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Things to Do in Sorrento: Where to Eat, Play, and Stay
From five-star hotels to glorious cliff-top walks, put these things to do in Sorrento at the top of your itinerary.
Embark on a ninety-minute drive from Melbourne along the scenic Mornington Peninsula coastline and you’ll arrive in Sorrento, a seaside haven imbued with the best of every world.
Laidback and leisurely, but possessing a vibrant food and drink scene, a day trip can start on the beach and end in a buzzing bar, cocktail in hand, with a sunglow worthy of a summer escape much further afield.
To help you make the most of your time here, we’ve put together a cheat sheet of places to swim, hike, surf, dine and relax when you make your next trip south to this bayside beauty.
These are the best things to do in Sorrento.
Things to Do in Sorrento: Eat & Drink
Ember
To mark 150 years of coastal grandeur, The Continental Sorrento is fanning the flames of its next chapter. In November, the landmark will unveil Ember — a fire-driven restaurant led by Scott Pickett and his long-time protégé Jake Furst — where dry-aged steaks and ocean-fresh seafood meet the theatre of open flame.
Alongside it comes CeeCee’s, a breezy all-day wine and dining spot inspired by the original Conti Club. Together, they spark a new era for this Mornington Peninsula icon.
1 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
Buckley
One of the loveliest ways to spend a Sorrento morning is brunch at Buckley. Bright and impossibly inviting, it hums with good energy from the first pour of Inglewood coffee. The menu flirts between wholesome and indulgent, while the cocktails make a persuasive case for a second round. Nab a table outdoors — there’s plenty of room — and soak up that golden Mornington sunshine as the day unravels around you.
174 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
Flat Blk
For great cakes and amazing coffee, make a beeline for Flat Blk. Open daily, this cafe is a hotspot for locals and tourists alike thanks to its delicious brew and regularly rotating homemade cakes and goodies. If it’s available when you visit, make sure you try the gluten free lemon cake – it’s to die for!
136 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
The Sorrento Social
Along Ocean Beach Road, The Sorrento Social channels seaside ease with polished, all-day charm. Morning light spills across its pared-back space as locals settle in for Inglewood coffee and Mediterranean-leaning brunches that feel effortless and elevated. The mortadella and pistachio panini has become a quiet icon, while vegan plates hold their own with thoughtful flair. Warm, sunlit and quietly stylish, this is Sorrento’s social heart — a cafe that turns a casual coffee into a ritual.
119-125 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
Stringers Sorrento
A Sorrento classic reborn, Stringers marries coastal ease with Mediterranean polish in its beautifully restored 1896 limestone landmark. By day, it’s espresso, pastries and market-fresh salads; by twilight, wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, glossy antipasti and gelato the colour of summer. The providore shelves brim with Italian staples, while the courtyard gathers sea breezes and clinking glasses. Come for a lazy brunch, stay for aperitivo hour — this is Sorrento’s social nexus, elegantly done and deliciously relaxed.
2-8 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
Shi-hui-shi
Hotel Sorrento has turned up the dial with Shi-hui-shi, a modern Cantonese restaurant that splices classic technique with Mornington Peninsula produce. The menu is bright, clever and deeply satisfying — wok-kissed, umami-rich dishes reimagined with local freshness and a little theatre. The room leans intimate and transportive: lacquered tones, saturated light, and artful nods to 1960s Hong Kong, channelling the cinematic mood of Wong Kar-wai and the cool geometry of Fan Ho. It’s a sensual, contemporary take on Cantonese dining.
5/15 Hotham Road, Sorrento
Bistro Elba
On Ocean Beach Road, Bistro Elba whisks you to the Riviera without leaving Sorrento. Sunlight pours through tall windows and skylights, spilling onto a courtyard made for languid lunches. The menu drifts south of France: briny oysters on ice, silky seafood, Provençal vegetables, baskets of warm bread and patisserie that tempt a second round. An extensive, French-leaning wine list seals the escape. Save room for chocolate éclairs and a finale of fine imported cheeses — the chic full stop to a very French affair.
100-102 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
St Paul’s General Store
Serving Sorrento for over 60 years, St Paul’s General Store is the old-school milk bar given a fresh, Bayside glow-up — now equal parts convenient stop and lively local hangout. Breakfast swings from açai bowls to buttery rolls; lunch means crispy chicken burgers, a proper “with-the-lot” salad rolls, smoothies, milkshakes and sharp espresso. True to its name, shelves carry local produce, newspapers, fresh flowers, lollies, ice cream, pasta and sauces — plus a cracking edit of natural wines to slip into your tote on the way out.
69 St Pauls Road, Sorrento
Barlow
A glossy after-hours haunt awaits at The Continental Sorrento, bringing with it an exclusive energy that’s equal parts sophisticated and seductive. Barlow sets the scene for the ultimate girls’ night, all emerald-green walls, plush burgundy banquettes and moody allure. The cocktail list is the work of Victoria’s illustrious Speakeasy Group (Eau De Vie and Nick & Nora’s), featuring signature pours like the Mornington Margarita.
1-24 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
The Baths Sorrento
Right on the sand at Front Beach, The Baths delivers the Sorrento daydream in one glossy sweep: sea-breezy decks, wide blue views and a menu that loves seafood. Slip in for oysters and chilled rosé after a bay swim, or linger over seafood linguine as sailboats drift past. Sunsets are pure magic from the window tables; winter brings crackling firelight and rich, comforting plates. It’s effortlessly coastal, quietly polished and reliably special — a must on any Sorrento itinerary.
3278 Point Nepean Road, Sorrento
Things to Do in Sorrento: Stay
Intercontinental Sorrento
The InterContinental Sorrento has swiftly reclaimed its title as the place to stay on the Mornington Peninsula, with an overnight here ranking high among the best things to do in Sorrento. Drawing on 150 years of heritage, the hotel’s stunning refresh radiates timeless coastal glamour at every turn. You won’t be tempted to stay put in your room for long, though — a world of curated indulgence awaits downstairs, from refined dining to late-night disco decadence at the sultry speakeasy, Barlow.
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Book your stay with The Intercontinental Sorrento
1/21 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
Hotel Sorrento
At Hotel Sorrento, there’s a room for every type of traveller. Watch boats drift by from the classic bay rooms or soak in sunshine from a private balcony in a fully appointed studio. The hotel’s interiors feel natural and luxurious, with finishes in limestone, European oak, and tan leathers that whisper coastal elegance. In-house dining draws bold Cantonese flair: Shi Hui Shi delivers a spirited, modern twist on tradition in the hotel’s original ballroom.
Book your stay with Booking.com
Book your stay with Hotel Sorrento
5/15 Hotham Road, Sorrento
Things to Do in Sorrento: Play
Our Pilates
Make your next Sorrento weekend one that stretches both body and soul at Our Pilates — the Mornington Peninsula’s most elegant studio. Co-founded by Brooke Pitt (née Hogan) and Hannah McKimm, it reimagines traditional Pilates through sessions that build strength, stability and control with serene precision. Designed by Victoria Merrett Architecture, the space radiates calm: sheer-lined walls, soft timber, concrete tones and a cascading scalloped roof filtering sunlight like silk. A place to move, breathe and restore your balance, beautifully.
Suite 6, 119-125 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
Aurora Spa & Bathhouse
Beneath the InterContinental Sorrento, Aurora Spa & Bathhouse delivers an immersive sanctuary of wellness and calm. Subterranean and beautifully designed, it’s a sensory escape of magnesium pools, cold plunges, saunas and hydrotherapy rituals. Glide between warm and cool waters, breathe in the steam, or surrender to a massage or facial in softly lit serenity. With stone floors underfoot and sunlight drifting through curved forms above, this is Sorrento’s most indulgent reset — pure, restorative luxury in every detail.
23 Constitution Hill Road, Sorrento
Marlo Spa
Within Hotel Sorrento’s limestone façade lies Marlo Spa, a coastal sanctuary where ritual meets refinement. Rooted in Ayurvedic philosophy yet anchored in contemporary practice, its treatments promise deep renewal — warm oils, aromatic botanicals, and hands that seem to understand what the body needs before it does. Each room glows in muted light, perfumed with sandalwood and citrus, a retreat for those chasing stillness and radiance by the sea.
Hotel Sorrento, Sorrento
Shopping in Sorrento
Along Ocean Beach Road, coastal charm meets boutique indulgence. Lined with fashion labels, design stores and local artisans, it’s a stylish strip made for browsing between brunches. Pop into Viktoria & Woods and Nude Lucy for wardrobe finds, then unwind over coffee and people-watching. Shopping here feels leisurely, sunlit, and the Pen at its most polished.
Sorrento Museum
If you’re a history buff, or just curious about the settlement into Australia, you’ll love Sorrento Museum. Nepean Historical Society’s Sorrento Museum has a plethora of historical artefacts, artworks and other pieces for you to peruse through and learn something new. Plus, the Limeburner’s Cottage is right around the corner, so you can go back in history to when people first settled in Sorrento.
827 Melbourne Road, Sorrento
Things to Do in Sorrento: Beaches
Sorrento Front Beach
The calm, glassy waters of Sorrento Front Beach make for endlessly inviting swims, but this golden stretch offers more than just a dip. Spend the day wading through its sheltered shallows, strolling or cycling the scenic foreshore trails, or simply sinking into the soft sand with a good read. The grassy reserve running the length of the beach is made for picnics and people-watching — a breezy, sunlit pocket of Sorrento where time happily drifts away.
Point Nepean Road, Sorrento
Ride Waves at Sorrento Back Beach
Prefer a little more action on the water? Sorrento Back Beach delivers. This dramatic stretch of coastline is a playground for surfers, divers and rock-pool wanderers, with craggy ledges and tidal pools revealing their treasures as the tide slips away. After your saltwater fix, stroll up to the clifftop café for a fresh brew and panoramic views of the beach below. The Coppins Track also begins here — a three-kilometre coastal walk that sweeps past wind-carved lookouts before finishing at glittering Diamond Bay.
250 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
Moonraker Dolphin Swims
Set sail from Sorrento Pier with Moonraker Dolphin Swims, where adventure meets pure ocean joy. Aboard the sleek, purpose-built Moonraker, guests glide through Port Phillip Bay to swim alongside wild bottlenose dolphins and fur seals, with sightings of graceful weedy sea dragons if luck allows. Between dips, refuel with snacks and sea air on deck — or simply watch the show from the bow. Equal parts thrill and tranquillity, it’s Sorrento’s most enchanting encounter with the deep blue.
Esplanade, Sorrento
Millionaire’s Walk from Sorrento to Portsea
A playful nod to the palatial homes it skirts, this short, spectacular clifftop amble begins at Lentell Avenue and serves up blue-on-blue panoramas all the way. Gaze across Port Phillip to the Bellarine Peninsula, track the skyline of Melbourne city, and, on a clear day, pick out Mount Dandenong. You’re also tracing the Sorrento Portsea Artists’ Trail, where viewpoints were immortalised by Sir Arthur Streeton, Arthur Boyd and Ray Hodgkinson. Take it slow, breathe in the salt air and let Sorrento’s most storied outlook do the talking.
Lentell Avenue, Sorrento
Now that you’ve tacked all the best things to do in Sorrento, there’s even more to see and do while you’re in the ‘ninch. Check out the best wineries, plus our essential guide to planning a girls’ trip to this magical Victorian region.
