Ravello

Ravello is to be lived on tiptoe, so as not to disturb its harmonious and musical silence

Ravello is to be lived on tiptoe, so as not to disturb its harmonious and musical silence; it is located on a rocky spur that divides the Valle del Dragone from the Valley of the Regina, and overlooks Maiori and Minori. In 1880 Richard Wagner arrived on the back of a mule in Ravello and, in the gardens of Villa Rufolo, he had the admirable vision that led him to compose the Parsifal.

The village of Ravello has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

Opposite the Hotel Caruso Belvedere there’s one of the oldest churches in Ravello: San Giovanni del Toro, built in the 11th century by a wealthy merchant who lived nearby. The church contains depictions of Jonah and the Whale, the Moorish mosaic that inspired the famous Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis Escher.

At the entrance gates of Ravello there are still some buildings built with the aim of defending the village. At a short distance from the center is also the fascinating sanctuary of Saints Cosma and Damiano, built on the site of a previous religious building and dedicated to two saints highly revered in Campania, as they were among the first to cure the sick in 300 AD without asking for anything in return.

Villa Rufolo is the real jewel of Ravello, an elegant villa whose distinctive feature is the fusion of local, Norman, Byzantine and Arab styles in a harmonious way.

The building is spread over three levels and emanates a suggestive charm that reaches its highest level in the garden and terrace overlooking the sea.

Villa Rufolo hosts the Ravello Festival, an annually summer cultural event that includes classical music events, as well as cinema, literature and other arts, in which internationally renowned artists take part.

Like Villa Rufolo, Villa Cimbrone, located within a magnificent secular park of 6 hectares, was a refuge for famous politicians and aristocrats and a source of inspiration for many artists.

Among its gardens you will experience the shady Viale dell'Immenso, built in the early decades of the seventeenth century and covered for its initial part by a dense wisteria pergola. Next, the Terrazzo dell'Infinito, a spectacular natural balcony, made up of eighteenth-century marble busts. The panorama enjoyable from there embraces the Cilento mountains up to the tip of Licosa, the terrace has a magical stoppin time power, and it colors everything around it in blue.

What to do in Ravello

Visits:

• Villa Rufolo
• Villa Cimbrone
• Oscar Niemeyer Auditorium
• Ravello's Cathedral and its museums
• Coral Museum
• The historic center of Ravello
• Sanctuary of Saints Cosma and Damiano

Sea:

• Castiglione beach

Trekking:

• Ravello - Atrani Via Valle del Dragone

How to get around

• The SITA bus service allows you to go from Amalfi to Ravello with rides of approximately 15/20 minutes, departing every half hour.

Our concierge is at your disposal for organize a car with driver and/or a guide to accompany you, to make the best use of your time and make your visit more comfortable.