where locals go to eat, not tourists, I fell in love with this cosy, intimate trattoria. Hidden away from the main street is always a good sign, so too was the small but exquisite menu. Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (potato dumplings gnocchi baked with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil) accompanied by a glass of Pinot Grigio, followed by a complimentary limoncello was divine.

I was excited to find a Gelateria with lids on the gelati (one of my five rules for choosing the best gelato), but it was a little cold to indulge in gelato.

I’m happy to have spent a few days in Sorrento to experience great walks; superb food; interesting chats with local artisans and the opportunity to learn about the history first hand. However, I would recommend visiting very early or at the end of the season, as the sheer number of tourists must make this town ridiculously crowded.

Ci vediamo la prossima settimana.

Deb