day trip to ravello along the amalfi coast

(Ravello, Italy).  During our drive through the Amalfi Coast, we spent some quality time at the charming hilltop village of Ravello*.  It is home to a lovely pedestrian town (no cars allowed in the village proper, except for exempt vehicles) with quaint shopping (gorgeous ceramics and art) and delicious local restaurants.  It is perhaps most famous for hosting a classical music festival in the summer and Villa Cimbrone* and Villa Rufolo - which were previously private residences but have been converted into tourist attractions to showcase their amazing views.  Villa Cimbrone is actually a hotel now, but its beautiful gardens are available to non-hotel guests for a small fee (around 7 euros per person).

Our driver dropped us off at the beginning of the pedestrian section of the village and we wandered into Ravello on foot.  Like most other charming Italian villages, Ravello looks like a postcard.  There is a main square with a Duomo, flanked by restaurants with outdoor patios and shops.  It's a pretty small square so you can easily and quickly walk around the entire area.  





We opted to see Villa Cimbrone and set out on a 10-15 minute leisurely stroll from the square.  I was tempted by the gorgeous ceramics displayed in front of the many shops.  As I noted in previous blogs about Italy, I do prefer the vibrancy of the ceramics in Southern Italy more so than in Florence.  But at this point of the trip, our luggage was so heavy that I couldn't really buy anything unless I was deeply in love with it.

As we got closer to the villa, we were entranced by the gorgeous views of the blue water and the green hills.  Throughout the walk we also noticed that the path was divided into pedestrian stairs and a lane for these tiny porter vehicles.  I guess that's how they delivered luggage and other items around town, since they don't allow car/trucks into most of the areas in the village.

It was a hot day so it was a relief to get to the villa and find shade in its picturesque gardens.  Like the other tourists, we couldn't stop taking photos of every single angle of the garden - especially the terrace built high over the ocean, flanked by numerous statues.  I had read that this is considered one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy and it is definitely worth visiting.  (From a size perspective, the Boboli Gardens in Florence are much more impressive; but the garden at Villa Cimbrone is very tastefully designed and offers a much more intimate and relaxing experience.)

After we gave our cameras a workout in the villa, we headed back

to the town square - but not before stopping at a monastery to pick up some beers and honey - made by the monks!  My husband says the beers were good (but not extraordinary) but I'm loving the chestnut honey I got.  They also have limoncellos, tea leaves, soaps, etc.

We had lunch at Compa Cosima*, which was recommended to us by our driver as a true local restaurant (i.e., not touristy).  It was a little bit off the beaten track but since the village was so small, it really wasn't difficult to find (especially with the help of google maps).  The food here is simple but delicious! We had some marinated olives and anchovies, penne arrabiata, mushroom pasta, 1/2 carafe of wine and some complimentary tiramisu (all for about 45 euros).  The anchovies were so fresh and briny - it's too bad we can't get anything comparable in the U.S.  And the penne was divine!

After our lovely lunch, we strolled around the main square again and the found our driver.  Before taking us back to Positano, he drove us up to Scala - another little village that is even higher up than Ravello so we could take more pictures.  He also told us that this is where the hired drivers hang out (at a local market/deli) while their clients are walking around Ravello, and that the deli has amazing mozzarella and tomato sandwiches.  Maybe next time!

While we didn't spend a lot of time in Ravello, it was definitely worth visiting.  While most Italian villages appear to be the same  - i.e., picturesque and quaint, Ravello truly has maintained an idyllic and authentic charm.  I would definitely recommend spending time here versus the village of Amalfi, which has an impressive Duomo but is so uber touristy that I barely wanted to spend more than 15 minutes there.

* recommended