Ravello is a town of 2,506 inhabitants, located in the province of Salerno, on the Amalfi Coast. It lies on a small plateau above Maiori and Minori and offers a panoramic view of the Gulf of Salerno—a view that enchanted Richard Wagner. About half of its tourists are British and American, drawn especially by its famous villas, such as Villa Cimbrone, with its renowned Terrace of Infinity, admired by U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
The town enjoys international tourist fame, and along with nearby Maiori, was featured in several post-war films by Roberto Rossellini. Ravello was founded in the 5th century as a refuge from the barbarian invasions that marked the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It reached its peak after the 9th century, under the Maritime Republic of Amalfi and the Principality of Salerno.
After suffering destruction and plundering by the Pisans, many inhabitants emigrated to Naples and surrounding areas from the 14th century onward, leading to a long decline that lasted until the late 18th century.
King Victor Emmanuel III stayed in Villa Sangro, on the outskirts of Ravello, during the spring of 1944, when the Italian government was based in Salerno.
Places to Visit
-
Ravello Cathedral
Dating back to the 11th century, the cathedral is of great interest. Notable is its bronze door, created by Barisano da Trani in 1179. Inside, it houses two stunning marble-inlaid pulpits: on the right, the Gospel pulpit by Niccolò di Bartolomeo da Foggia (1272), and on the left, a Byzantine-style pulpit donated by Ravello’s second bishop.
In the 17th-century chapel is kept the ampulla of the blood of Saint Pantaleon, present in Ravello since 1112. Also noteworthy is the attached museum, featuring the bust of Sigilgaita Rufolo, sculpted by Niccolò di Bartolomeo da Foggia. -
Church of Santa Maria a Gradillo
A basilica-style church with three apses, dating from the 12th century. -
Church of San Giovanni del Toro
Built in the 12th century. Its pulpit is decorated with Persian basins, dating to around 1200. 14th-century frescoes are found in the crypt. Its three apses with domes and intertwined arches are its most distinctive feature. -
Church of San Francesco
Built in Gothic style, but remodeled in the 18th century. -
Church of Santa Chiara
Documented since the 13th century, later reworked in the 18th century. -
Church of the Annunziata
Known for its two distinctive small domes. -
Villa Rufolo
A complex of buildings from the 13th and 14th centuries, with Islamic influences. Also includes an archaeological antiquarium. -
Villa Cimbrone
An eclectic building incorporating ancient fragments. Its Belvedere is world-famous. -
“Camo” Coral Museum
Fascinating, especially for its 18th-century snuffbox inlaid with cameos. -
Sanctuary of Saints Cosmas and Damian
Historic sanctuary dating to the 14th century.
Famous Visitors
Richard Wagner visited Ravello in the second half of the 19th century and drew inspiration from it to compose some of his masterpieces, granting the town international fame. Since then, it has remained a prestigious tourist destination, especially beloved by the world’s leading composers such as Giuseppe Verdi and Arturo Toscanini.
After World War II, Ravello hosted many artists and intellectuals in its villas, including Gore Vidal, French President François Mitterrand, and U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
This tradition of famous visitors—artists, musicians, actors, and intellectuals—has continued uninterrupted. Among the many notable guests:
Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, André Gide, Edvard Grieg, D. H. Lawrence, M. C. Escher, Paul Valéry, Leopold Stokowski, Greta Garbo, Igor Stravinsky, Graham Greene, Eduardo De Filippo, Truman Capote, John Huston, Humphrey Bogart, George Sanders, Maurice Rostand, Curzio Malaparte, Winston Churchill, Ingrid Bergman, Roberto Rossellini, Emilio Vedova, Totò, Federico Fellini, Vittorio Gassman, Romy Schneider, Corrado Alvaro, Barbra Streisand, Uto Ughi, Leonard Bernstein, Giovanni Spadolini, Domenico Rea, Zubin Mehta, and Peter O’Toole.
