Piazza Tasso

Piazza Tasso is the main square of the Southern Italy resort town of Sorrento and is the beating heart of life in the city. During the day, cars and mopeds whizz by as tourists jump on and off sightseeing buses, while at night it’s the perfect place for a gentle city stroll with many cafés and restaurants to choose from.

The plaza's central location makes it a good place to set out on a tour of the city and many visitors avail of the tourist train that departs regularly from here. This small white train is easy to spot and will take you on a 30-minute trip around Sorrento's old town and down to Marina Piccola with audio tapes in English and various other languages provided.

The square itself is well worth a visit too and there are a number of sculptures which provide a link to the city's past. Renowned Renaissance poet Torquato Tasso – from whom the square takes its name – was born in the city in the 1500s and a marble statue of him is prominently displayed, as is a rendering of one of the city's patron saints, St Anthony.

There are also a number of historic buildings surrounding the Piazza Tasso, none more so than the beautiful Baroque Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, whose attractive white-and-yellow stucco façade immediately draws the gaze and plenty of visitors. Step inside and admire the frescos, stained-glass windows and ornate dome.

If you've got a head for heights, walk across the road from the church to the line of flag poles and look over the wall: you'll get a dizzying view of the deep gorge that runs through the centre of the town.

If you're looking for souvenirs or designer deals then follow the narrow, cobblestone Via San Cesareo out of the square which is the main shopping street in town. Perhaps the city's most popular pastime is to grab a seat at one of the numerous bars and cafés on or nearby the square, where you can sip an espresso or ice-cold gelato while you watch the city go by.

As evening draws in, the square is closed to traffic and the cars are replaced by people enjoying a relaxing evening stroll.