A beautiful little city with significant old parts. Saint Caesar’s Street or Via San Cesareo is one of Sorrento’s most typical alleys, full of artisanal shops and lovely architecture. St Caesar’s Street was the city’s ancient “decuman” (main street). Looking at an antique Sorrento map, we observe the antique classical “hypopodaneous” map, with “decumans” and “cardi.”
Decumani is the roads in the east-west direction, and, perpendicular, the “cardi” are the roads in the south-north order. So the current St. Caesar’s Street was the full decuman and the way Tasso was the highest cardi.
This road connected the main gate (the Castelo’s width) with Massa’s door, dividing the city into two parts. For this reason, the road is called “miezo Surriento” (in a half Sorrento).
The ancient map of Sorrento
In 1865, was built the new main street named “Corso Italia,” also called the Via Nova (new road), and it is parallel to the Via San Cesareo.
The Corso Italia nova days
St Caesar’s Street was the street where the leading families of Sorrento lived. However, you can admire several portals with the enchanting architecture of the ancient noble mansions. This old house often hides behind them suggestive courtyards.
Walking through St.Cesareo street and Piazza Tasso on the right side you will see Dominova’s seat “Sedile Dominova, “a meeting place of the Nobility of Sorrento. Please click here to learn more about it.
The Via San Cesareo is famous mainly for the many souvenir shops selling typical Sorrento products made from lemon, symbolizing the city Sorrento.
On the Via San Cesareo street, there are Artisan workshops, many exquisite restaurants, and delicious bars, among which you can feel the authentic scents of Sorrento. I always say that to see better one place you need to just get lost in the streets 🙂
