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Revel in aristocratic Ravello
Set on a bluff far removed from the craziness below, Ravello is the lofty aristocrat of the Amalfi Coast. Artists, writers and musicians have been attracted by its dreamy gardens and knock-out views for centuries, and it is still a hugely atmospheric place, especially if you stay the night. Visit the gardens of Villa Rufolo (which inspired Wagner to write Parsifal) and Villa Cimbrone with its celebrated belvedere and admire the serene 11th-century duomo and its two ancient pulpits: one sports a mosaic showing Jonah being gobbled by the whale.
Channel Greto Garbo at Villa Cimbrone
Greta Garbo and her lover, the conductor Leopold Stokowski, famously holed up in Villa Cimbrone in 1938, and you can see why. It is a magical place – most visitors head straight for the celebrated Terrace of Infinity, from where the views stretch for miles, but the gardens themselves are glorious, the pine-shaded walkways lined with roses, camellias and scented wisteria. The villa is now a five-star hotel; guests have after-hours access to the gardens, which is almost worth the eye-watering bill at the end.
Website: hotelvillacimbrone.com
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Spend the day in Amalfi
Amalfi was a glorious maritime republic with 70,000 inhabitants; today, tourists notwithstanding, it’s a pretty resort fringed by lemon trees, its tumble of whitewashed buildings clinging to the sides of a deep gorge. Visit the magnificent Norman-Arab striped cathedral and its Moorish cloister and the Museo della Carta to learn about the history of paper-making and wander the ancient covered lanes that lead towards the Valle dei Mulini. Café Pansa, in the main square, serves melting pastries while Lido Azzurro on the beach, is the place to head for at lunchtime.
Shop for ceramics in Vietri sul Mare
They’ve been making pottery in Vietri-sul-Mare since Roman times, and today it is famous worldwide for the production of the colourful majolica ceramics that you see all over the buildings – both inside and out – in these parts. Visit the church of San Giovanni Batista with its tiled dome and wander the atmospheric lanes of the old town where every other shop sells the stuff, but for purchases (including keenly priced seconds), head to Solimena’s Gaudi-esque factory just outside the centre. Vietri has a good beach for summer visits, too.
