Ravello, perched high on the cliffs above Amalfi, is famous for its views and its gardens. The town is centred around the main square with an impressive cathedral, the venerable Duomo, dedicated to San Pantaleone . After visiting the famous gardens and villas of Ravello we saw the Church of San Francesco and the remains of Holy Benedictine Monastery before taking the steep but incredibly scenic stairway down to Atrani. Villa Rufolo is close to Ravello's main square. The Moorish-style villa was originally built in the 1270 for the Rufolo family. The estate has stunning views over the Bay of Salerno from the terraced gardens. The Villa remained with the Rufolo family until they sold it in 1588 and it slowly fell into disrepair. Almost three centuries later it was finally restored by its new owner, a Scottish botanist named Francis Neville Reid. In 1880, a trip to Villa Rufolo’s garden inspired German composer Richard Wagner to write the second act of his final opera, Parsifal. Every summer since 1952, Villa Rufolo hosts the Ravello Music Festival, an open-air concert held in Wagner’s honour.
Villa Cimbrone is situated high on a cliff known as “cimbronium,” which gives the Villa its name. The estate dates back to the 11th century. In 1904 the estate was bought by the British Lord Grimthorpe (Ernest William Beckett) and the the villa and gardens were extensively renovated. With the help from Ravello architect Nicola Mansi and a French botanist, Beckett added the Villa’s garden, small temples, gazebos, and bronze and stone statues. The views are spectacular from the Terrace of Infinity, a serene location that sits high above a sheer cliff facing the ocean.