The"Amalfi drive" is said to be the most spectacular in Europe and from Sorrento, the winding cliff top road offers breathtaking panoramic views at every turn. balanced between sheer mountains and deep blue sea with every bend revealing a more magnificent view: olives and lemon groves, pines and cypresses cling to the mountains, enchanting, unspoiled villages perch on the steep slopes, the most famous being Positano, Amalfi and Ravello.
It is generally accepted that Ravello dates from pagan times towards the end of the first century of the Romans Empire. The settlement increased in size as various aristocratic Roman families established their home here. From here the Marine Republic of Amalfi grew and the prosperity of the merchants of Ravello increased as Amalfi conquered the trading routes of the Mediterranean and the east.
Not to be missed in Amalfi is the Cathedral dedicated to Saint Andrew dating back to the 9th century and the Villa Rufolo gardens in Ravello immortalised by Richard Wagner as the magic garden of klingsor in his Parsifal.
