Things To Do in Ravello
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Ravello Attractions
Clinging to a mountainside overlooking the sea, Ravello can seem miles away from the clamor down on the coast. This sense of escape, along with views and some of the world’s most splendid gardens, has long made the town a refuge for the rich and famous—these days, given the presence of many luxury hotels, mostly the former.
Ravello’s tourist office, Via Roma 18 (www.ravellotime.it), is open daily from 9am to 7pm; November to May it closes at 6pm.
- Religious Site
Chiesa di San Giovanni del Toro
This 12th-century church, restored in 1715 after earthquake damage and again in the 1990s, is one of the most beautiful religious buildings in Ravello. The slender bell tower in Arab-Sicilian style rises beside a facade graced by a triple portal. A steep staircase descends on the… - Religious Site
Duomo
Dedicated to San Pantaleone, the patron saint of Ravello, this cathedral is a beautiful example of Romanesque architecture and is one of our favorite churches in the area. It was founded in 1086 by Orso Papiro, first bishop of Ravello, and rebuilt in the 12th and 17th centuries. The… - Attraction
Villa Cimbrone
The eccentric Englishman Lord Grimthorpe (who also designed London’s Big Ben) redid this grand villa from the 14th century in 1904. The lavish salons and gardens soon became associated with the 20th-century elite, few more elusive than Greta Garbo, who hid out here in 1937 with her… - Attraction
Villa Rufolo
The 14th-century poet Boccaccio was so moved by this onetime residence of kings and popes that he included it as background in one of his tales. The most famous visitor to the Moorish-influenced palace was Richard Wagner, who composed an act of “Parsifal” and used the surroundings…
Ravello Nightlife
Ravello's nightlife isn't exactly riveting: Most locals spend their evenings sipping an aperitivo -- or nibbling on sweets -- at one of the town's cafes. Things heat up in the summer when the activity can take on a theatrical air as people-watching reaches its prime. At the Bar Calce, Via Roma 2, next to the Duomo (tel. 089-857152), people gather for the excellent pastries and homemade ice cream during the day and aperitivi in the evening.
