Parks and the outdoors in Ravello

Parks and the outdoors in Ravello

1. See

   Villa Cimbrone

   Hotel and gardens. The villa is reached by a narrow pedestrian road and is situated on a cliff known as “cimbronium,” which gives the Villa its name. Before becoming a hotel and a site for weddings, conventions, and other events, the grounds were passed down from one influential family to another since the 11th century. It became a part of a nearby monastery around the 17th century and eventually fell into disrepair. In 1904, a British baron named Ernest William Beckett fell in love with the villa and purchased it with plans to renovate the grounds. With the help from Ravello architect Nicola Mansi and a French botanist, Beckett added the Villa’s garden, small temples, gazebos, and bronze and stone statues. The Villa has attracted many famous admirers, including E.M. Forster, Virginia Woolf, D.H. Lawrence, and Winston Churchill. Hollywood actress Greta Garbo and conductor Leopold Stokowski had a famous romantic getaway on its grounds in 1938. A stroll through the estate will reveal poetic inscriptions found on plaques and numerous replicas of Roman busts. One attraction is a statue of Mercury, the Roman messenger god, who invites visitors to a few moments of introspection. Another sight to see is the Terrace of Infinity, a serene location that sits high above a sheer cliff facing the ocean.

   Public gardens are open daily 09:00-sunset·€7

2. See

   Villa Rufolo

   Villa Rufolo is a palatial Moorish-style estate that was built in the 1270 for the Rufolo family. It is in Ravello’s main square, a 10-minute walk from Villa Combrone. The Villa Rufolo is comprised of a main building that adjoins a chapel with a reception hall and an entrance tower. The tower, known as the Torre Maggiore, is 30 m high and was once used to spot pirate ships arriving to the Amalfi coast. The estate overlooks the Bay of Salerno and its upper terrace gardens contain cypress trees, cycads, yuccas and palms. The Villa remained with the Rufolo family until they sold it in 1588. Thereafter, the Villa slowly fell into disrepair due to earthquakes, negligence, and property subdivisions. Almost three centuries later it was restored by its new owner, a Scottish botanist named Francis Neville Reid. In 1880, a trip to Villa Rufolo’s garden inspired German composer Robert Wagner to write the second act of his final opera, Parsifal. Every summer since 1952, Villa Rufolo hosts the Ravello Music Festival, an open-air concert held in Wagner’s honor.

   Summer hours: 09:00-20:00; Winter hours: 09:00-16:00·€7, €5 for seniors and children

3. Drink Not mapped

   Garden Bar

   A panoramic terrace with a stunning view over the Mediterranean Sea. Fresh sandwiches and light dishes.

4. Eat Not mapped

   Mamma Agata

   Home to the famous Mamma Agata Cooking School, this beautiful space also houses the Country Garden Restaurant, where the tables are communal and the food is unique. The tasting menu is drawn from the local traditions of Campania, as music is.

5. Do Not mapped

   Ravello's pathways

   If you like to walk or hike, discover Ravello's trails and serpentine stairs carved into the hillsides. You can wind your way down along the Via Roma to Minori, taking in stunning views of the valley below. The incline is pretty steep, but you can take a bus back up to Ravello from Minori. The towns of Amalfi, Atrani, Scala, and Pontone are just an hour or two's beautiful hike down. Print out a trail map of Ravello to take with you.

6. Eat Not mapped

   Ristorante Garden

   Offering mainly traditional Southern Italian cuisine, this restaurant is located inside the Hotel Garden atop the high mountainside of Ravello. The food is fresh, culled from the local fishermen, butchers and bakers and the nearby farms. Although the pasta dishes in particular are worth trying, it is the spectacular view from the hillside that draws tourists to this spot.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Ravello (CC BY-SA 4.0).