I hadn't heard of this gem on the Amalfi Coast until I was leafing through a brochure at our villa in Praiano. There was a photo of an orchestra with the audience facing a stage that overhung the sea. What an incredible sight! I decided I wanted to see a concert in that spectacular setting, but it wasn't to be, the season was over. But the city had cast its spell.
The trip to Ravello from Amalfi was like climbing into a green heaven. Liz and I had hopped on to one of those open air tour buses, and it drove almost vertically up the side of the cliffs, with the Mediterranean in full view off one side, and garden-terraced cliffs on the other. I couldn't help but think how difficult it would have been to build this city, founded so long before a bus ride would have made it an easy climb. The year 840, in fact.
Not having heard of Ravello, I hadn't heard of Villa Rufalo either. What a wonderful surprise... Because this wasn't a planned destination and it wasn't on the original itinerary, it felt like I'd discovered new territory.
The Villa itself was exceptional, with its graceful arches and curves and columns. Towering palms and umbrella pines and cypress. Green, green, green.
Liz and I wandered together and Rob joined us a bit later. We loved Ravello so much we went back the next day...
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