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Back to Sorrento Centro Apartments
Dear In Italy,
Our week in Sorrento was brilliant. We were blessed with sunshine (it touched 80 degrees a few days!) and after weeks of cold and rain out there we were so lucky.
On arriving at our accommodation we were shown to our building. On entering, we were a bit anxious. It was an old entrance and the hall/stairs area was very grubby and neglected. I must say, I was a bit worried. However when we entered our apartment any worries disappeared. The apartment was modern, had obviously been refurbished and it was spotlessly clean. The rooms were not large but because of the high ceilings it all felt airy. We had a tiny balcony...you can't really call it that..just enough to step onto and survey the shoppers and enough room to hang out a few pieces of washing (discreetly of course). The beds were comfortable but the pillows were not! Wherever you go abroad they never seem to be as good as in England! The apartment was well equipped, plenty of towels and a hairdrier in the bathroom. We could have done with a little more hot water, but it just taught us to hurry in the shower. The location was unbeatable. We were two minutes from Piazza Tasso, the main square in Sorrento, about twelve minutes walk from the port, ten minutes from the train and bus station. Because you are in the middle of the town, it is a little noisy, especially at night and the nearby church bells do ring but we did get used to it and it is a small price to pay for being in the heart of it all.
Tips:
Public transport is accessible and plentiful and cheap.
However make sure you get the correct tickets on the buses. We travelled to Ischia by ferry and then caught a bus to the Posiedon thermal spa. On the way back three inspectors got on, examined our bus tickets, asked for our passports and then held onto them while questioning us about the tickets. They threatened to fine us 30 Euros EACH (we have two children) because our tickets were wrong. Eventually they let us off and only fined myself and my husband a total of 60 Euros!! It left a bitter taste in our mouths. We made a genuine mistake but it was dealt with harshly.
Also, if going to any thermal spa, children are not allowed in the thermal pools. There was an olympic size outdoor saltwater pool for the children, however, at Poseidon and two baby pools. Swimming hats are compulsory but you can buy them there.
Italians don't understand queuing...but nor it seems do tourists! Be prepared for scrums for buses. Even though we were virtually first to arrive at bus stops we were some of the last on!! Polite English?
We did the Amalfi drive on a public Sita Bus. No problem as such but make sure you get on and get a seat. The bus allowed standing and it was packed. Don't stand. In summer it must be horrendous, with the heat to contend with as well and it is a long drive. We loved it but some did not. It is hairy and no good for the faint hearted. Bus drivers do have a schedule to keep up and ours drove quite fast for the roads.
Regarding food....if any allergy sufferers are reading this you will be very welcome at Pizzeria Aurora on Piazza Tasso. The restaurant holds a certificate called the Bollino Blu (look for it on the outside walls of restaurants) which means it can cater for allergies. We have a peanut allergic daughter so we went prepared to self cater. However on the second night we found Pizzeria Aurora quite by chance and we ate there every night. They were brilliant, making dishes especially for our daughter and even giving us extras to take back to our apartment. Just ask for Giancarlo; he was very helpful.
I think the Poseidon Hotel in Positano also has this badge.
Sorrento is the ideal base if you are travelling around to Pompeii, Vesuvius, Capri etc and you don't need a car if you stay at Sorrento Centro. We will be back!
Steve O.
Dear In Italy,
Our stay in Sorrento was very pleasant. The apartment was sparse, but clean. The hosts were most accommodating. When my wife's plane was delayed, we called to let Bruno know that they would be arriving late, and they were helpful in working with our travel delay problems. Anne Marie was also very accommodating in allowing us to check out the night before our scheduled departure and to store our luggage for a couple hours after scheduled check out time to allow us to get in a visit to Pompei. Overall, our rental of the Sorrento Centro Apartments was very pleasant.
Best regards,
Joe P.
Hello,
Some feedback on the places we stayed in Italy:
Good apartment in a great street (Corso Italia). Close to everything. We took an apartment at the back of the building so it was not noisy (actually your local agent gave us an upgrade when we got there!). Sorrento is a lovely spot with some "local" Italian life, which I am not sure I would say the same of, of Amalfi and Positano. Thank you for the dinner suggestions; Caruso in Sorrento was particularly good and a special treat.
One point about both places: the showers never seem to drain
efficiently at either the Hotel Gladiatori nor Sorrento Centro. Must be something
about Italian plumbing! ;)
Regards,
Evelyn D.
Hello there,
Italy was all of the things mentioned plus bustling, noisy and I won't even mention the driving! The apartment was quite noisy, and as there were only two of us, we were given the small one at the front, {despite requesting a back apartment} which has a tiny shower-box, and just 2 hotplates and a sinkbench in a cupboard for a kitchen, which was a little limiting, and not quite the full kitchen facilities advertised, however the main room was quite spacious and the shower had fabulous pressure {unusual in Italy I'm told.} Good location, close to the old part of town, about 1 km from the station. Supermercato further up the Corso Italia 100mtrs past the hospital on the other side of the road. We did not discover this one until after we had carried groceries from the one down by the train station.
All in all a great 10days and thank goodness for earplugs!
Regards
Penny I
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