bell tower of the cathedral
Corso Italia
The Mediterranean weather was perfect on the first morning of my GCT Impressions of Italy tour and I was eager to learn more about Sorrento, where I’d spent the last few days on my own. I was also eager to get to know my fellow travelers. Unlike many of them, I wasn’t suffering from jet lag since I’d already been in Italy for nearly a month.
I prepared myself for a busy day with a healthy breakfast from the buffet. I’m not sure why this dark chocolate cake was on the “Healthy Options” table, but I was happy to give it a try. Was it perhaps a Torta Caprese, made with almonds instead of flour and therefore gluten-free? In any case, it was delicious.
Since I’d gotten up early, as usual, there was time for a short post-breakfast walk before the Welcome Briefing. Between 8:15 and 8:45, the roads were busy with local people going off to work and school. I was impressed that the cars and motorcycles automatically stopped as soon as a pedestrian entered a crosswalk.
The first official activity of the day, after the Welcome Briefing, was a guided walk around the town with a local guide and Lodo (short for Lodovico), our Program Director. As we walked along, I learned more about Sorrento. It was one of the coastal settlements established by the Greeks who first arrived on the nearby island of Ischia in the 7th or 8thcentury BCE. During Roman times, Sorrento gained importance, becoming a getaway destination where wealthy Romans built villas.
After the fall of the western Roman Empire in 476 CE, Sorrento faced difficult times. During the Middle Ages, because of its exposed setting, it was frequently attacked by Saracens (forces from the Islamic world). As a result, the fishermen’s village (located at today’s Marina Grande) was abandoned. Inhabitants moved away from the coast into the gorges where they took advantage of water power to start different types of mills, including oil mills and saw mills. Later, they started producing paper and leather.
At a bridge not far from the hotel, our local guide pointed down into a deep gorge where we could see the remains of buildings that were occupied until the early 20th century.
In the 1800s, Sorrento became a popular destination on the “Grand Tour,” a multi-year educational trip through Europe for upper-class young men and women. It was during this era that the Piazza Tasso was built, and many hotels and villas were built to accommodate the wealthy visitors. Sorrento was especially appealing because it was situated on a plateau, allowing for hotels and villas to be surrounded by elaborate gardens. This wasn’t possible in other towns on the peninsula which were built on steep hillsides.
From the Piazza Tasso, we walked through the narrow pedestrian lanes of the historic center. Our local guide noted that in the past, this neighborhood was filled with craft shops that produced inlaid wood items, cameos, and lace for royalty and the wealthiest families.
We entered a 17th century church which is now the location of the Biagio Barile inlaid wood studio. For four generations, this family has kept this traditional art form alive. I was amazed at the exquisite plaques, boxes, frames, etc. that they produce. All of the tiny pieces used for the inlays are cut by hand with a jigsaw. Wood from the white ash tree is dyed to achieve the colors. The current generation of artisans creates items in both traditional and modern styles. The studio exports about 95% of its production to the United States. This includes custom items for some very well-known designers.
The larger pieces weren’t in my budget but I treated myself to a small box and a small plaque to hang on the wall.
In the Cathedral of Saint Philip and James, we saw more examples of traditional inlaid wood.
The most impressive example of wood art was the elaborate nativity scene called a presepe. This traditional art form originated in Naples and became very popular in the 1700s and 1800s. It depicts the birth of Jesus against a background of bustling 18th century Neapolitan life. The scene is extremely detailed and the figures are dressed in the clothing of the time. The Holy Family is shown within crumbling Roman ruins as a way of symbolizing the fall of paganism and the birth of Christianity. Many families have smaller versions of presepes in their homes. Presepes made today often include contemporary figures such as well-known singers and soccer players. Due to the huge crowd of people, it was difficult to take photos of the presepe.
detail of the presepe
Before our walk concluded, our local guide informed us that religion in Italy is no longer as important as it was in the past. Although the majority of the population considers themselves Roman Catholic, only about 65% of the people are baptized and maybe 35% at most are actually practicing the religion. She noted that people who live in the smaller towns in more remote parts of the country are generally more religiously observant than those who live in cities.
I spent the next few hours continuing to explore on my own. I returned to the Piazza Gargiulo where I looked out at Sorrento’s shoreline and the island of Capri across the water.
view of Capri from Sorrento
Also at the Piazza Gargiulo, I enjoyed a few moments of quiet in the Cloister of Saint Francis, built in the 13th century in the Byzantine style.
Heading back towards the Piazza Tasso, I stepped into the Basilica of Sant’Antonino. Sorrento’s oldest church, built in the 11th century, it is dedicated to the town’s patron saint. The interior is decorated in the Baroque style. The whale rib that adorns the entrance is a reference to the legend that the saint saved a child from a whale.
Looking out to the north towards the water from the Piazza Tasso, it was easy to appreciate the elevation of the town center.
After all this walking in the sunshine, I was craving gelato and it wasn’t hard to find. I went to Raki, a shop on the Corso Italia that Lodo had recommended. There were so many tempting options that it took me a while to select a flavor. Fondente all’Arancia (dark chocolate with orange) proved to be an excellent choice.
I did a little shopping for typical food items to take home at a small store near the Piazza Tasso before I returned to the hotel for a late afternoon rest.
That evening, our Welcome Dinner in the hotel restaurant featured typical food of the region. Therefore, I was surprised to see Baba au Rhum as the featured dessert. I had always associated this rum-soaked yeasted cake with French cuisine. I did a little research and learned that this traditional French dessert was created in the 18th century for an exiled Polish king who missed the cake (babka) that was usually served soaked in wine in his homeland. Baba au rhum was thus a French adaptation of an Eastern European dessert. Some sources say that the king of France brought the recipe with him when he visited Naples while other sources credit Neapolitan chefs who traveled to France with introducing the recipe. In any case, the Neapolitans further modified the recipe, soaking the cake in limoncello or another flavored liqueur. It soon became a staple of Neapolitan cuisine and has since spread throughout the country. Whatever its origin, baba au rhum is one of my favorite desserts and a great way to conclude our Welcome Dinner.
My Grand Circle tour was off to a good start, and the end of the day brought the realization that after four days in Sorrento, I was feeling quite at home in the town.
