The town of music
Ravello
Ravello is the 'Terrace on the Coast' — 365 meters above the sea, removed from the chaos below.
- From Amalfi by bus
- 30min
- Now
- 17°
- Usually, at this hour
- Almost empty
The guide
What Ravello is like.
Probably founded by Roman colonists fleeing barbarian invasions, it prospered through wool spinning ('Celendra') and tried to break free from Amalfi by appointing its own duke in the 11th century. After centuries of decline, it was rediscovered by artists: Wagner found inspiration for Parsifal’s enchanted garden here in 1880; Escher, Mirò, and Virginia Woolf all fell under its spell. Today: a summer music festival, two historic villas, and a quiet you will not find elsewhere on the coast.
Good to know
- Arrive by 9:00 to have Villa Cimbrone’s Terrace almost to yourself — by 10:30 it’s packed with tour groups.
- The Ravello Festival runs June–September. Wagner concerts in Villa Rufolo’s gardens overlooking the sea — book tickets in advance.
- Bring a light layer — Ravello is 3-5°C cooler than the coast.
- Great for a romantic weekend, but not practical as a base if you want to move between coastal towns daily.
- Walk down to Pontone for the start of the Valle delle Ferriere or Torre dello Ziro trails.
- Wine: visit Ettore Sammarco — producing wines and liqueurs since 1962 from impossible terraced vineyards.
Desert Morocco Adventure
Rafael Peier
Deirdre BoysWhat to see
5 things, in walking order
- Villa RufoloBuilt in the 1200s by the powerful Rufolo family. Arab-Norman towers, Moorish cloister, and the gardens that inspired Wagner’s 'enchanted garden of Klingsor' in Parsifal. Open 9:00-20:00, €8. Summer concerts on the terrace overlooking the sea.
- Villa CimbroneVisionary creation of English Lord William Beckett (1904), who transformed an abandoned villa into a fantasy of mixed styles and archaeological fragments. The Belvedere and 'Terrace of Infinity' offer what may be the most beautiful view in the world. Gardens open 9:00-sunset, €10.
- Duomo di RavelloDominating Piazza del Vescovado, with a bronze portal cast in Constantinople in 1179. The Ravello Festival concert stage.
- Auditorium Oscar Niemeyer400-seat concert hall by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. A bold architectural statement in a medieval town.
- Spiaggia di CastiglioneRavello’s hidden beach — a sandy cove surrounded by cliffs, technically within Ravello’s territory. A surprising discovery for a town so high above the sea.
Where to eat
The ones we would send a friend to
- Cumpa CosimoFamily trattoria since 1929. Homemade pasta, honest prices.
- VittoriaIn the center. Good quality-to-price ratio — solid traditional cuisine.
- Da MimìNeapolitan-style pizzeria under a lemon pergola. Simple, and good.
- Mamma Agata Cooking ClassA cooking class in a family kitchen, with traditional Amalfi Coast recipes.
Sea, trails, festivals
In Ravello and around it.
Beaches
Trails
Festivals and events
- Easter ProcessionsHoly Week (Thu-Sun before Easter)
- Lemon Blossom SeasonLate April to May
- Lemon Harvest SeasonMay through September
- Villa Rufolo Gardens Peak BloomMay to June
- Ravello FestivalLate June through early October
- Wagner Concerts at Villa RufoloJuly weekends
In Ravello
Where to stay, what to do.
The coast passport
In Ravello? Get the stamp.
Your phone checks that you are really here. Ten towns, ten stamps.
The other towns
