enjoying more of the best of Europe.

And this time,

we're exploring Italy's dramatic Amalfi Coast area,

and somewhere along here,

we're going to find a blue grotto.

Thanks for joining us.

Just south of Naples

are some of Italy's most appreciated attractions.

Along a breathtaking coastline, you'll find trendy resort towns,

ancient ruins, and enchanting island getaways.

Long the haunt of celebrities,

the allure of Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast

is still a hit with travelers today.

We'll start with the southern Italian charms of Sorrento,

taste traditional Italian food

with a playful flair,

drive along the dramatic Amalfi Coast,

enjoying its cliffside towns,

and we'll stroll in the shadow of Greek temples at Paestum

and take a cruise to the seductive Isle of Capri,

with its romantic Blue Grotto.

In the south of Europe,

Italy juts into the Mediterranean sea.

The coast stretching south of Naples

is filled with temptations.

From our home base in Sorrento, we explore the Amalfi Coast,

stopping in the towns of Positano and Amalfi.

After visiting the temples at Paestum,

we sail to the Isle of Capri.

Wedged on a ledge

under the mountains and over the sea,

spritzed by lemon and orange groves,

Sorrento is an attractive resort town

of 20,000 residents, and in the summer,

as many tourists.

Serene Sorrento is well located,

both as a springboard for regional sightseeing

and as a fine place to simply stay and stroll.

While just an hour south of wild and crazy Naples,

the Sorrentines have gone out of their way

to create a completely safe and genteel place

for tourists to come, relax, and enjoy spending their money.

While the town's hot

and mobbed with tourists during the summer,

we're here in mid-April.

The weather's comfortable,

and most of those enjoying the fun in the Sorrento sun

are locals.

Sorrento goes back to Ancient Greek times.

In fact, the word "Sorrento"

comes from the Greek word for "siren."

On his legendary Odyssey, Ulysses sailed by

and he overcame the treacherous lure

of the seductive sirens.

In doing so, he opened up this region to colonization.

To the ancient Greeks,

places like Sorrento were the wild, wild West.

The town's original Greek street plan survives

running east-west for the most sunlight

and north-south

for the prevailing and cooling breeze.

While the breeze is welcome in the summer,

even in ancient times, documents report

of locals complaining about the cold winter wind.

Sorrento's back streets give a peek

at both its long history and rich culture.

This 13th-century palace recalls a rough-and-tumble age.

It had no balconies for security reasons.

Tiny shrines decorate walls throughout southern Italy.

The Catholic faithful pray to Mary

in the hopes that she'll advocate for them up in heaven.

Italians venerate Mary,

and Italian men also venerate their mothers.

Even so, Italian men have built into their lives

women-free zones.

Here at the Sorrento Men's Club, men -- and only men --

play cards and gossip

under a historic emblem of the city

and a frescoed 16th-century dome.

While originally a place where the town's nobles met,

today, this is the club for working-class guys.

Strictly no women, and no telephones either.

From the old center, an ancient lane zigzags down

to the Marina Grande, Sorrento's historic harbor.

Just before reaching the harbor,

you pass through an Ancient Greek gate,

a reminder that Marina Grande was always a separate town

with its own proud residents.

It's said even their cats look different.

Sorrentines believe that, because this section of town

was locked outside the fortified wall during pirate raids,

Marina Grande dwellers

descend from Saracen, or Turkish pirate, stock.

Sorrentines still scare their children by saying,

"Behave, or the Turks will take you away."

Today, there's just not much very menacing

about the "Turks" of Marina Grande.

[ Speaking Italian ]

The port's economy is still based

on its colorful fishing fleet,

and more recently, its many seafood restaurants.

The family-run Ristorante Delfino

gets its seafood right off the fisherman's boat.

Enticing dishes are served with enthusiasm

to hungry locals right on the pier.

Salute. Salute, signore.

Steves: Around here,

lemons are everywhere.

Every other shop is lemon yellow.

Stores bottle their own citrus treats,

and they're generous

with samples.

When it comes to fruit stands in Sorrento, pucker up.

On the Amalfi Coast,

there is always something to learn

in this land where there's more to lemons than lemonade.

In Sorrento, there's lemons everywhere.

Tell me about your lemons.

These are typical lemons of Sorrento, okay?

That's... [ Speaking Italian ]

Is the fur.

Oh, that's nice.

With this, we make limoncello.

I can smell the limoncello. Yes.

Okay, what's the big one?

This big one is Cedro.

This we heat with extra-virgin olive oil

and salt near the fish.

So with the dinner, with the fish?

Yes. Yes.

Very nice. Thank you. Grazie.

Bye-bye.

Ciao. Ciao.

Steves: Surprising visitors, right in the town center,

is an inviting lemon grove.

An abundant orchard provides locals and tourists alike

with a fragrant and peaceful stroll.

At the rustic shop,

cap your visit with a taste of the region's favorite liqueur,

limoncello.

While there are plenty of beaches near Sorrento,

many hotels offer travelers an attractive alternative.

Our Hotel Minerva is like a sun worshipper's temple,

with a spectacular terrace commanding Mediterranean views,

and a small, cliff-hanging swimming pool.

This place provides all I look for --

an efficient lobby

and inviting lounge,

and a simple room with a good bed

and great view.

During the peak season,

many resort hotels require half-pension.

That means you must buy either lunch or dinner there.

It's a reasonable policy,

designed to keep the hotel restaurants busy,

but I prefer a hotel like this one,

one that leaves meals optional

so I'm free to go out and find whatever restaurant I like.

And tonight, that restaurant is Il Buco.

Once the cellar of an old monastery,

today, it's a small, dressy restaurant

serving delightfully presented, top-quality food.

They showcase good wine and offer elegant service.

In the state-of-the-art kitchen,

the chefs pride themselves on taking a playful attitude

towards traditional Italian dishes.

In my guidebooks,

I strive to list places with hands-on ownership.

Il Buco's owner, Peppe,

designs his menu around whatever's fresh,

and he lovingly explains each course to his guests.

Peppe: Generally, it's the spaghetti vongole,

but we want to play with the tradition.

We make a little distraction on this plate

with some pasta and clams the other side.

Just forgive the idea

to use your finger --

clean the clams, put the hand, and play with the spaghetti.

Buon appetito. I can rearrange it my way?

Yeah. [ Laughs ] Thank you very much.

Steves: And during a balmy Sorrento evening,

the streets are filled

with people enjoying a convivial passegiata.

For many, a stop at the gelateria

is a regular part of the family night out.

Gelateria Davide is sure to have the flavor that suits your mood.

Peruse the mouthwatering chorus line before ordering.

Grazie. Ciao. Ciao.

This isn't a festival, it's just another night --

a celebration of community in the Mediterranean world.

With all this action in the streets,

who wants to go home?

Sorrento is the ideal home base

for exploring the stunning Amalfi Coast.

Tourists line up each morning,

packing the buses which make the memorable day trip.

But this is a case when I hire a cabbie,

like Raffaele Monetti, to be my driver and guide.

Time for a trip on the Amalfi?

Yes. Okay.

Steves: But, especially for a small group,

when you factor in the value of your time

and the frustration of trying to explore a congested

and expensive bit of Italian coastline on your own,

a day with your own driver can be a fine value.

Yes.

The Amalfi Coast is chaotic, scenic,

in-love-with-life Italy at its best.

With its breathtaking scenery,

dramatically perched port towns,

and historic ruins,

the Amalfi is Italy's coast with the most.

Whether you ride the bus or a taxi,

the trip south from Sorrento

is one of the world's great road trips.

You'll gain respect

for the Italian engineers who first built the road,

and even more respect for the bus drivers who drive it.

[ Horn honks ]

Cantilevered hotels and villas

cling to the vertical terrain,

and beautiful, sandy coves tease from far below.

As you hyperventilate,

notice how the Mediterranean really twinkles.

Traffic is so heavy that private tour buses

are only allowed to go southbound.

Even so, because of the narrow roads and tight corners,

expect some delays...

[ Speaking Italian ]

And enjoy the show.

Beautiful. Look at the engineering here.

Monetti: This road is very, very old.

It is about 750 years old.

750 years? Yes.

For make this road, it takes about 150 years

from Sorrento down to Salerno.

Specializing in scenery, shopping, and sand,

the resort town of Positano

hangs on the most spectacular stretch of the coast.

Only one street in Positano allows motorized traffic --

the rest are steep pedestrian lanes.

Because bus access is so limited

and hotels don't take large groups,

the town -- unlike Sorrento --

has been spared the impact of big-bus tourism.

The village is squished into a ravine,

with narrow pedestrian-only alleys

that cascade down to the harbor.

The skyline looks like it did a century ago --

strict building codes prevent modern structures.

The town's shallow rooftop domes are filled with sand.

These provide insulation --

cool in summer, warm in winter.

Positano's steep lanes are a way of life

for the 4,000 hearty residents.

It's a pleasant gathering of cafes,

galleries, and boutiques.

There's little to do here but eat,

window-shop,

and enjoy the beach and views --

and that's exactly the way its many visitors like it.

The beach is a relaxed scene.

Boats shuttle visitors in and out,

young Romeos polish their craft...