Sorrento Cathedral

Sorrento Cathedral tickets: which one to buy

Sorrento Cathedral stands on the Corso Italia, the main street of Sorrento, a short walk from Piazza Tasso, and entry is free. It is a working cathedral, often overlooked by visitors on their way to the shops and the terraces above the sea. Its separate bell tower stands across a lane from the church.

Sorrento is a base for exploring the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Pompeii and Naples, and walking tours of the town include the cathedral with the cloister of San Francesco, the Villa Comunale gardens with their view of the Bay of Naples, and the old streets where inlaid wood and limoncello are sold. The cathedral is well known for its intarsia woodwork, a local craft. Weddings are frequent, especially on summer weekends, and visits may be restricted during ceremonies. Modest dress is expected. Local workshops near the cathedral demonstrate intarsia and sell inlaid boxes and panels.

Visiting Sorrento Cathedral: what to see

The cathedral, dedicated to Saints Philip and James, was founded in the fifteenth century on the site of an earlier church, and it was rebuilt several times; the facade was rebuilt in neo-Gothic style in the early twentieth century. A marble side portal dates from the sixteenth century. The bell tower, with a Romanesque base incorporating ancient columns, and a clock of majolica tiles, stands apart. Inside, the cathedral has three naves with a painted ceiling, marble altars and an archbishop's throne of carved marble from 1573. The most admired features are the doors and choir stalls decorated with intarsia, inlaid wood, by local craftsmen, depicting the history of Sorrento and saints.

The Stations of the Cross are also made in inlaid wood. The cathedral holds paintings by Neapolitan artists, and the presepe, a traditional Neapolitan nativity scene, is displayed at Christmas. The ceiling of the nave holds painted canvases by Neapolitan artists of the eighteenth century. A marble pulpit of the sixteenth century stands in the nave, decorated with reliefs. The crypt holds relics and tombs of bishops. The inlaid wood panels on the doors show Pope Gregory the Great and the history of the cathedral. Chapels hold paintings of the Madonna and saints venerated by local fishermen. The cathedral's bells ring out over the busy Corso Italia. The majolica clock on the bell tower is a local landmark.

Sorrento Cathedral opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, with a break in the early afternoon. Sorrento is crowded in summer, with day-trippers and cruise passengers, and mornings are quieter. Spring and autumn are pleasant, with lemon blossom in spring. Holy Week is especially important in Sorrento, with night processions of hooded confraternities in white and black, some beginning at the cathedral. Christmas brings nativity scenes and lights. Ferries to Capri and Naples leave from Marina Piccola below the town. Allow about twenty minutes for the cathedral, and walk to the Villa Comunale for the view over the bay. The Museo Correale, in a villa above the sea, holds collections of Sorrento inlaid wood and porcelain.