Many destinations along the Amalfi Coast stand out for their incredible panoramic views of the mountains and Mediterranean Sea. In Ravello, there are two better-known villas touting scenic eye candy worth checking out (with many other more or lesser known viewpoints)--Villa Cimbrione and Villa Rufolo. The latter takes its name from the wealthy merchant family that built this domicile in the 13th century. In the 14th century, banquets were hosted here for King Robert II of Naples and other Norman royalty. It was even written up in a story by Italian Renaissance author Boccaccio in "Decameron," published in 1353. In 1851, Sir Francis Neville Reid, a Scottish botanist and philanthropist, visited the villa in a state of deterioration and neglect, purchased it and renovated what was remaining of the property and gardens. Famously German composer Richard Wagner visited in 1880 and was so inspired he remained in Ravello to complete the second act of "Parsifal," an opera that had been in work for two decades. Today this villa is a historic landmark and cultural center, hosting musical concerts, open to the public for €8 regular admission, €6 discounted, tickets available at the entrance. There is a Moorish-inspired smaller tower and a taller bell tower from which you can climb to the roof to take in the views from behind a glass barrier.* The staircase inside this bell tower stands out in its criss-crossing design for stairs going up and down--reminiscent of MC Escher's lithographs showing impossible perspectives. From terraces and gardens outdoors behind the villa you can also catch sight of the hillside and coastline. While I was there in April, the gardens were in transition, they had various signs posted that apologized for the bare appearance due to recent storms. To me they still looked nice and I appreciated that they were so conscientious with upkeep! Wandering around you can spend anywhere from 30 min to 1.5 hours here. It's conveniently located next to the main town piazza and close walking distance to local restaurants and businesses. For more info: https://www.ravello.com/attractions/villa-rufolo/ *and from which I tried very carefully to hold my phone above--and not plummet it into the hundreds of feet below--when taking videos. read more

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If you're already up in Ravello, you definitely need to stop by Villa Rufolo. To be totally honest, it doesn't quite have the same "wow" factor or the massive, sweeping panoramic views as Villa Cimbrone, but it is still absolutely worth checking out. The gardens here are beautiful, and the way the colorful flowers frame the old stone ruins and the ocean in the background is gorgeous--definitely a prime photo spot. It's right off the main square too, so it's super easy to get to compared to the trek out to Cimbrone. read more

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Great time having cocktails on their patio and watching all the boats on the sea down below. Waiters were wonderful and engaging. read more

Villa Rufolo - Outside menu - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Ravello, SA

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This is one of the main highlights during my trip in Italy. The flower gardens and the grounds are beautiful. The villa overlooks the Amalfi Coast. You can also climb the tower to admire the views from atop. read more

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The great garden of Ravello. Absolutely a must-see with rich history. Too many photo ops to describe. If you come to Ravello and miss Villa Rufolo, you've missed Ravello. read more

Must stop in Ravello! Went to Ravello for the day and were informed of the 2 villas there in the town. This Villa Rufolo is very easy to get to, you will see it right away when you enter Ravello on foot. Entrance fees were maybe about $10 per person and you get to explore for however long you wish. The flowers and hydrangea were beautiful, lush, and in bloom. They have lots os historical pieces and landmarks to view while inside the gardens. The view is also amazing from there! There is also a bell tower which you can climb to the top if you are willing. It only took about an hour or less to see everything we wanted here at this villa! Highly recommend!! read more

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Great concert venue and near the Ravello main town square, beautiful views! A nice way to walk off lunch and get some steps in!

Villa Rufolo is beautiful. It's impressive maintained. And those views! I was too exhausted to thoroughly enjoy it because we walked from Atrani, but I'm glad I went as it was the highlight of my time in Ravello. My favorite part was looking at the sea, though I also enjoyed our climb to the top of the tower. When you enter, you are given a small booklet with a map and info in English and Italian. There was no wait to get in and I was so glad. We spent about 30 minutes exploring the buildings and grounds, but we were not taking our time. 7 euro for my experience felt a little much, but I was so tired. read more

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Lovely gardens. Perfect for a wedding & thee were many, many pics of people who have done just that. Gorgeous tiled floors, pleasant coast-facing rooms and the tiered garden were a lovely introduction to the area. Since we were off-season, we also scored free parking right down the hill Small entrance fee which I imagine helps to maintain the gardening staff as everything was very well manicured & im sue it takes a lot of loving attention Worth a visit read more

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The setting is spectacular overlooking the water. Had coffee and pastries, both excellent. Nice friendly staff. Good break from the hill side walking read more

A must see in Ravello if you love Roman and Moorish ruins, gardens, music, and among the most picturesque vistas in the world. There were moments when I wanted to burst into tears between the architectural beauty and the glorious scenery with piped in music floating through the grounds. So convenient to visit just off the Duomo square. read more

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Best 7 euros spent on our whole tour of the Amalfi Coast. Located in Ravello, which was on our bus tour, this place is a beautiful oasis. Oasis isn't really fair since all of Ravello is so beautiful, but the beautiful gardens, sweeping views and well maintained architecture is peaceful and grand that you feel immediately peaceful. The history behind the villa is very interesting. I would love to come during the festival. When we were there, it was overcast but sill lovely. I'll post a photo. read more

Villa Rufolo - Overcast but still pretty! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Ravello, SA

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It was my first time visiting Italy. The garden was beautiful and the view was stunning. I definitely recommend checking out this garden when visiting. The style is a mix of Italian and middle eastern. read more

Villa Rufolo - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Ravello, SA

10/25/2013 If you are visiting the Amalfi Coast for the first time, then you best come to Ravello as one of your stops! I was admiring the photos of Ravello I saw online and when my husband and I went on our 2-week trip to Italy, this was one of the destinations that I felt was a must-see! Our private car drove us to Ravello for a couple hours, and we got to experience and see the BEST VIEW (in my opinion) of the Amalfi Coast. Ravello sits high up on the hills of the Amalfi Coast and when you are viewing the ocean from Villa Rufolo, you are bound to fall in love with this place. :) Ravello is quite small in comparison to Positano, and I think less people come here. It's more famous for the concerts that are held -- w/ the best backdrop ever (the hills + ocean!) I took so many photos, ventured around in the main square of Ravello, ate some food, and just wandered around the church area (the church was closed when we went), etc. There's spotty wi-fi at some of the cafes, but the day was so nice, and the view was absolutely amazing! :) I am SO GLAD we made this trip to Ravello. read more

Villa Rufolo - View from just outside Villa Rufulo - amazing! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Ravello, SA

Well worth the 7 Euros each to get in, the views and the gardens were spectacular. The stone work and statues were also very nice. read more

My favorite spot in Ravello. I spent hours here photographing the gorgeous scenery and gardens. It is very serene, especially during the off-season. Entrance fee is only a few Euros and well worth it. read more

The Rufolo is a nice hotel with pretty outdoor areas that have great views. My room was very nice. It was also quiet. It was one of their cheapest rooms so it had a nice garden view rather than an ocean view but that too was nice. By European standards the room was large and comfortable. The staff speak good enough English and are extremely pleasant, courteous and helpful. The wifi connection is very poor in the rooms and in the public areas. It is so slow that many pages will just not load. Email is nearly impossible to send if it has much of an attachment and reading incoming emails takes several tries. There were also minor maintenance issues in the room. I arrived late enough in the season that it had turned chilly. There was no heat in the rooms. For this reason I moved on to a better hotel in Ravello after a couple of nights at Hotel Rufolo. Getting up to Ravello from Amalfi Town is a little difficult but not terribly so. From Amalfi you can walk the some four thousand steps, you can take the local bus for a few Euros, or the hotel will send a taxi for you ... at a cost of 40€. Be prepared to load and unload your luggage in the space below the bus if you choose the bus option which I did. The bus ride is scenic and fairly short at maybe a half hour. Overall I do recommend this hotel. read more

We were fortunate enough to be in Ravello during Ravello Festival, tickets were €40 per person but the views and the music were incredible. Ravello is a much more sleepy town compared to others on the Almalfi Coast, but that doesn't mean it's any less charming. Villa Rufulo is worth checking out even if you're not there during the festival, it's beautiful gardens and views are stunning, plus without the concert it's only €5 euro's per person so well worth a visit. read more

It's 5 Euro to get in but not that much to see except a lot of pansies planted in a geometrical layout. Better off going to Villa Cimbrone for 7 Euro read more