Some places speak without making noise.
Where waves gently lap against wooden boats, and the air smells of salt, lemon, and ancient stories.
Marina della Lobra, the fishing harbor of Massa Lubrense, is one of those places. Time hasn’t stopped here — it simply flows differently.
The Sorrentine Peninsula has been inhabited for millennia: first by Greek settlers, who built Sorrento’s ancient city walls, and later by the Romans, whose presence along the coast is evidenced by the Villa of Pollio Felice in Capo di Sorrento and the harbor at Marina della Lobra, in Massa Lubrense.
Tradition holds that a Roman temple dedicated to Minerva once stood here by the sea. It was later replaced by a Christian church, which was eventually destroyed — eroded by the sea and plundered by pirates and corsairs. The only surviving fragment of the old church is a fresco of the Madonna and Child, now preserved like a relic inside the current Church and Convent of Santa Maria della Lobra, built further inland. Construction began in 1528 and was completed in 1570.
During your Holiday in Sorrento find time for this place among the moored boats and drying fishing nets, you can sense something sacred and ancient in the air.
A return to the land: lemons, silences, and roots
This is the perfect starting point for anyone looking for a different kind of Holiday in Sorrento — not just about beauty, but about meaning.
Down stone-paved alleys and soft-spoken voices, you’ll find real stories, like that of Nello Mastellone, a seasoned sailor who, after sailing across the world, returned to his birthplace, Massa Lubrense, to fulfill his dream: breathing new life into an 18th-century farmhouse and transforming it into Palazzo Raja, a charming residence surrounded by lemon groves.
Here, he cultivates the prized Sorrento IGP lemon with traditional methods, and even sells lemon plants — a way to take a genuine piece of Sorrento home with you.
In the video, Nello shares the legend of the Vervece Rock, rising just offshore — a mythical landmark steeped in stories of the sea. Listening to him feels like listening to the coast itself.Between Nello and Ralph, our traveler, not many words are needed. Gestures, silences, the view over the coast, and the scent of lemon groves speak for themselves. This is the essence of an authentic Holiday in Sorrento — full of unforgettable encounters, slow rhythms, and deep meaning.
Holiday in Sorrento: the coast you weren’t expecting
The Sorrento Coast is not just postcard views. It’s a weave of stories and legends that still live on — in the harbors, under pergolas, and in the hands of those who work the land.
It’s where an old sailor can choose to plant lemons.
Where a traveler can stop searching and start listening.
Marina della Lobra also offers unforgettable experiences at sea: you can rent boats to explore the coastline from the water, or visit the local diving center for equipment rentals and guided scuba tours. A unique opportunity to discover the beauty of the coast from below the surface.This video is a love letter to the truest Sorrento.
The one you discover only by slowing down.
In short: how to truly experience an unconventional Holiday in Sorrento
- Start from the harbor of Marina della Lobra and feel history and myth come alive
- Visit the Church and Convent of Santa Maria della Lobra, rebuilt higher up after the ancient church was lost
- Stay at Palazzo Raja, where past and present meet under a flowering pergola
Discover the Sorrento Coast by sea or underwater
Limonoro walks this journey with you —
Step by step, into the hidden heart of your Holiday in Sorrento.