Motorbike itinerary along the Sorrento Peninsula between Vico Equense Sorrento Sant'Agata sui due Golfi and Nerano. An unforgettable journey.
There are not many km to go, about 40, but the time you want to dedicate to these beautiful places will be a lot, for this reason we recommend spending at least a weekend.
Content index
Castellammare di Stabia
Starting from Castellammare di Stabia, one of the places chosen by the Roman aristocracy for stays on the Gulf of Naples, we can stop to visit its splendid luxury villas, buried by theeruption of the Vesuvius of 79 AD. The court of the Anjou installed a residence there, which became the Royal Palace of Quisisana. In the Bourbon period it was one of the favorite summer residences of the rulers, and the city became a stop of the famous Grand Tour. Since the end of the nineteenth century the city has always remained an important tourist destination, for the Grand Hotel Quisisana, the municipal villa, the public gardens, the historic Great Coffee Naples, Harmonic Box (Furthermore, Denza composed the famous song here in 1880 Funiculi Funicula!).
Vico Equense
We then proceed along the splendid curves from the SS145, through Vico Equense, the first town on the Sorrento peninsula, famous for its pink facade of the former cathedral of Santa Maria Annnunziata, built on a rocky outcrop overlooking the sea. Here you can stop for a "snack" based on Pizza by the meter, invented from Gigino, whose "university of pizza" is right in the center of the village, or taste the famous provolone del Monaco: this type of cheese is produced in very few and numbered examples on the hills of Vico Equense from the milk of Agerolesi cows. You can find it at "De Gennaro" delicatessen in Via Caccioppoli (in front of the hospital). To finish, if you succeed, you must finally try the Gabriele's ice cream, whose dairy offers ice cream, cheese and yogurt all excellent.
Sorrento
Once in Sorrento, get off the motorcycle and take a simple but beautiful walk. From Piazza Lauro, you can continue along the Corso Italy until you get to Piazza Tasso, the main square of Sorrento. A few meters further up, along the avenue Enrico Caruso, look out from the railing to take a look at the below Deep Valley of the Mills, you will thank me! It is one of the many "valleys", gods small canyons, which descended from the hills of Sorrento towards the sea. At the bottom of the valley there are still the remains of a mill with an adjoining carpentry. You can pay a visit to the Cathedral of Sorrento and then get lost in the alleys of the historic center. Long Via San Cesareo, the oldest decuman of the city up, you will meet the Sedil Dominova, an ancient meeting point for the nobles of the city and today the seat of the Mutual Aid Society; from here descending along Via Reginaldo Giuliani. So you find yourself at the entrance to the Municipal villa (where you will take the inevitable selfie with the panorama of the Sorrento coast and the Vesuvio in the background) with the church of San Francesco on your right. Not to be missed is the cloister of 1300 themed photographic exhibitions are often organized. From the villa we recommend that you continue the walk reaching Piazza Vittoria, another panoramic point and follow the road that leads to the seaside village of Marina Grande (don't worry there is an elevator on the way back!).
Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi
After this long but wonderful walk we put you back on your motorcycles, in the direction of Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi, along the state road SS145. On the one hand there is the Gulf of Naples with Vesuvius, on the other that of Salerno with the islands of the Gauls and Amalfi Coast. In front of Capri, very close, a mountain in the blue sea. Stop for a short walk, from the central square of Sant'Agata to the Monastery of the Desert, built on top of the homonymous hill by the Carmelite friars in 1679. Also worth seeing is the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, one of the most interesting in the area, which preserves a precious altar inlaid with marble and mother of pearl. The small village is also famous for the starred restaurant of "Don Alfonso 1890"And for everyone's pockets, exactly opposite,"The Stuzzichino“, Excellent“ slow food ”tavern.
Nerano
And if we still haven't been able to satiate your spirit, put your helmet back on and, even more slowly, take the road towards Nerano, along the via Blue Ribbon, another corner of paradise nestled in the Amalfi Coast and famous for its underwater caves, the picturesque center, the typical restaurants. The name seems to be attributable to a villa of Nero which was probably built here for the emperor's idleness. Nerano beach overlooks the bay of Canton Navy, with rocky bottoms and transparent water: beautiful for swimming and diving, being exactly in the center of the Punta Campanella Marine Nature Reserve. Well aware of the hunger that a few kilometers on motorcycles can cause, you are not allowed to go back without having tasted them Spaghetti Alla Nerano: seasoned with zucchini, provolone del monaco and basil, you can find the "original recipe" by Mariagrazia, also loved by Totò and Eduardo.
Useful Tips
If you are traveling in the summer, you should book a hotel in advance as the area is extremely busy in high season and during the holidays.
Curiosity
It is said that the origin of the name Sorrento is due to Sirentum, a girl with very special characteristics born from the union of Mirone, a farmer who lived in the hilly area of Casarlano and Leucosia, one of the three sirens daughters of Acheloo.
Where to sleep and eat
Data Room
We just have to wish you a good appetite and good road heading south towards Amalfi to find out the rest of the Campania By motorbike.
