Sorrento — Piano di Sorrento Approaches
Marina di Cassano · Meta di Sorrento anchorage · Piano di Sorrento bay
40°37.9'N 14°24.0'E
Depth
5–20m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
100m
Holding
Fair holding
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
100m
100m in 6–15m due to fair/variable holding — verify anchor set on sand. The cliff walls to the south create thermal wind effects that can be unpredictable; gusts from the cliff faces differ significantly from the open gulf wind. In summer NW afternoon sea breeze, the bay becomes choppy — a morning anchorage only in peak summer.
About This Anchorage
The Piano di Sorrento area — the broad flat plain on the clifftop above the coast between Sorrento and Vico Equense — drops to the sea via dramatic 50–100m vertical tuff cliffs with no beaches accessible by land. The anchorage off Marina di Cassano and Meta provides access to this less-visited stretch of the Sorrentine coast. The nearby Punta Campanella AMP begins a few miles west around the cape. Sorrento itself (3nm west) is famous for its clifftop hotels, lemon gardens (giardini di limoni), limoncello production, and ferry connections to Capri. The Piano di Sorrento area has a more local character — less tourist infrastructure but excellent food and the cliffs accessible only by sea give it a secluded quality.
Protected From
S · SW · SE · W
Exposed To
N · NE · NW
Setting Your Anchor
Anchoring on Posidonia oceanica meadows is prohibited throughout Italian waters and is actively enforced — fines range from €500–€3,000. Always snorkel to verify the bottom is clean sand before setting. In the AMP Parco Sommerso di Baia (Pozzuoli area), Zone A prohibits all entry, Zone B requires mooring buoys only, and Zone C permits limited anchoring on sand only. Check AMP zone maps before anchoring anywhere near Baia or Cape Miseno.
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free outside AMP boundary. Sorrento Marina Piccola: mooring buoys from €20–€50/night.
- Maximum stay
- 2 days
- Permit required
- No
Restrictions: AMP Punta Campanella boundary begins west of Sorrento at Punta Scutolo — verify current AMP boundary before anchoring west of this point. No anchoring on Posidonia. Cliff areas: do not anchor within 50m of cliff face (rockfall and thermal updrafts).
Hazards
- !Cliff thermal gusts: The Sorrentine cliffs generate strong, unpredictable thermal downdrafts — wind on the water can be 15–20 kts stronger than forecast when aligned with a cliff face; maintain 50m minimum clearance from all cliffs
- !N/NE exposure: The bay is open to the N/NE — summer NE sea breeze and Tramontana create uncomfortable chop; a morning-only anchorage in summer
- !Rocky bottom: Fair holding only — anchor drags risk on rock bottom if anchor sets on rock rather than sand; verify carefully
- !Punta Campanella AMP boundary: The AMP Zone C/B boundary is close west of Sorrento — ensure you are outside the AMP if not using authorized buoys; heavy fine for unauthorized anchoring within AMP zones
Skipper's Tips
- →The sea access to the base of the Sorrento cliffs (inaccessible from above) by dinghy reveals extraordinary volcanic tuff formations and small grottos — excellent snorkelling in clear water
- →Sorrento limoncello made from the local Ovale di Sorrento lemons (IGP designation) is the finest version — buy from a local producer rather than the tourist shops; the Limoncello di Sorrento consortium certifies authentic producers
- →For the best access to Sorrento town, take the dinghy to Marina Piccola (3nm west) and land at the small harbour; the cliff lift (elevator) takes you up to the town level
- →The offshore approach from Capri (9nm) in a morning land breeze is one of the most beautiful passages in the Gulf of Naples — the Sorrentine cliffs backed by Vesuvius with Capri astern
Facilities
Restaurants in Piano di Sorrento and Meta — accessible by path from the small beach/landing. Sorrento town (3nm W by sea) has all facilities. Local specialities: limoncello, gnocchi alla sorrentina, fresh local lemons.
Nearest provisions: Meta di Sorrento / Piano di Sorrento (0.5nm)
Best Months & Season
May, June, September, October
May–October. Best May–June and September–October. July–August: summer sea breeze makes the N-exposed Piano di Sorrento anchorage choppy in the afternoon — use mornings only or anchor at Sorrento Marina Piccola with mooring buoys.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Set Your Anchor Alarm to 100m
In the Gulf of Naples, the Scirocco can build swell rapidly and ferry wash is constant. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position continuously — alerting you the moment your anchor starts to drag.
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