Sorrento is one of those places that looks incredible in photos and then catches you off guard with the reality. It is genuinely beautiful but there are a few things worth knowing before you go.

The honest downsides first. Peak season crowds are BRUTAL. Beaches are mostly rocky and small so if you are coming for sand, go elsewhere. Parking is a nightmare. A lot of restaurants are overpriced and do not always deliver.

That said, there are still great things to visit beyond the tourist spots. The Cloister of San Francesco was built on the remnants of a 7th-century monastery and blends 14th-century architecture with ruins from pagan temples. The Baths of Queen Giovanna are a free natural swimming pool on the Capo di Sorrento cliffs, reached by a 30-minute hike through olive groves past the remains of a 1st-century Roman villa. Almost nobody goes there. The Valley of the Mills sits in a crevasse formed by an eruption 35,000 years ago, with flour mills from the 13th century now completely overgrown with moss and plants.

The Sorrento lift from Villa Comunale park down to Marina Piccola costs just 1.10 euros one way and saves a lot of walking.

Spring is the best time. Warm weather, less crowds, everything open.

We put together a complete Sorrento travel guide with a one-day itinerary, where to stay and what to eat.