Marina Grande

Marina Grande is the old fishing village of Sorrento, on the western side of the town below the clifftop centre in Campania, Italy. It is reached along Via Marina Grande, a downhill walk of about 15 minutes from Piazza Tasso, and still has the look of a working harbour: pastel-coloured houses with arched doorways, small wooden boats pulled up on the dark shingle, and nets and equipment drying along the shore. A small church and a handful of lanes lead off the waterfront, and a short pier extends over the water. Seafood restaurants line the front and serve the daily catch, pasta with clams and grilled fish, usually at tables set within a few metres of the sea. Beach clubs rent sunbeds and umbrellas for a fee, while the free parts of the shingle are open to anyone. Visitors usually spend one to two hours here, which is enough to stroll the waterfront, take photographs and have a meal. The best photo angles are from the end of the pier looking back toward the houses, and from the road bend above the harbour where the roofs and cliff form a frame. Sunset is the most popular moment, with the sky colouring behind the village and diners filling the terraces, so evening tables should be reserved in high season. Midday in summer is hot and busy with day-trippers, whereas early morning is calm and shows the fishing activity. Restaurants generally serve noon to 3PM and 7PM to 11PM. Entry is free and the area is open 24 hours. The return walk is uphill, so some visitors prefer a taxi or the local bus back to town.