- In brief: La Torre del Saracino, chef Gennaro Esposito’s two-star restaurant, leaves Vico Equense to settle at the Bellevue Syrene palace in Sorrento.
- The stated ambition: to win a third Michelin star in Campania.
- The addresses: the Grand Hotel La Favorita and its Bellavista rooftop facing Mount Vesuvius, Hôtel Belair with its 46 sea-view rooms and suites, and the Grand Hotel Europa Palace with its pontoon beach club.
- Dining: chef Domenico Iavarone takes the helm at the Zest restaurant; O’ Parrucchiano offers dinners under century-old lemon trees.
- Where: Sorrento Peninsula, Campania, about 50 kilometres from Naples and facing Mount Vesuvius.
Facing the majesty of Mount Vesuvius, the Sorrento Peninsula is now establishing itself as the laboratory for a new, highly subtle luxury. Contemporary elegance celebrates the art of good living, the enchanting scent of citrus fruits and the wild beauty of the rocky coast. This quest for sincerity translates into exceptional addresses where history meets modernity, offering discerning travellers a unique sensory immersion between historic palaces and bold gourmet restaurants.
The historic alliance between Bellevue Syrene and Gennaro Esposito
The Bellevue Syrene marks the year 2026 by welcoming La Torre del Saracino, chef Gennaro Esposito’s two-star institution. This major move from Vico Equense illustrates the perfect fusion of prestige hospitality and haute cuisine. This major collaboration aims to win a third Michelin star under the skies of Campania. Palace guests can now savour this signature cuisine against the spectacular backdrop of the Gulf of Naples, making every dinner a moment of absolute grace.
Grand Hotel La Favorita and Hôtel Belair: between tradition and modernity
In the heart of the historic centre, the Grand Hotel La Favorita celebrates the Mediterranean art of living with its handcrafted majolica tiles and its Bellavista rooftop featuring a heated swimming pool facing Vesuvius. Meanwhile, Hôtel Belair, managed by the Russo family, offers a contemporary and refined vision of luxury. Its forty-six rooms and suites all offer breathtaking, direct views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. These two addresses demonstrate the diversity and complementarity of Sorrento’s hotel offering, combining family heritage with sleek design.
Gastronomic and seaside excellence on the Sorrento coast
The culinary scene is also enhanced by chef Domenico Iavarone, who brings refined modernity to the Zest restaurant by elevating local lemons. For lovers of exclusive relaxation, the Grand Hotel Europa Palace offers a private beach club set up on a wooden pontoon at the foot of the cliff. These sensory and intimate experiences redefine the standards of upscale travel in Italy. Finally, the historic institution O’ Parrucchiano allows diners to eat beneath a forest of century-old lemon trees, while Hôtel Mediterraneo in Sant’Agnello stands out as the ultimate spot to celebrate the ritual of the sunset.
Our perspective
Sorrento has long served as a base camp rather than a destination. People slept there to reach Capri in the morning and Pompeii in the afternoon, and local hospitality had settled into this role of a gateway, comfortable but without ambition of its own. The arrival of La Torre del Saracino at the Bellevue Syrene changes the game, and not just for the palace hosting it. A two-star restaurant inside a hotel transforms the stay itself into a reason for travel, whereas the peninsula was previously just a starting point.
It remains to be seen whether the rest of the town will follow. The Grand Hotel La Favorita and Hôtel Belair show two opposing paths, family heritage on one hand and contemporary minimalism on the other, and it is precisely this diversity that was missing from the neighbouring Amalfi Coast, which is more uniform in its luxury. Sorrento now holds a card it had not played until now: that of an address where one comes to stay, with Vesuvius on the horizon and discretion as a bonus.
