Is Valley of the Mills worth it?
Worth itUnderrated · +61A deep green gorge behind Piazza Tasso with a ruined, ivy-covered mill, seen from a street railing
Worth it. 4.3 on Google; people like it but many note it's only a look from above and the floor is off-limits.
Hype10How famous and hyped it is
Reality71Evidence-based, votes take over as they come in
4.3 ★ Google · 146 reviews— hypegap votes · be one of the first
Been to Valley of the Mills? Was it worth it?
One tap. No account. Your vote moves the Reality score.Is it worth it for you?
Worth itEditorial verdict until 5 first-timers vote
Free, two minutes from Piazza Tasso and one of the more memorable sights in town.
Why Reality is 71
Lives up to its fame3/54.3 on Google; people like it but many note it's only a look from above and the floor is off-limits.
Value for money4/5Free and quick; you get a striking scene for no effort.
Can’t get it elsewhere4/5Nothing else in Sorrento looks like this overgrown ruin in a town-centre gorge.
Easy to do5/5Street-side railing next to Piazza Tasso; no queue, no ticket.
What people loved
Genuinely atmospheric: an abandoned mill swallowed by ferns and greenery right in the town centreFree and on the way — two minutes from Piazza TassoInteresting backstory about the mills and how the square sealed off the gorgeWhat wore them down
You can only look from the railing; there is no path down into the gorgeA quick photo stop, not an activity — a few minutes is enoughShaded and deep: photos can disappoint compared with the postcard shotsParking & getting there
Don’t driveDon't drive into the centre (ZTL with cameras). The Vallone dei Mulini car park on Via Fuorimura is right beside the viewpoint if you must bring a car.
- Parcheggio Vallone dei Mulini Chiomenzanolot · about 1 min walk · ★ 4.2 (442)Price not publishedMap
- Parcheggio Comunale Achille Laurogarage · about 5 min walk · ★ 4.3 (874)Price not publishedMap
- Parcheggio Stingalot · about 7 min walk · ★ 4.2 (526)Price not publishedMap
- Sorrento's historic centre is a camera-enforced ZTL (incl. Via San Cesareo, Via Pietà, Corso Italia between Piazza Tasso and Piazza Veniero and the lanes around the Duomo); fines reported at €100–160, mailed weeks later. Hotels inside the ZTL can register your plate for drop-off only. Exact hours not verified on the Comune site. bluekeys.it
Without a car: EAV Circumvesuviana train from Naples to Sorrento (terminus), then a ~5 min walk to Piazza Tasso; or ferry/hydrofoil to Marina Piccola and walk or take the lift up.
Driving rules in Sorrento
In Sorrento town, don't drive: the centre is a camera ZTL, parking is private and the port area fills in summer. Use the Circumvesuviana train, SITA buses and ferries. A car is handy for Massa Lubrense trailheads (Punta Campanella, Ieranto) or Vesuvius, but never take it to Capri.
- Sorrento historic-centre ZTL. The historic centre is a camera-enforced ZTL, including Via San Cesareo, Via Pietà, Corso Italia between Piazza Tasso and Piazza Veniero, and the lanes around the Duomo. Fines are reported at €100–160 and arrive weeks later. Hotels inside the zone can register your plate for drop-off only, so ask yours how to drive in. In winter the centre ZTL reportedly runs only at weekends. Exact summer hours were not verified on the Comune's site. bluekeys.it
- Winter ZTL note. Per Sorrento Insider, in winter the centre ZTL is active only at weekends. If your hotel is inside the zone, ask it how to get in. sorrentoinsider.com
- Capri: no tourist cars. An annual ministerial decree bans non-resident vehicles (cars, motorbikes, mopeds, rentals, foreign plates) from Capri and Anacapri in the main season. The 2025 ban ran 31 Mar–2 Nov and 22 Dec 2025–6 Jan 2026. Fines €430–1,731. Leave the car on the mainland. prefettura.interno.gov.it
- Vesuvius summit parking. No parking at the Quota 1000 piazzale. Use the Comune di Ercolano roadside parking at about 800 m (bookable online) plus the €1 shuttle, and buy your timed trail ticket first. parconazionaledelvesuvio.it
Know before you go
See something out of date? Fix it right here.Booking: No booking; street-side viewpoint.
EntryFree; viewed from above onlySource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
AccessYou look down from the railing on Via Fuorimura; the gorge floor is private and not open to visitorsSource: Google reviews · Checked Oct 17, 2026
Getting there1–2 min walk from Piazza Tasso; ~7 min from the EAV Circumvesuviana stationSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
HistoryStone flour mills from as early as the 13th century plus a sawmill; abandoned in the 1940s after Piazza Tasso (1866) cut the valley off from the seaSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
GeologyGorge formed about 37,000 years ago after a Campi Flegrei eruptionSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
Time needed5–10 minutesSource: Google reviews · Checked Oct 17, 2026
Best timeMorning light is best for photosSource · Checked Oct 17, 2026
In their words
“Just a cool, old, abandoned building to view from the street level.”
“The property is privately owned so you can’t actually go down and see it up close.”
“A really unique little spot and definitely worth seeing while walking around Sorrento.”
Tips from people who went
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Questions people ask
Can you go down into the Valley of the Mills?
No. The gorge and mill are private; you view them from the railing on Via Fuorimura.
Is Vallone dei Mulini free?
Yes, it's a free street-side viewpoint.
Why were the Sorrento mills abandoned?
The mills operated for centuries; Piazza Tasso (1866) isolated the gorge from the sea and the mill closed in the 1940s.
Where is the Valley of the Mills?
Directly behind Piazza Tasso, on Via Fuorimura, a 1–2 minute walk.
Better fits, according to people who went
Sources
- Wikipedia – Vallone dei Mulini
- Napolike – 10 cose da vedere a Sorrento
- Google Maps – Vallone dei Mulini