Travel: Our First Day In Sorrento, Italy!

Travel to Italy: Visiting Capri and Sorrento

Hello everyone! M. Cheesemonger and I spent a stunning week in Italy, but now I’m back (albeit a little jetlagged). I can’t wait to share it all with you!

We spent a majority of our nights in Sorrento, at the Hilton Sorrento Palace. Our room’s motorized curtains opened up to a balcony with a sweeping view of Sorrento, the Bay of Naples, and Mount Vesuvius. The evening we arrived, we wasted no time, and had plenty of seafood (mmm seafood salad!), fresh pizza, grilled vegetables, arancini, gelato, and the infamous and addicting sfogliatelle–seashell-shaped pastry stuffed with ricotta cheese and candied fruit.

During our first full day in town, M. Cheesemonger and I visited the island of Capri. The 30-minute ferry ride was pleasant enough, and we arrived at the Marina Grande ready to visit the famed Blue Grotto, where thanks to some fortuitously placed holes in the rock, we can get the impression that we’re in a glowing blue wonderland. Sadly, the Blue Grotto was closed that day, so we contented ourselves with a boat ride around a part of the island.

We had a deliciously simple lunch at Villa Verde, which featured boards full of photos of celebrity patrons out front (this seems to be an Italian thing—we saw this at lots of restaurants we went to!). On the menu was a fluffy, fried ball of cheese pasta, octopus salad that I could have eaten for days, a refreshing penne with tomato sauce, and strawberry tart. M. Cheesemonger and I then ducked past the rows of high-end designer shops to roam the quiet side streets for most of the day. If we had had more time, we would have visited Anacapri or the Villa Jovis, but at least we have something to look forward to if we make a repeat visit!

That evening, we had dinner in the shadow of an enormous garden lemon grove, with traditional Italian dancing and music to entertain everyone. The food was traditional local fare—marinated anchovies, fried stuffed squash blossoms, lemon leaf-wrapped mozzarella, gnocchi . . . . the region is renowned for its limoncello and everything lemons. They’re massive—grapefruit-sized—and everywhere. We even were treated to some virtuosic pizza dough slinging!

I’m going to let the photographs and video do the talking for the rest of the blog post, especially since my mind is so jetlagged and fuzzy right now! Let’s imagine we’re sipping on some limoncello and basking in the sun now, shall we?

 

The Island of Capri

Our hotel room view. Mt. Vesuvius, the Bay of Naples, and Sorento.
Our hotel room view. Mt. Vesuvius, the Bay of Naples, and Sorento.
After watching these guys get made, I had to have two (mozzarella)!
After watching these guys get made, I had to have two (mozzarella)!
Fresh seafood salad. Unbeatable.
Fresh seafood salad. Unbeatable.
Why yes, I do have room for dessert.
Why yes, I do have room for dessert.
travel blog italy photographs
Rows of sfogliatelle, ready to be devoured.
On the ferry to Capri.
On the ferry to Capri.
The Marina Grande of Capri!
The Marina Grande of Capri!
So many boats in the Marina Grande.
So many boats in the Marina Grande.
Our trusty Valeria!
Our trusty Valeria!
Capri.
Capri.
This little statue greets visitors to the island.
This little statue greets visitors to the island.
What stunning landscapes!
What stunning landscapes!
Look, a little grotto with stalactites.
Look, a little grotto with stalactites.
Do you see a stalagmite that kind of looks like the Virgin Mary? The Italians do!
Do you see a stalagmite that kind of looks like the Virgin Mary? The Italians do!
Ah, so lovely.
Ah, so lovely.
We're about to go through that tunnel!
We’re about to go through that tunnel!
Waterscape.
Waterscape.
Sun! Finally!
Sun! Finally!
Capri.
Capri.
Capri.
Capri.
I'm glad we brought Dramamine.
I’m glad we brought Dramamine.
The funicular!
The funicular!
Capri.
Capri.
Strolling on Capri.
Strolling on Capri.
Strolling on Capri.
Strolling on Capri.
Villa Verde for lunch!
Villa Verde for lunch!
Octopus salad.
Octopus salad.
Penne with tomatoes.
Penne with tomatoes.
Strawberry tart.
Strawberry tart.
Capri.
Capri.

The Island of Capri, Italy.

The Island of Capri, Italy.

One of the many cats we saw in Italy.
One of the many cats we saw in Italy.

Travel to Capri, Italy.

Travel to Capri, Italy.

Travel to Capri, Italy.

Dinner in Sorrento

A guide on stilts!

Dining under these lemon trees--magical!
Dining under these lemon trees–magical!
Our table!
Our table!
Caprese salad. One of many during this trip.
Caprese salad. One of many during this trip.
Anchovies! Omnomnom.
Anchovies! Omnomnom.
Our musicians for the evening.
Our musicians for the evening.
Yay, we got a photo of us.
Yay, we got a photo of us.

Be ready for more travel pictures and videos all this week!

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