Planning a trip to Ravello
Visitor Information
The AAST tourist office, Via Roma 18, 84010 Ravello (tel. 089-857096; www.ravellotime.it), is open June to October daily 9am to 7pm; from November to May it closes at 6pm.
You'll find a pharmacy (tel. 089-9840023) on Via Piazza Duomo. The closest hospital is in Salerno. For an ambulance, dial tel. 118. Call the police at tel. 113 or 112. The post office, Via Boccaccio 15, off Piazza Vescovado (tel. 089-8586611), is open Monday to Saturday 8am to 2pm. You'll find Banca Monte Paschi di Siena at Piazza Duomo 6 (tel. 089-857120), and Banca della Campania at Via Roma 15 (tel. 089-857872) -- both with ATMs.
Special Events
The internationally famous Festival di Ravello (tel. 089-858422; www.ravellofestival.com) focuses on classical music, but it is also an occasion for other events, including jazz, dance, and the visual arts. You need to book seats well in advance as it is very popular, not only for the big names it attracts, but also for the magnificent settings: Performances are held in stunning venues such as Piazza Duomo, Villa Rufolo, and Villa Cimbrone, and in the controversial new auditorium designed by Brasilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. The festival is organized into several series, including the Festival Musicale Wagneriano -- classical music concerts held in July in the garden of Villa Rufolo -- and the unique Concerti dell'Aurora, a group of concerts held at dawn (usually starting at 4am), to welcome the day in music. The festival runs July through September; prices depend on the event, and though some events have free admission, tickets for others can cost anywhere from 15€ to 130€.
Music continues before and after the festival with concerts and events scheduled March through October. You can find information on these other events by contacting Fondazione Ravello (tel. 089-858360; www.fondazioneravello.it), or the Ravello Concert Society (tel. 089-858149; www.ravelloarts.org).
Getting Around
The town is largely pedestrian, with steep, narrow lanes and many flights of stairs. All cars must stop at the large public parking lot not far from the Duomo. Taxis are available at stands on Piazza Duomo, Gradillo, San Giovanni del Toro, and Castiglione, or by calling tel. 089-858000 or 331-5033399.
Getting There
The bus is the best option, with SITA (tel. 089-405145; www.sitabus.it) offering frequent service from Amalfi.
Taxi service from Naples's Capodichino Airport costs a fixed 135€. Curreri Viaggi (tel. 081-8015420; www.curreriviaggi.it) offers a shuttle from the airport for 150€ for one to three passengers and 12€ for each additional passenger.
By train (tel. 892021 in Italy; www.trenitalia.it), the closest station is Vietri sul Mare, on the local line between Naples (where you'll change trains if you are coming from the north) and Salerno (if you are coming from the south). Your best bet is to alight in Salerno and take a SITA bus or a taxi directly to Ravello.
In summer, another option is taking a ferry. The nearest harbors are Salerno and Amalfi; transfer to Ravello from there.
By car, take autostrada A3 to NAPOLI-SALERNO to the exit VIETRI SUL MARE; then follow signs for VIETRI, AMALFI to the SS 163. Follow signs for RAVELLO up the narrow curvy road. Note: Because of summer traffic, car access to SS 163 is occasionally limited; contact the tourist office before setting out.
