Ravello Travel Guide

Sep 20

Affordable Luxury on Italy’s Amalfi Coast

It’s hard to imagine better views anywhere else on Italy’s Amalfi Coast than those found in Ravello. Set 1,200 feet above the Mediterranean Sea with stunning views of the Monti Lattari and the glittering ocean below, Ravello can’t be missed. Stone pines (commonly referred to as umbrella pines) and buildings dating as far back as the 11th century dot every vista. For delicious food, incredible sunsets, and a respite from the busy towns down on the water, add Ravello to your dream Italy itinerary.

A Few Things to Note

Ravello was our second stop on our one-week Amalfi coast itinerary (we were previously in Capri)
We stayed for three nights and had almost three full days to explore and felt like that was sufficient to experience what we wanted
No cars are allowed in the town center but Ravello is incredibly walkable; half the fun is getting lost on the little side streets (we averaged 15,000 steps per day!)

Best Time to Visit Ravello

If you’re looking for warm/sunbathing weather (but not unbearably hot) and fewer crowds, I’d recommend visiting Ravello in the shoulder seasons (late May or early September). We went in early September and had weather in the low 80s and were able to get seated at some popular restaurants without advanced reservations.

How to Get to Ravello

We rented a car at the Naples Airport and drove the 1 hour and 10 minutes over winding mountain roads to Ravello. As I mentioned above, no cars are allowed in the town center so we parked at the Al Ponte parking lot (25 euro/day). They have a shuttle that brings you right to the base of the main piazza and from there everything is incredibly walkable. A few things to note:

Give yourself plenty of time to pick up your rental car. Even though we rented a car through a US-based rental agency (National), the check-in process was still slow. Remember: you’re on Italy time! From when we arrived at National Car Rental, it took over an hour to check in, get our car, and hit the road. This is good to keep in mind for planning purposes in case you’re coordinating arrival details with your hotel/Airbnb host.
If you’re coming from the United States, get your International Driving Permit before you leave for Italy! We didn’t because we assumed we could just get one through the rental car agency as we’ve done in most other countries we’ve traveled to. Spoiler alert: you can’t. You can get one through AAA for $20, or if you’re already in Italy and in a pinch, you can try to find a third party service online who will email you a PDF copy of your IDP for a higher fee (we paid $50 and had it within a couple of hours). While we met plenty of US tourists who had been coming to Italy for years and never obtained an IDP/had no issues, it’s technically required and worth the small cost for the peace of mind in case you get pulled over or are in an accident. Which brings me to my next point…
The drive from Naples to Ravello is not for the faint of heart! You’re only on the autostrada (highway) for roughly the first third of the drive, and then the rest is spent on narrow roads through small towns and up winding mountain passes. Also, prepare to be passed/avoid head-on passing vehicles on hairpin turns. My husband’s a confident driver, but I definitely stepped on the invisible brake quite a few times. If you’re not comfortable doing the drive yourself, consider hiring a car service through your accommodation or taking a ferry to Amalfi and then a cab up to Ravello (depending on where you’re coming from).

Where to Stay in Ravello

We stayed at La Casarella Luxury Suites and cannot recommend it enough. It’s a family-run hotel (we booked it on Airbnb) that’s ideal for couples (though we met a solo traveler that was staying there). We interacted mostly with Sara, the daughter of the couple who purchased La Casarella in the early 1980s. Sara was so communicative, kind, and helpful leading up to and during our stay. Fun fact: their three dogs live on property, which was a huge bonus for us (we were missing Boris!)

La Casarella has five apartment-style suites with impeccable design and modern amenities. Our room was comfy and spacious and had a view of the pool and mountains/sea beyond. We loved that it had a small kitchen with all the essentials so we could cook some meals after an expensive five days in Capri. You also have access to a washing machine and it was nice to be able to do some laundry partway through our trip.

La Casarella’s location is picture-perfect. The views are stunning and while it’s located on a quiet, private road, you’re still super close/a short walk to the main piazza. We loved watching sunset from the garden terrace every night with a bottle of wine and some store-bought aperitivo. We hope to be back to Ravello soon, and will definitely stay here again!

Where to Eat & Drink in Ravello

My husband and I both agreed that Ravello had our favorite food from our whole Italy trip. We also found the food prices to be pretty reasonable, but did splurge on a bucket-list dinner at a Michelin Star restaurant. In fact, Ravello has two Michelin Star restaurants!

Rossellinis ($$$$) Located inside Palazzo Avino, nicknamed Ravello’s “Pink Palace,” you’ll find Rossellinis, a one Michelin Star restaurant and culinary experience for the books. The setting is dreamy. We went an hour before our reservation and had aperitivo (a pre-dinner drink with light fare and our favorite Italian tradition) at the Lobster & Martini Bar. Like the name implies, you can choose from a menu of 100 different martinis. We opted for espresso martinis and they were a work of art. When it was time for dinner, we were escorted to a private garden terrace overlooking the pool and the coastline and immediately knew we were in for a meal to remember. We were served ice-cold prosecco, selected our tasting menus (we each chose a different one so we could sample as many dishes as possible), and enjoyed the first course. After a quick chat with the sommelier to select a bottle of white wine to go with our dinner, we were escorted up to the restaurant where our table had equally stunning views. I was worried that the small plates would seem stuffy and I’d leave hungry. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The food was incredible and by the last course, we were both stuffed. So full that we had to bring our dessert to go. The service was impeccable, and they even gave us some beautiful pamphlets that recapped our culinary experience. It was worth every penny and is something we’ll talk about forever!

Mimi Pizzeria & Cucina ($$) I’d read about this restaurant while doing some research before our trip but didn’t end up making a reservation. Lucky for us, I was able to snag an 8 pm reservation only one day in advance. And the reviews were right: the pizza is divine. It’s Neapolitan style and we each ordered a pizza (I got one with fried zucchini *drool*) and shared a fritti appetizer (which included mini fried pizzas *drool again*). We met an awesome couple from South Africa seated at the table next to us and the four of us shut the restaurant down!

Villa Maria ($$$) We stumbled across this restaurant walking back from Villa Cimbrone and are so glad we did. Their gnocchi alla sorrentina had a bubbling layer of crispy mozzarella on top and was probably the best I’ve ever had. My husband ordered a white fish poached in “crazy water” (a light tomato broth) that was delicious. To top it off, their Aperol spritzes and view are Instagram-worthy.

Ristorante Vittoria ($$) Sara (our Airbnb host) recommended this place to us. While it doesn’t have sweeping views like some other spots, it’s a delicious, cozy little hole-in-the-wall restaurant. We shared an amazing fried eggplant appetizer stuffed with mozzarella, I had a pizza margherita, and my husband had a decadent filet with mushrooms. Be sure to hit up the art gallery/store next door before or after (we got a gorgeous print here).

Things to Do in Ravello

Walk From Ravello to Amalfi - If you’re looking to burn off the pizza, pasta, and aperol spritzes, I highly recommended this lung-burner of a “walk” from Ravello down to the towns of Atrani, Castiglione, Amalfi, etc. Head towards Villa Cimbrone and before the entrance you’ll see Via Santa Barbara on your right and arrows pointing to Amalfi and Minori. The path winds through lemon groves and down countless stairs to the towns on the water. At one point, you have a choice between going left towards Minori and Maiori or right towards Amalfi and Atrani. We chose to go right and once we reached the bottom/Atrani, we took a dip in the ocean (which was much needed after a hot walk!) Pro tip: we wish we had found our way down to Castiglione for a swim as that beach was far less crowded and the water was so clear from above. Next time! Also, be warned: the walk back up to Ravello is relentlessly steep and (depending on the time of day) in the beating sun. We’re both in really good shape and had to take a lot o breaks. BRING A TON OF WATER!

Villa Rufolo - This 13th century villa was built by a wealthy merchant family and has been visited by artists and royalty alike, including the German composer Richard Wagner. His visit even inspired him to write the second act of the opera Parsifal. Unfortunately when we visited, the flower beds on the iconic garden terrace were empty due to being covered by a stage for the Ravello Festival a week before. Nevertheless, the views featuring the picturesque umbrella pines are stunning. We visited on our way to dinner and it was much cooler/quieter. It’s 8 euro to visit and is open every day from 9 am to 7:30 pm.

Villa Cimbrone - This 11th century villa that once belonged to a noble family is now a museum, hotel, and wedding venue. Unfortunately we were a bit too late in the year to see the gardens in their full glory, but the views from the Terrazza dell'Infinito (Infinity Terrace) are expansive (and a little scary if you’re afraid of heights like I am!) It’s 10 euro to visit and Villa Cimbrone is open to the public every day from 9 am to 7:30 pm. It’s important to note that sometimes it closes to the public earlier for weddings.

Duomo Di Ravello - You can’t miss this 11th century cathedral on the main piazza. It’s dedicated to the martyr St. Pantaleone and even houses a capsule of his blood. Every year on July 27th, people gather to witness the miracle of the blood liquifying and turning ruby red.

Blood of St. Pantaleone in the Duomo Di Ravello

Helpful Ravello Tips

Tipping is not the norm in Italy. However, if you had exceptional service or really enjoyed your meal, a 10% tip is greatly appreciated.
Try to book an accommodation with a pool. Ravello sits high above the Mediterranean Sea, so if you’d like to swim in the ocean, you’ll need to walk or take a taxi/bus down to the towns of Amalfi, Minori, Maiori, Atrani, Castiglione, etc. Having a pool at La Casarella was the perfect way to cool off and relax after walking around in the hot sun.

I hope you get the chance to travel to this beautiful town above the clouds. And if you’re looking for more Ravello recommendations, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! Here are a few more favorite photos from our trip:

View of Minori and Maiori from La Casarella

Natalie Gale

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