Sorrento manages only a modest selection of sightseeing attractions; however, the city is close enough to Naples and other significant destinations in Campania to ensure that visitors have plenty of worthy sightseeing material. After you’ve seen the city’s churches and cathedrals, it’s well worth venturing further to experience the wonders of ancient Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Church of St Francis (Chiesa di San Francesco)
The original part of this church was constructed in a Baroque style and dates to the 16th century; however, its marble façade, which was added in 1926, gives it much more modern appearance than you might expect of a building of its age. Standing next to the church are a convent and a cloister, both of which are also dedicated to St Francis.

Citrus Groves
With the city's official drink being the lemon liqueur known as limoncello, it figures that there are many citrus groves around the city. One of the largest groves is located at the east end of Corso Italia. Strolling around the groves or relaxing on the benches provided is permitted, and visitors have the chance to buy some of the popular fruity beverage from onsite vendors before leaving.

Herculaneum
Take the train from Sorrento to Eculano, or make the short journey by hire car to see the first of the ancient cities that were destroyed - and preserved - by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Herculaneum is smaller than Pompeii but no less interesting, and its buildings are in fact much better preserved than those of its larger, more famous neighbour.

Piazza Tasso 
The city’s main square bridges the gap between the new and old parts of the city centre and is crammed with eye-catching buildings constructed in the Stil Liberty style. The square is a constant hive of activity and the perfect place to grab a coffee at one of its numerous cafés and enjoy watching the street performers, horse-drawn carriages and locals going about their business. The centre of the square features a statue of Torquato Tasso, a famous poet and ex-Sorrento resident after which the square is named.

Pompeii
Not actually in Sorrento but easily reachable by hire car or by train (29km away), Pompeii is the second ancient city that was lost beneath the lava flow of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The city remained buried for well over a millennium before archaeological excavations discovered its structural remains and the skeletal remains of its 2,000 or so residents. The remains are remarkably well preserved and offer a clear idea of what an ancient Roman city looked like in every respect.