As I travel the world, I have a tendency to fall in love with each place I visit for various reasons and vow to return. Italy is one of those places, and every time I land there, I discover something different or unique. For me, Italy has a special allure, maybe because I feel comfortable and familiar with navigating the country, or maybe it is due to the warm, generous spirit of the people who embrace me and make me feel so welcome and at home. I compare that feeling to being in love: it is comforting, safe, genuine, and, in a way, inexplicable. It is like snuggling in a soft feather bed with cozy blankets or drinking hot cocoa by a crackling fire to ward off winter’s chill. I am drawn to Italy like a moth to a flame.
Linnie and I have explored Italy twice, and for our second visit, we wanted to stay on the Amalfi Coast. We had several goals: one- to see Pompeii and hike Mount Vesuvius; two- to take a cooking class at Mamma Agata’s Cooking School; three- to stay at the Hotel Caruso and swim in its stunning infinity pool. All signs pointed to Ravello, a small town perched high upon a cliff above the town of Amalfi overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. The love affair began.
Ravello is quaint, quiet, scenic, and the perfect location on the Amalfi coast to make a home base for day trips. The town plays host to artisan shopkeepers selling everything from homemade pastries and gelato to handcrafted leather goods, jewelry, and our favorite, pottery. It is a place to just be, to unwind, relax, and take life as it comes, one day at a time.
The Caruso, a Belmond Hotel, is one of its prized luxury properties and boasts mind-boggling views in every direction. The infinity pool reaches to the cliffside and the craft drinks are made with local organic produce– think strawberries, wild mint, and lemons grown on property. A walk through the Caruso’s manicured flower and kitchen gardens fills the senses with spectacular beauty, and meals served on the outdoor terrace are sublime. The Caruso offers a myriad of inviting spaces just to sit and read, work, have a drink, chat with others, or just be. The hospitality is very much like the town itself– friendly and nurturing. To say the property and its rooms are beautiful is an understatement. Of course they are beautiful– this is Ravello; it is where beauty lives.
For day trips, we joined a small group to explore Pompeii and to hike the famous Mt. Vesuvius. I highly recommend doing this and implore you to wear comfortable, sturdy shoes. We shopped for pottery in Ravello and Amalfi and took the best cooking class ever at Mamma Agata’s. We also visited Positano, another pearl of a town. Then, there are coastline tours by boat, a trip to Capri or Naples or other small towns in the area. Ravello is truly the perfect spot and one that continues to capture my heart. And that infinity pool, well, it speaks for itself!
Tips:
Ravello is easy to get to if you take the train from Rome or Florence or any other city to Salerno. I hire the same car service every single time I go called Amalfi Drive (https://www.amalfi-drive.com/). They are professional, courteous, on time, and make you feel like you are part of their family. This service will pick you up at the train station and take you right to Caruso (https://www.belmond.com/hotels/europe/italy/amalfi-coast/belmond-hotel-caruso/). I have also flown into Naples and hired them to pick me up from the airport. The hotel has a free shuttle to take you to any town along the entire coast for day trips and also to the beach. Mamma Agata’s is a walk from the hotel down the hill. (https://www.mammaagata.com/)