Sorrento in August? Beautiful bustling city or overcrowded tourist trap?

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Never been. Love wondering around interesting towns/cities with some authentic feel of the people, place and culture. Interested in buildings, art and eating and drinking alfresco while people watching. Is Sorrento as heavenly as it looks in the pictures? Or madly overcrowded and full of overpriced restaurants selling tourist fare as some travel sites suggest?

Sorrento isn't as full of art, culture and similar as say Florence or Siena. In August it will be unbelievably hot. They are geared to make a profit obviously, and it is pretty, but further around the coast Positano and Amalfi are more breathtaking, as they are built on the cliffside, going down to the sea. You can get a tourist bus cheaply from Sorrento to Positano.

However, if you want culture, take the train from Sorrento to Pompeii, and Herculaneum, and Naples. It will be extremely hot walking around the archaeological sites in August and exhausting, Pompeii is much bigger than you imagine.

I'd suggest going in September instead if you aren't bound by school holidays.

I agree with girly above. Sorrento is nice, but its very touristy and will be BOILING hot and VERY crowded in August as that's the month when every single Italian takes his/her annual month-long holiday. If you're bound by school hols I would recommend going in either the May or Oct half-term (May would be nicer). If you're not bound by school hols then go in June or Sept.

For culture head to Pompeii, Ercolano, Paestum, Capri and Naples (where there is a fab archaeological museum and some wonderful art museums).

The 'authentic feel' of Sorrento is that it has been a tourist trap since tourism was invented! But it, and the Bay of Naples and the Amalfi coast, are fabulous. You must visit!

I have found that most places in Italy have a hot-spot that is very touristy but you only have to turn a corner and the crowds disappear.

I've been to Sorrento, it was early July and back in 2007. Personally I thought it was bit grim, I really don't mind touristy places as such but it was just full of brits and the restaurant menus reflected it. It wasn't anywhere as pretty as Positano or Capri. Even Naples was better ( I love Naples but it seems to divide opinions).

Grande Marina area of Sorrento was nice though, we had a dinner there one night, if I remember right it was on a pier and it was nice to stroll along with the locals afterwards.

Overcrowded tourist trap! Amalfi is nicer or try Atrani (it's smaller sister).

I must admit that I was a little underwhelmed by Sorrento. We enjoyed the holiday and the hotel was really good, but the traffic choked streets and the fact that there was nowhere to do any proper walking were drawbacks. You can't walk by the sea as it is built up right to the cliff edge, and if you are on the outskirts as we were you walk along narrow pavements next to extremely busy roads.