When my husband first asked me where I wanted to go for our honeymoon, there was only one destination on my mind: Italy.
Beyond that, I didn’t mind where exactly we stayed, how long for, or what we did — as long as I got the perfect blend of touristy activities and relaxing beach time, I was happy.
When it came time to plan the specifics, I, of course, had to check TikTok. What were people recommending? Where should we stay? What should we do?
I went deep — watching every recommendation, reading every comment — and came out the other side with what I can only describe as the perfect itinerary.
I skipped the crowds, found the best deals, and did it all in the hottest month on the Italian calendar: August. Here’s how.
Why I chose Sorrento over Positano and Amalfi for my honeymoon
Spoiler: I stayed in Sorrento instead of the more popular spots like Positano or Amalfi.
Why? TikTok said it was the perfect base for a coastal experience, with easy ferry access to the other towns. And god, were they absolutely right.
Sorrento isn’t just absolutely gorgeous (more on that later); it was genuinely the best place to base ourselves for day trips to Capri, Positano, and Amalfi. It was significantly less crowded, and just as beautiful as any of the more well-known spots along the coast.
Perched on cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples, with a clear view of Mount Vesuvius, the sunsets were spectacular. The people were lovely, the food was amazing, and my husband fell even harder for it than I did — he’s already talking about going back.
Where to stay in Sorrento: my review of Grand Hotel Flora
The success of our trip is also largely credited to the hotel we booked: the Grand Hotel Flora.
We found this hotel after settling on our budget and our one non-negotiable: the room needed to be great. That’s it. It just had to be a place we’d look forward to coming back to each day.
It was here we almost made a mistake that would have altered the quality of the entire trip: we booked the wrong room.
My husband was so focused on booking a room with a view that he didn’t realise he’d booked the “classic” room. It’s authentic Italian style, with inlaid furnishings and Vietri ceramic floors that are genuinely beautiful. But we were after something a little more modern.
We ended up upgrading to the Junior Suite (not exactly in our budget, but it was the only room left). What’s special about the Grand Hotel Flora, though, is that it actually caters to both styles. Alongside the classic rooms, they also offer more modern, renovated rooms with the same stunning views, just with a fresher, more contemporary feel.
It meant we didn’t have to choose between authentic Italian charm and modern comfort. The hotel had both, and once we sorted out the mix-up, we got exactly what we were after.
There was a pool (important, since it gets hot in Sorrento), AC in the rooms and common areas (a luxury after being out all day without it), and breakfast was included. The food was standard, but we loved it anyway.
The staff were lovely and super accommodating, and the hotel was also conveniently located near the city centre, meaning we could easily walk into town and explore.
Which leads me to…
Things to do and see in Sorrento
What I loved about Sorrento is that while it wasn’t overcrowded, it was still alive.
The best place to be is Piazza Tasso, the town square. At night, the stalls are open so you can wander around and shop, and all the restaurants are booked and busy.
You of course can’t miss a visit to Raki, a gelateria famous for its delicious flavours. The line almost drove us away, but it was worth the wait.
We also stumbled on something I didn’t think we’d be lucky enough to find: a man on Corso Italia who’d gone semi-viral on TikTok for his street box camera. The keepsake he made for us is something that made the trip all the more special.
As for food, a standout for us was Ristorante Lorelei. Pricey, yes. But the experience was once in a lifetime.
Sitting right on the cliff for the most gorgeous views (see above), this Michelin-star restaurant welcomes you with a chef-selected entree in little bites. Every single one was delicious.
After dinner, they take you down to the cellars for a tour of the water tunnels, followed by a dessert tasting from the pastry chef.
And for our actual dessert, the chef himself came over to the table to prepare the most exquisite ice cream, one way too fancy for me to possibly describe.
Now for the rest of the stay, we were much more casual. It was pizza from Franco’s and room service when we were feeling lazy.
There were so many places we didn’t get to dine at, like La Cantinaccia del Popolo, which had a line snaking around the corner every single time we walked past it.
Day trips from Sorrento
Day trip one: Capri
For our first day trip, we went to Capri. The ferry was about 40 minutes long and relatively easy to navigate. The lines were long, and it was too hot to be standing under the beating sun while we waited, but once the ferry arrived, it moved quickly.
This part does get chaotic, fast. Have your tickets ready, and make sure you’ve cross-checked all your details, as the staff are unlikely to help.
Capri itself was beautiful. Since we were only there for the day, we made the most of it: we hiked (and yes, I mean hiked) all the way up to the top to see the famous views, and visited a few of the shops before making the trek back down. We cooled down at the beach afterwards (they’re not exaggerating about the rocky floors, so bring appropriate shoes), and relaxed for a bit before heading back to port.
Day trip two: Positano
It’s the coast that’s famous for a reason, and I’m so glad we visited Positano. However, I’m even more relieved we didn’t stay there. The crowds are no joke, and the stairs? Let’s just say I was exceeding my step count every day.
Like Capri, we hiked all the way up to the top and had lunch with a gorgeous view over the famous clifftops. Then we headed back down to one of the beach clubs and relaxed before heading back to Sorrento.
We took the same ferry we did for Capri, so the second time was easier; we already knew which dock to head to and which boat to look for. Again, the lines were long, and the staff were rushed.
Day trip three: Amalfi
Finally, we took the ferry over to Amalfi, our third and final day trip. By this point, three ferries and three coastal towns in, we were feeling it.
Here we visited the cathedral in the Piazza del Duomo, had gelato (of course), and grabbed a few souvenirs from the surrounding shops before heading back to Sorrento by early afternoon.
Admittedly, we didn’t see much of Amalfi. Perhaps burnt out from the previous two trips, we simply enjoyed a coffee at one of the cafes that looked the least busy (again, too many crowds) before heading home. If anything, Amalfi was the clearest reminder of why we’d chosen to base ourselves in Sorrento. Three towns in, and Sorrento was still the only one that felt like it had room to breathe.
Was TikTok right?
TikTok did warn me the crowds would be particularly bad in Positano, Amalfi, and Capri during August, since it’s the busiest month for tourism in Italy. And once again, it was right.
Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. Sorrento gave us everything we wanted from an Italian honeymoon: the views, the food, the romance, without the exhaustion of fighting crowds every single day. Positano and Capri are worth seeing, and I’d tell anyone to visit both, but I wouldn’t recommend staying there, especially not in August.
So if you’re planning your own Italian honeymoon, here’s my advice: base yourself in Sorrento, day-trip the rest, and let TikTok do some of the planning for you. In my case, it turned out to know exactly what it was talking about.
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