Curious Traveler

It's the land of mermaids, lemons, Greek legends and Italian traditions. Where else could we be but along the Amalfi Coast in Sorrento. Remember when you were a child and all you asked was why, why, why? Well, I never quite outgrew that whole quest for knowledge phase.

In fact, I've made a career out of asking who, what, where, why, and how as an arts and travel journalist for the past 20 years. So, if I have an insatiable curiosity about the exciting, inspiring, beautiful world of art, architecture, and hidden history all around us, I bet you do too. This isn't your typical what to do on a vacation travel show. Oh no, this is your all access pass to a deeper understanding of the world's great art and architecture, people and places, history and how did they do that's.

So, come along on our educational journey, our field trip for grown ups who have never quite grown up and learn on Curios Traveler. (upbeat classical music) -

Christine

The summer spot to see and be seen since ancient Greek and ancient Roman times, the home of mermaids and poets and a magical elixir known as Limoncello, the survivor of enemy attacks and volcanic eruptions, here's what I'm curious about in Sorrento, Italy on the beautiful Bay of Naples. What do Homer's mermaids have to do with this Italian paradise by the sea? Why are these grand hotels dangling off the cliff? Are there really bits of a Pagan temple in this cathedral?

What does this clock symbolize? What does this Saint have to do with Pinocchio? Why are these lemons as famous as the ancient and modern day celebrities here? (speaking foreign language) Sorrento's origins go back to ancient times, possibly even Phoenician or Etruscan.

Then came the Greeks who gave the city it's layout, then the Romans who renamed the place Sorrentum, which is where we get the name Sorrento today. And that name possibly came from Sorrento's mermaids. -

Man

Huh? There's a wonderful legend that says Sorrento was named after the Sirens in Homer's Odyssey. Yes, those siren songs that lured sailors to their deaths, lovely. Sirens are often interpreted as mermaids but, some ancient descriptions depict them as birds with human heads or even seals.

Either way, the sailors who were drawn to these creatures had clearly been out to sea for too long. One thing we do know, the history of Sorrento as a holiday resort goes back a long and I mean, a long time. Who was the very first to vacation here? Well, the very, very first was the Emperor Caesar Augustus in the 27 before Christ navigating along the Mediterranean Sea, he went towards the Isle of Capri and he fell in love with the Isle of Capri and he bought it from the Greeks.

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Christine

After Augustus, Emperor Tiberius came here. And which was formed the Isle of Capri and a beautiful holiday resort. He built 12 villas on the Isle of Capri because they had 12 gods and this way, he could dedicate each villa to a different god. Let's say that Capri was the isle of the gods.

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Christine

12 villas dedicated to the 12 gods? Which gods? Well, here's where it gets really cool. Legend has it that Emperor Tiberius built 12 villas to the 12 gods of Olympus.

Who were they? Well, they were Greek gods at first, but you know how those Romans tended to borrow a few things. But 12, why 12? Well, 12 seems to be a pretty magical number in ancient times from number of gods to dividing the heavens into 12 sections which gave us the 12 signs of the zodiac, which later gave us approximately 12 lunar cycles in a year, which finally gives us our 12 month calendar.

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Man

Oh! -

Christine

Maybe that explains why the most important of the 12 gods, Jupiter or Joves got the grandest villa here, which reached the highest into the heavens. Many ancient Roman power players vacationed here from Capri to Sorrento. With a view like this, who can blame them? In Sorrento, for example, was a Roman holiday resort, patricians from Rome came here in vacation, during summertime.

They built their villas a little bit all over. Right down there, for example, on the limestone of the peninsula, we have the ruins of Pollio Felice villa. He was a very rich and noble man from Rome. -

Christine

This area is believed to be where that ancient Pollio Felice villa once stood. The palatial complex of a Roman nobleman with massive gardens that reached to the sea, including the baths of Queen Giovanna. But, why isn't that there any more? It's not just time and erosion.

The Roman villas were used as a source of raw material for the construction of other villas or to decorate our churches in the 1600, the period of the Baroque because the Romans used to decorate their villas with marbles coming from all over the world. So, the Roman empire and now, let's say, we recycled those marbles for our churches. Yes and we will show you where some of that recycling is today. For that, we go inside the seriously tall city walls.

What is the deal with the supersized walls around here? Seems like all of Sorrento is being held up by one huge wall and all the buildings are built right on the edge there. There has to be a reason for that. But the history goes back even further than that.

But even these supersized walls couldn't save the town when according to legend, a slave of the wealthy Coriali family opened this gate to let the Turks in and invade Sorrento in the Middle Ages. But on the upside, all that war and violence is the reason you can see these grand hotels so well today. That's because after the attack, the walls were rebuilt even stronger in the 1500's. So, by the time the grand tour came around, hotel developers found this sturdy, medieval wall not only the perfect perch for their grand hotels, but the empty space below a pretty handy spot for a billboard.

We have hotels where so many poets of the past, writers of the past used to stay. One of the most famous grand tour hotels is still here, the grand hotel Excelsior Vittoria, where legend says the Roman Emperor Augustus had his own villa. The hotel has bene a favorite of celebrities for years. Like Dickens, Ibsen, Marilyn Monroe, Luciano Pavarotti and Naples native, Enrico Caruso.

Things really haven't changed too much, all these millennia later, ya know, the rich and famous are still coming here to vacation. (speaking foreign language) So often, they come here because this is a very relaxing summer holiday resort without too many paparazzi looking for them. So, if tourism is here to stay, I guess that vertigo is just something you get used to around here. (screaming) Now, let's climb up those zig zaggy steps and see how the walls are holding up after all these years here at the Parsano Gate.

This is what I love about Sorrento. We keep talking about it's Greek, but it's also Italian and it's modern and it's ya know, ancient. And this is the perfect spot to talk about that. So, we have, ya know, kids going back and forth with their modern clothing on.

Yeah and beneath, the walls you see, we have the Greek walls. After the Greeks, we had the Romans. On the Greek walls, they build their walls. But unfortunately, during the Middle Ages, the Sirasence came, they damaged so much the Roman walls and what you see now is dating back the period after the Sirasence.

So, this was being restored at the end of the 1500s. So, let's venture through the Parsano Gate into the center of Old Town to find that lost marble from Pollio Felice and for some local gossip. First, we visit Sorrento Cathedral, the domo de Sorrento is dedicated to Saint Philip and Saint James. It was built around the 11th century and then rebuilt after that Turk invasion in the 15th century in the stunning Romanesque style.

Inside are incredible works of art, including this 18th century fresco on the ceiling, the marble throne and marble pulpit, the 1897 organ and the ornate wooden panel carvings. This is also where Sorrento's most famous citizen, Torquato Tasso was baptized, more on him later. And outside, framing the doors are these pretty pink columns. Hmm, these look familiar.

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Man

Huh? You can still see remnants of those first century BC Roman villas dedicated to the Gods all around Sorrento. In fact, here at the beautiful Sorrento Cathedral, these giant pink marble columns could possibly have come from those very villas. Now that is some serious recycling.

So that's where that marble went. Today, it is possible that we have bits of a Pagan villa incorporated into a Christian church. Next to the cathedral is a five story high tower with Roman arches, Byzantine capitals, and more marble fragments, possibly dating back to ancient times. The base was built in the 1100s and was used for years as a public gathering spot and at the top, there is a colorful clock with a curious history.

Here, we have the symbol of Sorrento, the cathedral bell tower built back in the 15th century to mark the center of town. On the clock,

you will see the colors of Sorrento

green, blue, and yellow. Green for the vegetation here. Blue, of course, for the sky and sea and yellow not for the sun, but of course, for lemons. We'll get to those Sorrento lemons in just a minute.

But first, Sorrento's other famed prize, Majolica tiles. These brightly colored, three-dimensional tiles are created by painting 10 glazes over terracotta tiles. Subjects are typically mythical or historical. It was all the rage and big business for Italian Renaissance artists, but if it was an Italian art form, why is it called Majolica?

An island in Spain? Because that's where the tiles were imported and exported around the world. From Italian to Spanish to Greek, let's continue our journey back in time down an ancient Greek pathway. So there are so many beautiful streets here in Sorrento, but this one is a very special one.

It's an ancient street. It's an ancient Greek street and this was the main street. This was the main dicomano going from west to east and at the very, very bottom, there was the main door. Oh fantastic.

This is the Decumano Massimo. Well, that was it's Greek name until it was renamed Villa San Cesareo by the Romans. If it feels a bit narrow, that's intentional. It was designed to be shaded by the buildings during those hot Sorrento summers.

And tucked into this ancient street is a spacious lozia with soaring arches, incredible frescos, family coats of arms and more of that intricate Majolica tile on the dome. This is Sedil Dominova? Yes. I said it right, I said it right.

Yeah, very good. It looks beautiful and we've got all these paintings and frescos and things. What was it used for though back in the time where, ya know, the street was one of the main streets? This was, in reality, nowadays, we could say, the Parliament.

Let's say this was the area, the building where the noble man, the members of the noble families in Sorrento used to meet each other during the Middle Ages. Under this heavenly setting with cherubs flying overhead, the town council and noble families, men only of course, would gather here to talk about civic problems and for some juicy as a Sorrento lemon town gossip. To talk about politic business, economic business. Nowadays, I should say also, other people business.

Other people's business, little bit of gossip, little bit of gossip. A little bit of gossip but you know, in the area, we had so many of them. In the city of Naples, we had seven of them. Now, this one in front of you is the only one well preserved we have in the whole Campania region.

Wow. So why is this medieval town hall called Sedile Dominova? Well, domus means house and nova means new and sedile means seat. So, it's kind of like the county seat of government.

(gentle music) And some of those noble men who met here at Sedile Dominova would have lived nearby. So, let's knock and see who's home. Wow. So, just steps off the busy street, this huge door you come in and this is where-- And you have art and peace and tranquility.

And it's where one of the noble families. And you see here, we have a big door and a small one. Nowadays, we use only the small one, but the noble families used to come home with the courage. So, when they were coming back home, the servants used to open the big door for them and they close the door and so, the simple life, let's say, the noise was outside.

Here, they have their peaceful life. -

Christine

you will see the colors of Sorrento

It's fantastic. So, what time period are we talking about with this particular family and is that-- -

Luciana

you will see the colors of Sorrento

This family, you see the frescos are by the 1600, the beginning of the 1600. So, some of them are 3D frescos. Wow and nowadays, it's regular apartments upstairs? We have 12 families living where in the past, one family owned.

- Of one family. Beautiful. Now we visit the member of another Sorrento noble family who hangs out permanently in Piazza Tasso. (upbeat classical music) Piazza Tasso, the center of Sorrento, is where you'll find the statue of a great Sorrento born Renaissance poet with a curious history.

Torquato Tasso wrote the epic poem, Jerusalem Delivered. His work is both controversial and revered throughout the world. Tasso was honored as well, but of course, there must be some conflict to every creative genius's story. Poor Tasso was committed to a madhouse for years and then died just a few days before the Pope was to honor him poet laureate with the laurel wreath.

But why is anyone crowned with a laurel wreath? Well, because of the Greek myth of Daphne and Apollo, ya know, where Apollo pursues Daphne. She turns to a laurel tree for safety and then Apollo builds himself a laurel wreath in her honor. Ya know, the typical boy meets girl love story.

Later, everyone from emperors to Olympians to poets all wore laurel wreaths as gold crowns. But I digress. Let's come back to Sorrento where we see that Torquato Tasso isn't the only statue revered here in his Piazza. Here in Piazza Tasso, you will see a statue to the patron saint of Sorrento, Saint Antonino.

He is the protector of farmers and fishermen, but I'm just gonna guess since he is the patron saint of Sorrento, he is also the protector of lemons and vespas. But that's just me. But seriously folks, Saint Antonino is the patron saint of rescues. According to legend, he saved a child swallowed by a whale.

No, the child was not Pinocchio. Let's be serious here. Saint Antoninos is also credited with other miracles, like saving the town from sarisan attack and protecting citizens from various maladies, ya know, like the plague, cholera, and demonic possession. He was a do-it-all kinda guy.

Because of these miracles, he was honored with a crypt and a basilica and this statue. The beautiful basilica of Saint Antonino was built in the 11th century over the sight of his relics. His more elaborate crypt was then added in 1753. But why do these marble columns look familiar?

Is that a whale bone? Why all the boat paintings? Yes, these marble columns are believed to come from those ancient Roman villas. The whale bone is a marker from that saving the boy from the whale story.

And these paintings show Saint Antoninos as the protector of sea travel, what a busy guy. Next, just off the corner of Piazza Tasso, there's a little courtyard with beautiful, bright ceiling coffers, green and white marble columns, classical statues and arches framing a stunning garden of tall trees. The only problem is, it's all fake. This is the Majolica courtyard and is one of the best examples of the art of those Majolica tiles.

It was part of the palace of one of Sorrento's noble families, the Corialis family, the same family whose slave, according to legend, was the very one that opened the ancient gate to let the Turks invade in the Middle Ages. Today, it's simply the entrance to a flower shop. (woman speaking foreign language) For a different type of flower, we look deep into a valley off Piazza Tasso to a creepy, abandoned haunted house. (evil laughter) Okay, it's really not that haunted.

It's actually rather beautiful. This is the Vallone Dei Mulini or Valley of the Mills. These were once wheat mills and used for quite a long time before they grew grass on the roof, from the 10th century until the 19th. But why the heck are they all the way down there?

Well it's more accurate to say, why are we all the way up here? The valley itself was formed more than 35,000 years ago and then, in the 900s, the local townspeople took advantage of a handy stream at the bottom of the valley to power their flower mill. Then, in 1866, part of the valley was filled in to create Piazza Tasso up here. That cut off the flow of the stream, making the mill stop working.

It also created a new micro climate down there, which is the reason why you see this unique vegetation growing over the multi story buildings, a little nature's revenge going on here, I think. (evil laughter) Okay, so no bread for lunch. So, can we finally get to those lemons? Yes, but our history lesson comes first.

Why are Sorrento lemons and Limoncello so good? Well, the answer is simply geography. -

Group

you will see the colors of Sorrento

Hooray! -

Christine

you will see the colors of Sorrento

Sorrento is on the Bay of Naples, precariously close to Mount Vesuvius. Now, the downside of exploding volcanoes is ya know, total destruction, but the upside is a soil rich in minerals, which is what gives us the Sorrento lemon. But while Sorrento is world famous for it's lemons and Limoncello, the lemon actually originated in Asia and the name comes from the Arabic word, laymun or lemun. Lemons were introduced to ancient Rome, later celebrated in Pompeiian frescos and by poets, like Sorrento's beloved Tasso.

But the lemon industry really took off because of pirates. Well, maybe not exclusively pirates, but sea explorers during the age of discovery took lemons along to prevent scurvy and scurvy just sounds like a piratey word. And being a sea port town, many centuries later, when life gave you lemons, here in Sorrento, you made Limoncello. -

Group

you will see the colors of Sorrento

Hooray! Lemons, lemons, and more lemons. Sorrento is of course, all about their lemons and Limoncello. Now, the history of Limoncello, well, there's a lot of theories and legends about that.

Some say it was invented in a monastery to keep the monks going from prayer to prayer. Others say it was for fishermen who would have a little Limoncello in the morning to fight the cold. Others say it wasn't even until 1900 when the more aristocratic folk would serve it to their guests to impress them. One thing is for sure though, if you ask anyone in Sorrento today, they'll say in Limoncello, (speaking foreign language).

That means Limoncello is good for you. And those Limoncello lemons have been growing here at this family run lemon orchard since the 19th century when they produced exclusively for that Bella Pope era, Excelsior Vittoria hotel, perched on the medieval wall on the cliffs of ancient Sorrento. Ah, don't you love it when it all ties back in together? How long has your family owned this business and been in the lemon business in Sorrento?

From generation, then my grandfather, Cataldo, cultivated lemon and orange trees. And then your father took over the business then next? Yeah, he start like 15, 16 years old to produce Limoncello, the famous Limoncello and the name, the factory is I Giardini di Cataldo, to remember him, my grandfather. Now, in order to be a true Limoncello, it has to be made from the zest of a Sfusato, a lemon grown on the Amalfi coast, and Limoncello recipes are carefully guarded and handed down from father to son and now, in modern times, to daughters.

(upbeat Italian instrumental music) So, grab your Limoncello, taste that Sorrento history and let's see what we've learned today, bambini. From an Italian piece of paradise perched precariously on a cliff. (screaming) Possibly named after some singing mermaids or were they seals? To the ancient playground of the rich and famous Romans who followed Sorrento's street plan of the ancient Greeks.

To the Bella Pope's grand tour that brought in the modern day rich and famous who sip the Limoncello made at this orchard. To pieces of that ancient Pagan villa, possibly recycled into some modern day churches, which is next to a towering ode to the local art form, which can also be seen in a Trompe l' oeil alcove and the town center for gossip, which also houses stunning frescos to the Piazzo named after a poet laureate with a statue of a saint who saved a boy from a whale that cut off the stream to a beautifully haunted mill. To those famous lemons that once grew naturally in the valleys outside these walls, but today creates the famous Limoncello, a Sorrento family tradition. Sorrento has so much to be curious about.

Thanks for joining us on our educational journey and hopefully now, you're even more curious about the who, what, where, why, and how of Sorrento from it's legends to it's Limoncello. (upbeat Italian instrumental music) -

Christine

you will see the colors of Sorrento

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