THE COAST WITH THE MOST
It’s not just the climate, the vertiginous grey cliffs plunging into azure blue seas or even the exquisite views of the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius… It’s the vibrancy, elegance and food that make Sorrento worth visiting. Although the town’s charm lies partly in its compact, strollable size, it’s probably best viewed as a base from which to explore more of the Amalfi coast – the chic isle of Capri, the love-it-or-loathe-it grit of Naples, Mount Vesuvius and the archaeological ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum it left in its eruptive wake, and other towns such as Positano and Amalfi itself. Stay at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria (exvitt.it), which offers old-world glamour and utterly romantic views from its terrace. Stephanie Thomson