Italy with Grand Circle Travel

In Greek mythology, Sorrento was a place where mermaids tempted the seamen with their sweet, haunting songs. Today it is a place where visitors are lured by one cobblestone alleyway after another filled with inviting shops, galleries, bars and restaurants. It’s a city made very tempting by the hotel prices that take a dip once the bathers leave the beaches for the season. Don’t rush through Sorrento. It’s a place to give in to some of Italy’s best temptations.

Our 18-day “Amalfi Coast & Tuscany” tour with Grand Circle Travel (347 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210; 800/221-2610 or www.gct.com), Oct. 22-Nov. 8, ’04, included a week in Sorrento, a week in Montecatini and two nights in Rome. Our cost was $2,895 each with air from New York. (2006 prices start at $1,895 with air from the East Coast.)

Highlights included the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the drive along the thrilling Amalfi Coast. I recommend a bus rather than driving; it will be more user-friendly on your nervous system, and you will get to enjoy the scenic beauty of this rugged coast. We also took a ferry to the island of Capri.

In Sorrento, there is a tarantella show with live Neapolitan music (phone +39 [0] 81 8074000 or visit www.sorrentohotels.net). Also, fantastic pizza is available at every turn, and the shopping goes on forever. A short (downhill) 15-minute walk brings you to Marina Grande, a picturesque fishing village with a choice of seafood restaurants all on piers over the water. Most restaurants will provide you with a free shuttle back up the hill to your hotel.

— NORMAN HELBER, Scottsdale, AZ