The Towns of Ravello and Amalfi: How to Spend One Day in Each Town

During our stay on the Amalfi Coast, we saved one day for a little exploration outside Positano, and drove up the coast to the towns of Amalfi and Ravello. The drive to get there was so beautiful, passing through smaller towns along the way as we drove next to the ocean. A word of advice for this day trip: make sure you’re comfortable driving on the opposite side of the road, near a cliff, and on narrow roads… or find someone else to drive you. It was slightly scary sometimes as the roads are so that narrow cars and buses often have difficulty passing, and there are typically blind spots around the numerous hairpin turns on the roads. If you make the trip for the day, just make sure you head back before it gets dark!

One of my favorite moments during the drive was while entering the town of Atrani. As you get close, the road winds along a cliff, parallel to the town, giving you a perfect view of the incredible buildings and arches situated over the black pebble beach. I insisted on stopping the car and pulling over to get the shot below.

In Ravello, we found a quiet square for a cappuccino before setting off for the rest of the day. We visited Villa Cimbrone, a 12th century villa with sweeping views of the coast. I highly recommend it if you visit Ravello. They don’t require guided tours so you’re free to wander the gardens or find a shady place to sit. We also visited Villa Rufolo, which has the famous view above the Church of the Annunziata. On the way back from Villa Cimbrone we passed Villa Maria and decided to stop for lunch. Villa Maria is a four-generation owned family restaurant and hotel seated on the edge of the terraced gardens from which they grow their fresh vegetables. What more can you ask for than a relaxing lunch, sipping on wine and coffee, overlooking Italian coastline and cliffside gardens?

Once leaving Ravello we headed to Amalfi, the famous town that gives the Amalfi Coast its name. We walked along the promenade by the waterfront, lined with shops and outdoor cafes. We then made our way up into town to the Piazza del Duomo; home of the iconic 9th century Amalfi Cathedral, with its striped black and white exterior paint. The main square was fairly busy so we walked up the steps to the explore the cathedral. The steps were clearly a popular spot to take in the scenery as people were sitting enjoying a gelato or sitting with friends. The height of the cathedral provided gorgeous views overlooking the town, with mountains as the backdrop. We then wandered the town a bit, popping into souvenir stores. Shortly after, the late afternoon sun reminded us that we should start the drive back to Positano before it set - the drive back would be absolutely terrifying in the dark. If you can afford to stay a bit later though, several locals recommended evening as the best time to visit the Piazza, when it is lit up at night and the flood of tour buses has passed.

There is so much to see in this beautiful region of Italy. Until next time, Amalfi.

xx, Heather