Vallone dei Mulini
Sorrento
KnownNature
The story
A canyon in the heart of the town where an old grain mill crumbles under the vegetation, wrapped in ferns and damp air, in a microclimate that time has forgotten.
Access
view from above, FREE
The story
The Vallone dei Mulini (Valley of the Mills) is a gorge in the heart of Sorrento, born about thirty-five thousand years ago from an eruption of the Campi Flegrei that covered the area with debris, later cut by the waters. It takes its name from the mill for grinding grain that worked there, today abandoned: it was the hub of a system of three valleys, partly vanished beneath the city.
What to see
The striking sight is from above: from the parapets of the centre, the old stone mill emerges from the luxuriant vegetation that has invaded the humid gorge, in an almost unreal contrast between ruin and nature. It is one of the most curious images of Sorrento.
Hours and prices
Free entry.
Tips
The Vallone is observed from above, from the panoramic points of the centre (near Piazza Tasso): it is not a site you go down into freely. A short stop, to fit into a tour of the centre of Sorrento.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Vallone dei Mulini of Sorrento?
A gorge in the centre of Sorrento with an ancient abandoned mill, today invaded by vegetation; it is observed from above from the panoramic points of the city.
How was the Vallone dei Mulini born?
From an eruption of the Campi Flegrei about 35,000 years ago that covered the area with debris, later cut by the waters.
Can you go down into the Vallone dei Mulini?
Usually it is admired from above, from the parapets of the centre of Sorrento; it is not a freely accessible site.
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