Ravello

In my opinion, Ravello is one of the most beautiful towns of the Amalfi Coast.  Gore Vidal used to have a home near the town center and claimed it was the most beautiful place in the world.  Overall, Ravello is less touristy than the very popular Positano, and therefore, more tranquil.  We stayed in Ravello, but we stayed in lower Ravello, at a villa that is on the ocean and not up in the mountains, which means we had the benefit of the ocean to swim in as well as the view.  And it's a short but steep bus ride up the hill to center Ravello, which has many great things to explore.

First off there is the Ravello Music Festival.

Concerts take place at Villa Ruffalo (the villa is open to the public daily) where you will sit and watch the sunset over what is possibly the most extraordinary view available and listen to classical music.   I can’t imagine a more lovely evening.

Villa Cimbrone, a historic building with gardens and a hotel is worth the short but steep walk. Even as you approach, you feel as if you are entering some sort of magical secret garden.

Gore Vidal famously wrote that in all of his travels he had not seen a place that surpassed the view from Villa Cimbrone.  He's right: it has some of the most breathtaking views available on the Amalfi coast.  The “Terrace of Infinity” is truly spectacular.

The gardens are beautiful. I can't imagine how gorgeous it must be in the spring and summer when all of the flowers (including a full english-style rose garden) is in full bloom. We were there in September and most flowers had gone by.  If you only want to see one of the two villas (either this or Villa Ruffalo), definitely choose Villa Cimbrone.  The views are unbelievable and there's more to see.

There are also some great little stores to check out in Ravello as well as the church in the town square.  There was a wedding going on when we were there, but the inside is supposed to be beautiful.  All in all, if you want to feel as if you are viewing the Amalfi coast from a cloud, visit Ravello.  It is worth the trip.  It's also very pretty at night, we walked around the square after dinner and met some locals who invited us to a BBQ later that week (stay tuned for that story!)