The fertile plain on the east of Sorrento, already called "Planities" by Romans because it appeared as a flat terrace, was generically named "Piano di Sorrento" (Plain of Sorrento) and it is nowadays divided into three municipalities of Sant'Agnello, Piano di Sorrento and Meta di Sorrento.

The Porta Maggiore (Main Gate) of Sorrento was also called "Porta del Piano" (Gate of the Plain) since it joined the city with its flat country, which was under the jurisdiction of Sorrento up to the Napoleonic Age.

During the French Decade, the territory of Sorrento was divided between the City of Sorrento and the Plain of Sorrento, which so became self-governing. After the return of the Bourbons, who built the road joining Sorrento to Castellammare, they create the municipality of Meta di Sorrento, the first we meet coming from the inland. Finally, after the unification of Italy, also Sant'Agnello became autonomous, in order to divide uniformly the territory among the municipalities. It occupied the area between Sorrento and Piano.

Coming by car from the Sorrentina National Road, beyond Punta Scutolo, which divides the area of Sorrento from the inner part of the Peninsula (with Vico Equense and Mount Faito), we arrive to Meta di Sorrento (Destination Sorrento), so named because here came the old Roman road, which started from Vico Equense and climbed the mountain. This place was landmarked by a temple dedicated to Minerva, upon which was built a paleochristian church, replaced in the 18th century by the Basilica of Madonna del Lauro (Our Lady of Laurel), which is the symbol of Meta with its dome paneled with majolica and its characteristic bell-tower.

From the church it starts the road leading to the Marina di Meta. Along the way it rises the town with the palaces of the sea captains and of ship proprietors. In fact Meta had once a great tradition of sailors, belonging to the Bourbon Age: until there were the sail ships, Meta kept a leading place among Italian municipalities as regards to the registered tonnage. On a side of Marina di Meta it stretches the large and beautiful beach of Alimuri, a resort much frequented and appreciated.  [ More...]