There is an under-the-radar town that has a few secrets up its sleeve. Its name is Vico Equense and dates back to pre-Roman times. The picturesque village between Sorrento and Castellammare di Stabia, at the gateway to the breathtaking Sorrentine Peninsula, gets lost in the glitz and glamour of the sublime and ultra-expensive Amalfi coast, but it packs plenty of personality, awe-inspiring beauty and narratives about some of the people who made America great. 

Certainly, there is a direct link between rocker Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen, “The Boss,” and the warm town with the backdrop of Mount Vesuvius in the distance. His maternal grandparents were born in Vico Equense – which I suggest as a starting point for exploring some of the region’s most dramatic sights.