Relaxing in Ravello

Ravello is a romantic hilltop town overlooking the Mediterranean sea. It’s known as the Jewel of the Amalfi Coast and is only an hour outside of Naples. The drive to Ravello is breathtakingly beautiful as one passes through the coastal villages of Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi.

While I travel to Ravello often, my love for the town began decades ago. My parents moved to Italy when I was only 11 months old and though we lived mostly in Rome, we also spent a few years in Naples. Every summer we would rent a house either along the Amalfi Coast or on one of the Islands of Capri or Ischi. Every time I return to the island I’m able to relive my childhood memories. The stone pathways, the main square with the Duomo, the tiny alleyways, the beige and white colors, the fuchsia bougainvillea flowers, and at times even the memorable aromas take me back to my younger days.

On my most recent trip to the area I noticed it was as if time had stopped in Ravello. People walk to a slower pace of life and cars cannot be found anywhere. One can find the occasional traveler, especially in August during the yearly Ravello Music Festival, but for the most part the town remains quaint and quiet compared to neighboring villages like Positano.

No trip to Ravello is complete without a visit to the magical gardens of Villa Cimbrone. Rumor has it that the love story between Greta Garbo & Leopld Stokowski even blossomed here.

The gardens of Villa Cimbrone are absolutely stunning and the perfect way to spend an afternoon in Ravello.

The food in Ravello is sublime and, of course, mainly consists of fish. My favorite is dish is the classic “Spaghetti alle Vongole Veraci” (spaghetti with clams), which goes well with the local white wine. Another typical speciality in the region is “granita di limone” (lemon slush ice) as this is a particular region where the Amalfi Coast lemons are grown (as well as the region where the famous Limoncello originated).

Rochelle Cheever is a photographer specialized in fine art portraits and weddings throughout Italy and Europe. Having a dual citizenship, both Italian and American, she is fluent in both cultures and languages. She resides in Rome, Italy where she was raised and holds a BFA from the Corcoran School of Art, as well as MFA studies from Florence Academy.