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Borrowing from Greek mythology, the Romans placed the legendary abode of the sirens (those wicked mermaids who lured seamen to their deaths with their sweet songs) at Sorrento. Ulysses resisted their call by stuffing the ears of his crew with wax and having himself bound to the mast of his ship. Perched on high cliffs overlooking the bays of Naples and Salerno, Sorrento has been sending out its siren call for centuries -- luring everybody from Homer to Lord and Lady Astor to international tourists. Sorrento's population (less than 20,000) swells with tourists in season, all of whom are here to luxuriate in Italy's prettiest Belle Époque resort. Winding along a cliff above a small beach and two harbors, the town is split in two by a narrow ravine formed by a former mountain stream. To the east, dozens of hotels line busy Via Correale along the cliff -- many are "grand" (an encomium sometimes included in the hotel's very name), and some, indeed, still are. To the west, however, is the historic sector, which still enchants -- it's a relatively flat area, with winding, stone-paved lanes bordered by balconied buildings, some joined by medieval stone arches. This part of town is a delightful place to walk through, especially in the mild evenings, when people are out and about, and everything is open. |
