Nerano · Sorrentine Peninsula
Marina del Cantone
The gastronomic capital on the cleanest sea in Campania.
Sea and Serious Cuisine
Nerano Marina del Cantone is one of the most captivating places on the Sorrentine Peninsula. Located in the municipality of Massa Lubrense, reachable by sea or land. The beach at Marina del Cantone is wide, clean and sun-drenched well into the evening. The water is among the clearest in Campania, protected by the Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area: snorkelling is excellent, with Posidonia meadows and rich marine life.
But the worldwide fame of Nerano Marina del Cantone is gastronomic. This is where Spaghetti alla Nerano was born - fried courgettes, provolone del Monaco, basil - and every restaurant on the seafront serves the original version. Perfect for families and for anyone wanting to combine a great beach day with world-class cooking.
Foodie Tip
Lo Cantone and Maria Grazia are the temples of Spaghetti alla Nerano. Book your table in the morning - in summer seats run out fast. A beach lunch here is a complete gastronomic experience.
The Birth of a Legendary Dish
It was 1952 when Maria Grazia, founder of the eponymous restaurant on Nerano's seafront, invented what would become one of the most imitated and loved pasta dishes in southern Italy. The original recipe was simple and inspired: courgettes sliced into rounds and fried in olive oil, then tossed with al-dente spaghetti, grated provolone del Monaco and fresh basil leaves.
The secret - still jealously guarded by the family - lies in the proportion of the different cheeses and the precise moment to add the butter for the sauce. Every restaurant in Nerano offers its own version, but all agree that Maria Grazia's original recipe remains unbeatable. The restaurant is still open, still run by the same family.
The Marine Protected Area and the Roman Piscinae
The waters of Marina del Cantone fall within the Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area, established in 1997 and among the best-preserved in Italy. The Posidonia oceanica meadows covering the seabed are a critical habitat for seahorses, sea turtles (occasionally sighted) and an extraordinary variety of fish. Underwater visibility often exceeds 15 metres.
But Marina del Cantone has even deeper roots in the water. The Romans built their piscinae along this coast - fish-farming tanks dedicated to the villas of the patricians. Today the remains of these structures are visible underwater at the rocky edges of the bay, silent witnesses of two thousand years of human relationship with this sea.
At the tip of the peninsula stands Punta Campanella, where in Greek and Roman times the Temple of Athena/Minerva once stood. Sailors prayed here before crossing the Capri channel, asking the goddess for protection. The temple remains are barely visible, but the place still carries an atmosphere of ancient sacredness.
The Octopus Fishermen of Nerano
The fishermen of Nerano are famous throughout Campania for an age-old fishing technique: the pignatte, small terracotta jars lowered to the seabed where octopuses take shelter thinking they have found a den. This technique, practised in the Mediterranean since antiquity, is still in use today. In the early morning you can see boats returning to port with pignatte full of catch. Octopus cooked alla luciana - with cherry tomatoes, olives and capers - is the local gastronomic answer to this tradition.
1952
year Spaghetti alla Nerano was invented
1997
MPA established
15m+
underwater visibility
2,000
years of Roman piscinae
Local Tips
- Book restaurant Maria Grazia by phone the day before: this is where Spaghetti alla Nerano was invented, and the seafront tables run out by 11 in the morning.
- For snorkelling, bring your own mask: hire gear is available but you'll always have a better experience with your own. The Posidonia meadows start about 30 metres from shore.
- Arrive by EAV bus from Sorrento: in July and August the car park is full by 8:30 and it's not worth the stress of driving the winding road.
- In the MPA's Zone A it is forbidden to collect sea urchins and shells: respect the rules, they are what keeps these waters so clean and rich.
- September is the best month: fewer crowds, still warm water (25-26 °C), and restaurants still have all the summer dishes on the menu.
How to Get There
EAV Bus
From Sorrento via Massa Lubrense
From Sorrento, alight at Nerano. Then 10 min walk down to the beach.
By Sea
Taxi boat from Sorrento
Direct landing on the beach. Scenic and very convenient.
By car
Via Massa Lubrense
Limited parking at Nerano. In high season: arrive before 8:30 or choose bus/boat.
On foot (hiking)
Trail from Termini or Ieranto
For walkers: scenic trail from Termini (45 min) or from Baia di Ieranto (60 min).