Piazza Tasso in Sorrento: the heart of town

Piazza Tasso is the heart of Sorrento: this is where Corso Italia, the lanes of the old town and the road down to the harbour all meet, and where locals arrange to meet at any time of day. Almost everyone arriving in town passes through it, and it is the ideal starting point for exploring everything else on foot.

From Largo del Castello to the town's living room

Until the 19th century this space looked very different. It was called Largo del Castello, because the fortress built in the 15th century by Ferdinand of Aragon to defend the eastern side of the town stood here. The square as we know it was born of the urban changes that reshaped Sorrento in the 19th century: the castle was demolished in 1843, soon afterwards the 16th-century walls that protected the town along the deep ravines came down too, and in 1866 the Porta del Piano, the old eastern gateway, was pulled down. Part of the ravine that separated the town from the countryside was filled in, and the open space grew until it became the centre of civic life.

A statue of Saint Antoninus, the patron saint, stood on top of the gate; it was then placed on a tall pedestal in the middle of the square, where it still watches over passers-by and traffic. The present name honours Torquato Tasso, the poet of Jerusalem Delivered, born in Sorrento in 1544: you can read about his life among the famous people of Sorrento.

What to see in Piazza Tasso

Your eye is immediately drawn to the yellow and white façade of the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Carmine, on the eastern corner of the square. The church, fronted by a small portico, has an elegant Baroque look; inside, the single nave has a large early 18th-century ceiling painting by Onofrio Avellino showing the Virgin, Saint Simon Stock and angels. According to tradition, a small church linked to the memory of Sorrento's martyrs already stood on this spot in the first centuries of Christianity.

Close by, in the shade of holm oaks towards Corso Italia and Via della Pietà, stands the monument to Torquato Tasso, in white marble, by the Neapolitan sculptor Gennaro Calì, unveiled in 1870. Also facing the square is Palazzo Correale, rebuilt in the 18th century: the doorway bears the date 1768 and the courtyard holds a spectacular majolica wall from 1772, with painted columns, landscapes and figures. It should not be confused with the Museo Correale, housed in another of the family's residences a little further east.

Views over the harbour and the ravine

On the sea-facing side of the Carmine, a small terrace looks down on Marina Piccola, the harbour for hydrofoils and ferries, which you can reach on foot down Via Luigi De Maio. On the opposite side, a few steps from the square, opens the Valley of the Mills, the gorge where the ruins of an old mill are now wrapped in vegetation: one of the most photographed views in town, and the clearest reminder of the ravines that once defended Sorrento. To understand how this landscape shaped the town, read our history of Sorrento.

Getting there and practical tips

From the Circumvesuviana station you reach Piazza Tasso in about ten minutes on foot, walking west along Corso Italia. The finest streets of the centre start from the square: Via San Cesareo, the ancient decumanus lined with shops, and Via della Pietà; carrying on along Corso Italia you reach the Cathedral in a few minutes, while Via De Maio leads to Piazza Sant'Antonino and the Villa Comunale.

• Corso Italia runs through the square and is often busy: always use the pedestrian crossings.
• It is the right place for a coffee or an aperitif while watching the evening stroll; for dinner it is worth heading into the side streets: find ideas in where to eat in Sorrento.
• The traditional horse-drawn carriages wait next to the Tasso monument.
• If you are looking for central accommodation, see where to stay in Sorrento: many hotels are a short walk from the square.

Come back in the evening: with the lights on and the crowds of the passeggiata, Piazza Tasso shows its truest face, that of Sorrento's living room.