Solo in Sorrento and wondering what to do? Dance the night away!

It’s Friday night in Sorrento – what’s a solo traveler to do?  There is plenty of nightlife in and around Sorrento, Italy if you just know where to look.  Whether you like the atmosphere of a SoHo or South Beach club scene, salsa dancing on a hot summer night or even the old school traditional Italian stage show, there is something for everyone.

1.  The Tarantella Show – in the subterranean theater below Fauno Bar, known as Fauno Notte.  It’s right in the heart of Sorrento’s main square, Piazza Tasso.  It’s a traditional Neopolitan stage show, complete with tarantella and tambourines, which traces the history of Naples and Sorrento from 1558 through the present.  (This is a totally benign experience for a solo woman traveler just getting used to exploring the world alone.)

2.  Jamaica Inn – This place is fantastic but it’s huge and you will need a car to get there since it’s about 10-15 minutes away from Piazza Tasso.  It’s actually located in Boscotrecase at Via Panoramica 5.  The Jamaica Inn is part restaurant, part party space and part dance club, all mixed in with fantastic food, especially pizza.  Friday night is salsa night and there is a one hour free class by maestro Pakito Ametrano.  It starts around 11pm, followed by salsa dancing till the wee hours.  In the summer the scene happens inside and outside, while off-season there is always a party going on inside.  Families mix with singles, young mix with old.  This is a great club/restaurant to come and mix with the locals.

Free salsa class by Pakito Ametrano at Jamaica Inn in Sorrento / Photo courtesy: Jamaica Inn

3.  Smeralda – The moment I entered this club in Castellammare I thought I was back in the U.S. in Miami’s South Beach.  This place is so cool from decor to the laid back crowd.  White sofas and tents drape you in seclusion and the bartenders are very friendly.  The entertainment ranges from background music to DJs to live guests.  If you’re lucky, here is where you just may catch a live performance by Neopolitan pop star Gigi Finizio.  I was a fan the moment I heard him sing “E C’e Una Cosa  Che Non Sai” (There is one Thing I Don’t Know).  Again, you’ll need a car to get there because Castellammare is not really convenient to anything and make sure you have your GPS set to exactly Via Passeggiata Archeologica 80.  We wouldn’t want you getting lost in or around Castellammare.  Don’t worry, though, the club has its own parking lot and you are plenty safe once there!