A Jewel on the Amalfi Coast: Ravello, The City of Music

On the Amalfi Coast every town is very different from each other, however all the destinations have in common the uniqueness of the landscape, which over the centuries has attracted travellers from around the world. Actors, movie directors, musicians and writers have been seduced by the cosy towns, the lush gardens and the beautiful beaches, which are today the best in Campania.

The route that I followed is dedicated to Ravello, one of the main tourist destinations in the area which is not facing the sea, but it offers an unparalleled view of the coast below.

Thanks to the precious tips of the Lloyd’s Baia Hotel staff, I appreciated Ravello in its entirety, walking through its ancient streets rich in history.

What you should know about Ravello

Ravello was founded in the V century as a shelter place against the barbarian invaders, happened when the Western Roman Empire began to decline. At the end of the IX century it became an important part of the Maritime Republic of Amalfi, and was a town renowned for wool production and trading in the Mediterranean until the XIII century.

Today the inhabitants are only 2,500, but the popular visitors of Ravello during the last two centuries promoted it as a must-see place in Italy, due to the lasting link between the harmony of nature and poetry of music.

Why Ravello is called the city of music?

The Ravello Festival came to its 64th edition this year and takes place here every summer at the wonderful Belvedere of Villa Rufolo. The festival hosted many prestigious orchestras, popular jazz musicians, opera and pop singers internationally renowned, talented dancers and choreographers.

To know why Ravello is nicknamed “City of Music” we need to make a jump in the past: in 1880 Richard Wagner, during a visit to Villa Rufolo, was so impressed by the charm of the landscape to draw inspiration for the set design of second act of Parsifal, and he found ideas for the completion of his work.

For this reason, Wagner is a constant source of inspiration for the Ravello Festival and his music is still performed at Villa Rufolo.

The festival takes place every year from July to September.

In occasion of the festival are also held exhibitions of contemporary art: an example is the picture above, which shows a sculpture by the artist Igor Mitoraj, who has populated the Villa Rufolo gardens with his works, giving the opportunity to closely admire its monumental creatures.

The endless horizon seen from the Villa Cimbrone’s terrace

The park of Villa Cimbrone is adorned with statues, fountains, temples and bridges that were built in the site where once a Roman villa was.

That villa was extended and redesigned by Nicola Mansi and the English lord Ernest William Beckett:

Beckett redeveloped also the gardens, so the result is a successful combination of Italian architectural style with elegant British features.

The park of Villa Cimbrone recalls a labyrinth, in which, however, is nice to get lost: here I visited the Terrace of Infinity, a viewpoint that can be described as a window to the open sea and the cliffs that characterize this stretch of coast.

Villa Cimbrone is open daily for a fee (the ticket costs 7 euros), and guided tours are available by reservation. Furthermore, in addition to the marble busts and other decorative elements, the villa houses precious kinds of plants and flowers, including a rose garden surrounded by an Arabic balustrade and four ornamental statues: Flora, goddess of flowers and spring, Leda with Swan and two fighters, Damosseno and Creugante.

The Auditorium in Ravello

Contemporary architecture has found in Ravello an ideal stage; I am referring in particular to the Auditorium project, designed by Oscar Niemeyer in 2010.

Concerts and movie screenings are held here in the winter season, an additional reason to visit Ravello all year round.

To access the auditorium you have to pass through a long and narrow square, Piazza Vescovado, which offers a panoramic view of the sea. Inside the auditorium, the natural scenery is visible from the glass-door and from the round window placed behind the orchestra. Due to the concave shape of the auditorium, which reproduces the effect of a sound box, the acoustics is perfect, so I suggest you to check if there are events scheduled when you decide to visit Ravello.

I think that the contemporary works that I mentioned are tuned in with the history and peculiarities of Ravello, a wonderful getaway if you are looking for a place far from the hectic pace of everyday life.

What do you think of the sound of Ravello, would you like to visit?

*This is a collaborative post.