On one of our many trips to Italy, a few years back, we discovered Ravello. What makes Ravello so remarkable is its height, Ravello sits very high above sea level and therefore benefits from the most phenomenal Mediterranean views. It has beautiful gardens, elegant villas, and hosts the famous Wagner Arts Music Festival every year. There are so many restaurants to enjoy, luscious gardens to explore, and walks or hikes that take you to discover Ravello’s pathways and trails. In 1996, Ravello was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ravello’s Main Square
This amazing, little gem can be seen in one day, but I recommend to take several days to really enjoy it. As with most of these gorgeous seaside Italian towns, there is so much to see and do, but here are my top 5 favorite attractions and activities if you’re spending a day in Ravello:
A visit to the Villa Cimbrone Gardens
Villa Cimbrone occupies the most breathtaking position on the entire Amalfi Coast, perched high above the sea. The gardens are what most people visit for, with its many statues, temples, fountains, natural grottos and of course, the spectacular Belvedere of Infinity from which the view sweeps wide to take in a panorama of the coast. The villa was actually converted into a hotel and is considered by many one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy. But even if you’re not a hotel guest, the grounds are open to the public for a small fee.
Strolling the Villa Rufolo Gardens
A 14th century tower marks the entrance to this villa, famed for its beautiful cascading gardens. The historic villa located right in the center of Ravello, is one of the most popular travel destinations in Campania. The gardens are truly magnificent, commanding panoramic views packed with exotic colors. It is said that the German composer Richard Wagner was so struck by the beauty of the Villa Rufolo gardens during his visit in 1880 that he used them as the inspiration for the magical garden of Klingsor in his opera Parsifal. Following the pretty pathways through the gardens leads you to the famous Belvedere overlooking the coast. Enjoy the colorful flowers and stunning views looking down the coastline toward the seaside towns of Minori and Maiori. If you visit during the summer months, you’ll find a large stage constructed on the Belvedere where the main concerts of the Ravello Festival take place. Definitely something to experience!
Ravello Music Festival Photo Courtesy of Flickr
Limoncello
This part of Italy is famous for its lemons, which are very juicy and smell fabulous. Although lemons are used to make the sweet but tangy liquor all over the Amalfi Coast, Ravello is known for some of the best in the area. I always enjoy a glass of limoncello, because I really love the taste, traditionally served as a cold after dinner drink. I even like the creamy version a bit more. I’ve never had a chance to visit the factory, but f you have the time, you can experience how it’s made and enjoy a nice tasting at the Limoncello Factory (Via Trinità, 37).
Walk the center of town
This town is very charming, but can get quite hot in the summer months. Make sure you stop for a quick snack or a delicious cool gelato while you’re strolling around and taking in the scenery. There are many good restaurants and gelato places throughout the center of town. You’ll also love admiring the beautiful rustic architecture of Ravello by following its quiet streets of colored stucco houses, lemon groves and wrought iron gates.
Ceramics, ceramics and more ceramics
While beautiful ceramics can be found all along the Amalfi Coast towns, what initially brought us to Ravello, was a recommendation of a ceramics shop by a dear friend. Knowing that I love ceramics, and that I pick up new pieces on every trip, he suggested we visit Ceramiche Cosmolena di Margherita Di Palma (Via della Marra 15/19). Of course, hubby was a bit afraid of this visit, with good reason. Margherita can sell ice to an Eskimo. After my first visit there in 1999, she somehow convinced me that I needed to make some purchases and I left with an entire 8 place setting of gorgeous ceramic dinnerware (shipped to our home of course). Did I need it…no, but boy is it beautiful and we use it to this day! As if that weren’t enough, we returned for one additional piece on our 2009 visit, and of course, I left with quite a few more pieces to my set. She is charming, but beware, she is a great salesperson and will convince you of buying her entire shop. But in her defense, her ceramics and linens are breathtaking! The store displays autographed photos of various Hollywood celebrities with Margherita up on the wall, also prior customers. Ceramiche offers an unbeatable stunning selection of pottery and ceramics that can be shipped to any place throughout the world. Stop in a take a peek!
The beautiful patterns on my dinnerware!
More beautiful ceramics
Ceramiche Cosmolena
The one thing I would love to experience on my next visit to Ravello is a cooking class with Mamma Agata. She has cooked all her life and now runs a cooking school out of her home in Ravello, which is quite well-known. She has even cooked for a number of celebrities and has a fantastic cookbook for sale. I found Mama Agata’s recipe for limoncello on a wonderful blog called The Italian Dish, which is loaded with wonderful Italian recipes. Click here for Mamma Agata’s limoncello recipe.
Have you been to Ravello, and if you have, what have you enjoyed most about it?
How beautiful Ravello is. Maybe one day I will be able to visit there.
That looks absolutely lovely! I would love to visit someday.
This is going on my Travel list!
Your imagery is FABULOUS! Love all the views… makes me feel as thouh I was on the journey with you 🙂
Italy has some beautiful and rustic architecture! Love your photos! And, I love those dishes!
This looks absolutely amazing! I have always dreamed of going to Italy one day. I am pinning this to keep in mind!
Wow what an absolutely beautiful looking place – I would love to visit myself one day. x
OMG 1st off you went to Italy! Never been out the country would love to go there!! Love lemoncello though it’s delicious and gosh those pictures & reading your experience clung to every word. One day I’ll get out of the USA
What a beautiful place. You really got some stunning photographs. Thank you for sharing them.
Oh just donning! This makes me want to travel right… Now!!!
stunning photos and descriptions–you put it on the map!
Wow the gardens look amazing and the views are spectacular!
What a GORGEOUS place! Wow! I’ve never been there, but you portray it so well through your pictures. I LOVE the 4th picture you showed, it really is breath-taking!
The architecture at this location is beautiful. I would love to visit and to take some photos there.
Wow this place looks absolutely beautiful!
amazing! Great architecture! I could totally get “lost” there. Well not literally 🙂
Thank you for sharing this information! My husband and I are actually travelling to France and Italy next summer and we plan to the Northern Coast of Italy, but we were unsure of cities we want to hit. I was clicking on the links in your blog and want to go to that Limoncello factory and take the cooking class! Thank you so much for the ideas!!! :):)
Lemoncello, Hahahaha I love it
Now I really want to go to Italy
Such a beautiful and spectacular place! I would really love to go visit!
The place is so familiar in the movies. Lucky you! Glad to see your family having a great time at Italy
Thank you for this beautiful virtual tour. I love it all and hope to visit one day!
What a wonderful vacation idea. I love the outdoor music festival and the ceramics and lemoncello caught my attention too… Beautiful!
This place is pure perfection. Wow… from the gardens to the pottery… just what I love!
WOW! this looks AMAZING! That garden and the ceramics location! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful experience thru your words and pictures!
Ravello is absolutely gorgeous! I love that old architecture. Beautiful.
I have never been to Italy. This looks like an absolutely geourgeous place to visit and sounds like you had a lot of fun there!
Wow! What a gorgeous historic place to stay! I bet the kids had fun 🙂
Well now I want lemons, lol, so not joking! I love the pictures, and it does sound like a beautiful place to visit.
That is beautiful! Some of the most clearest and cleanest views I’ve seen in a while! WOW.
What a beautiful place to visit! You’ve added another location to my loooong list of Must see places 🙂 – ALICE CHASE
WOW What a beautiful place, looks like you had a great time! Thanks for sharing!
Your photos are beautiful. I can see what you mean about it being a breathtaking view.
Oh my gosh, it’s absolutely breathtaking! I can’t wait to visit Italy! So very beautiful.
What a breathtaking place! Looks like a great trip!
I have always wanted to go to Italy! Thanks for sharing your pictures!
Gorgeous! Can’t wait to travel more with my daughter! I was born and raised in Germany so I definitely want my daughter to know Europe!
Wow – what amazing photos you took! I hope to visit Ravello one day (among the 1,000’s on my wish list). That of glass of limoncello looks so refreshing!
What a beautiful placce! You are so blessed to have enjoyed it with the kids!
Gorgeous! One of these days I’d like to get overseas. Though I have my heart set on visiting Austria, Germany, and Hungary first.
I had to come back and look at these pictures again. They inspire me!
Lol! Thank you, glad you enjoyed them!
How breathtakingly beautiful! Just lovely!
Beautiful pictures! Ravello looks absolutely stunning. I want to go.
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