Has anyone been to both Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone in Ravello? I am taking my 78-year-old Mom on her first trip to Italy and we will be in Ravello for a few hours at the most. I don't know if we will have time to tour both and she may not be able to walk both if it will be physically taxing for her. 1). If you've been to both, which one would you recommend if we can only do one on her one-and- only trip to Italy? 2). Is it possible to cover both in a few hours/ it it a lot of walking for both? (I know this depends on a person's fitness level but I still want to ask) 3). Do you have a favorite restaurant in Ravello on a terrace that overlooks the sea to have lunch? Thanks very much for any guidance!
Posted by
Miami
300 posts
I recently went to both. I loved both of them, beautiful gardens and amazing views. It takes about an hour or a little less to see each. Villa Rufolo is next to the main plaza and close to the bus stop from Amalfi. Villa Cimbrone is about a 15 minute walk from the plaza and you need to climb stairs to reach it. Villa Rufolo is smaller and doesn’t require a lot of walking. Villa Cimbrone is bigger, requires more walking and has more stairs within it. I think Villa Rufolo may be best for your mom.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7351 posts
Related idea if she needs a rest: We happened to eat at the detatched restaurant associated with Villa Cimbrone, Il Flauto di Pan. It was very expensive, but superb fine cooking with magnificent ocean views. I guess we came in late enough to get a view-table as a walk-in. I did not get the feeling that they would welcome shorts and tee shirts, but I didn't ask. I will add that our main reason for going to Il Flauto di Pan was to have Delizia al Limone, the local special dessert. It was the best we had, including in Sorrento.
(This is pasted from an earlier post by me.)
Posted by
Reno, NV, USA
2428 posts
Walking to Villa Cimbrone may be too taxing for her. We ate at an open air restaurant in the main square in Ravello. Also be aware that returning to Amalfi from Ravello there was quite a scrum and lots of pushing and shoving to get on the bus going back down. This was quite different from our last visit to Ravello 20+ years ago. And it doesn’t matter if you are first in line for that bus going back. People are not respecters of age in this situation. You will have to be the sharp elbows here.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thanks Marco, Tim and Mary! Your responses are very helpful.