Late summer in the orchards of Sorrento

What do I mean by orchards when I am writing about the Sorrento Peninsula? 

Sorrento lemon orchard. The lemons are shielded from cold breezes and are even covered with plastic sheets or wood.

It depends on where this particular "orchard" is situated: at sea level, that is on the coast, or further up on the slopes of the Monti Lattari. Up there, mind you, the Monti Lattari reach well above 1000 meters with their highest peak being 1,444 meters, the slopes are still covered by edible fruit that are regularly harvested. For example, chestnuts grow abundantly above Amalfi, way inwards towards the village of Scala. By the way, in October Scala is celebrating its annual Festa della Castagna, click here for further information. Along the way up the mountain slopes, land plots packed with apple and pear trees are the usual sight.

But along the coast, citrus groves abound, reaching right into Sorrento itself. Citrus groves means that these private orchards are filled with lemon, tangerine and orange trees, with their main flower falling into April, but still flowers and fruits can be found on the trees at all times of the year. Take a look at a few pictures from orchards that are right situated in Sorrento, just across the Hotel de la Ville at Via Rota, next to the city center.

This is what orchards look like at the end of summer in Sorrento, citrus trees

Sorrento fattoria with a path connecting the house with the street, surrouded by citrus groves intermingled with olive trees

This is where the lemons are picked for the Sorrento specialty "Delizia al limone"

Orchards interspersed with flowering shrubs and laurels, in this picture you can see yellow brugmansia, in Via Rota, Sorrento

A house in a lemon grove, imagine how this garden is scented in April when the trees are full of the zagare (flowers)

Ready for harvest

Cedars, olives, lemons, green ones along with ripe ones on the very same tree

View of Via Rota towards of Piano di Sorrento, banana trees in the foreground and the impressive background of the Monti Lattari, the backbone of the Sorrento Peninsula

Garden center next to the orchards, all you need for taking care of your plot of land