Perched some 1,200 feet above the sea, Ravello skips the traffic and crowded beaches that define much of the Amalfi Coast below. It has drawn writers, composers and artists for over a century, from Wagner to Gore Vidal, largely because of the gardens and views built into its two famous clifftop villas. Without direct beach access, Ravello trades sea level convenience for a kind of quiet that the coastal towns below rarely offer.
Related: Best Tours & Experiences in Amalfi Coast, Italy
Best Things to Do
Walk the gardens of Villa Rufolo
This medieval villa’s terraced gardens, overlooking the coastline from a dramatic height, inspired Wagner’s set design for his opera Parsifal, and the villa now hosts an annual music festival on a stage built to take advantage of that same view.
See the Terrace of Infinity at Villa Cimbrone
Lined with marble busts along a low balustrade with nothing but sea and sky beyond it, this terrace is one of the most photographed viewpoints on the entire Amalfi Coast, and arguably earns that reputation more than most.
Wander Ravello’s quiet piazza and cathedral
The town’s main square is small and largely free of the crowds that fill Positano and Amalfi below, with a Romanesque cathedral featuring an ornate bronze door and a pulpit supported by carved lions.
Take a scenic drive or boat trip along the coast below
From Ravello’s heights, winding roads and boat excursions connect down to Amalfi town and Positano, letting you combine the clifftop calm with the more famous coastal towns in the same day.
Top-Rated Ravello, Italy Tours & Experiences
Best Time to Visit
Late spring and early fall bring comfortable temperatures for walking the gardens and clifftop paths without peak summer crowds or heat. Summer brings the town’s music festival, which is worth planning around if live outdoor concerts with a sea view appeal to you.
How to Get There
Ravello sits above Amalfi town, reachable by a winding bus or taxi ride up from the coast road, or via a scenic uphill walk for the more ambitious. Most visitors base themselves in Amalfi, Sorrento or Positano and visit Ravello as a half-day trip.
Good to Know
Because Ravello has no direct beach, it works best as a day visit or a quiet overnight rather than a full coastal beach base. Roads up to town are narrow and winding, so many travelers prefer a local driver or bus over self-driving.
Ravello isn’t trying to compete with the coastline’s more photographed towns, and that’s exactly its appeal, offering the same sweeping Amalfi views with a fraction of the noise.
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