Sorrento

---

21st March - Sorrento #heygo http://www.heygo.com

Sorrento Is known as the land of mermaids, mysteries, myths and legends where Ulysses was tormented by the Sirens sweetly singing.

The Greeks founded Sorrento in the 6th century BC and called it Surreo which means to “flow together” and it may refer to the flow of the two ancient rivers.



The Greeks laid the foundations of the city before the Romans built over it and called it Surrentum. The layout of the historic centre of Sorrento has not changed much since Roman times and it was united with the Kingdom of Italy in the year 1861.



In 1544 the poet, Torquato Tasso, was born in Sorrento and the main square in the centre of town, Piazza Tasso, was named after him.

The Sorrentini are proud of their native born poet, said to be one of the greatest Late Renaissance italian writers, and named the piazza after him, erecting his statue there. Although best known for the narrative poem "La Gerusalemme Liberata" (Jerusalem Delivered), Torquato Tasso wrote many admired works.

The square, created in 1800, replaced outmoded fortifications which had stood on the site since the turbulent Fifteen hundreds. Its high position, which in the past was advantageous for defenses, now affords pleasant views of the city and sea beyond.



In 1861 Sorrento was officially annexed to the new Kingdom of Italy. In the following years it confirmed and increased its status of one of the most renowned tourist destinations of Italy, a trend which continued into the 20th Century. Famous people who visited it include Lord Byron, Keats, Goethe, Henrik Ibsen and Walter Scott.



Sorrento lemons are extremely aromatic and their unwaxed rind contains lots of oil. Their pulp also contains very few seeds. For all of these reasons limone di Sorrento are the best choice for making homemade limoncello liqueur. In Sorrento they often eat them out of hand, sprinkled with sugar. Also great sliced paper thin and layered inside whole fish or over fish fillets before baking.

---