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Gems of Amalfi,
a trip through Ravello and Sorrento,
“Ravello is closer to the sky than it is to the coast,” wrote novelist André
Gide, winner of the 1947 Nobel Prize in Literature, in his book, The
Immortalist.
The town’s contrasts—its dizzying, rocky location and the tranquility of its
gardens, its rustic streets and refined works of art—are perhaps the secret
to its charm. |
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Ravello’s beautiful Villa Rufolo
represents a microcosm of the town’s natural and artistic glories. The villa
was built in the 13th century, incorporating elements of the Arab-Sicilian
architectural style that was very popular at the time. Elements of this
exotic building style show up in the bulky Moorish tower at the villa’s entrance, in the delicate, interlacing arches interspersed throughout the
complex and in its airy courtyard.
According to Neapolitan tradition,
espresso must be consumed boiling hot and without sugar, because only that
way can you fully appreciate its aroma. Seated comfortably at an outdoor
café with a strong cup of espresso, you can admire the gleaming,
800-year-old brass doors of the cathedral, with intricate scenes depicting
the Passion of Christ, as well as its finely decorated bell tower. The
church is dedicated to Saint Pantaleone, protector of the city, who was
martyred in 290 A.D. The saint’s blood is kept in a container inside the
church and is said to magically liquefy each year on July 27, the feast day
dedicated to him.
The unmistakable look of this area comes
in part from its prolific citrus crop. The narrow ridges of lemon trees that
hug the steep terrain are covered from October to May by straw huts called
pagliarelle that protect the trees from gusts of salt-choked wind. When the
trees bloom and start to grow fruit, the hills buzz with color. The dark
green of the lemon leaves, the bright yellow fruit and the azure sky create
a unique and inimitable landscape.
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Gide
might have been referring to the steep, switchback road leading up to this
Amalfi Coast town, which gives you the feeling of rising above the Earth. Or
his observation about the town’s heavenly character might come from the cobaltblue sky that hangs over you, enveloping you in peaceful, total
silence. 
The
entryway leads straight onto a broad, tree-lined path. Beyond this shady
walkway a lush, flowering garden appears as if in a dream, teeming with
thousands of different colors and scents. The fanciful garden ends in a
lookout point where you can admire a glimpse of the coastline. A classical
music festival takes place here every summer, with concerts on the villa’s
garden terrace. It’s a spectacular sight: The musicians seem to be suspended
between the sky and the sea. 
Strolling through the city’s characteristic narrow alleyways, you’ll find
shops displaying beautiful, locally produced ceramics. Plates, pitchers,
vases, trays and even old-fashioned amphoras are finely decorated in radiant
colors that reflect the thoroughly Mediterranean look of this region, where
everything is sun and light. It’s impossible to visit Ravello without taking
home some ceramics; they are small but true works of art. 
The
heart of Sorrento is without a doubt the wide, chaotic Piazza Tasso.
Throughout the day, hundreds of visitors relax at outdoor tables in front of
the ornate church of Santa Maria del Carmine, sipping drinks and taking in
the sunshine. In the late afternoon, cups of espresso are replaced by
apéritifs, nuts and snacks such as taralli, ring-shaped biscuits flavored
with cracked peppercorns or fennel seeds. Starting in Piazza Tasso, there’s
an interminable staircase that leads down to the port, as well as the
beautiful baroque church of Santa Maria del Carmelo. 
Strolling
down Sorrento’s side streets gives you a view of the quieter, more intimate
side of the city. Handkerchiefsized squares of earth are converted into
miniscule gardens facing the sea, often planted with flowers and the
occasional lemon tree. One of these streets is named after the Sorrentine
poet Aniello Califano. Next to the street sign there’s an inscription of one
of his poems in Neapolitan dialect calling Sorrento affatturato and
incantatore (fascinating and enchanting). The local authorities have done
well to dedicate this panoramic street to Califano; the port and the
jewel-green sea are visible in the tight spaces between the houses. 