Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 089 85 83 60;
www.ravellofestival.com
)
Between June and mid-September´, the Rav-
ello Festival turns much of the town centre into a stage. Events range from orchestral con-
certs and chamber music to ballet performances; film screenings and exhibitions are held
in atmospheric outdoor venues, most notably the famous overhanging terrace in the Villa
Rufolo gardens.
However, you don't have to come in high summer to catch a concert. Ravello's pro-
gram of classical music begins in March and continues until late October. It reaches its
crescendo in June and September with the International Piano Festival and Chamber
Music Weeks. Performances by top Italian and international musicians are world class,
and the main venues are unforgettable. Tickets, bookable by phone or online, start at €25
(plus a €2 booking fee). For further information, contact the Ravello Concert Society.
Auditorium Oscar Niemeyer
( 346 7378561;
www.auditoriumoscarniemeyer.it
;
Via della Repubblica 12)
Located
just below the main approach to town, this modern building, which follows the natural
slope of the hill, has attracted a love-it-or-hate-it controversy in town. Designed by the
renowned Brazilian architect, Oscar Niemeyer, it is characterised by the sinuous profile of
a wave and approached via a rectangular exterior courtyard, which is typically the site for
temporary exhibitions of world class sculpture. The auditorium is a venue for concerts and
exhibitions; check the website for an update.
CONCERT HALL
RAVELLO WALKS
Ravello is the starting point for numerous walks - some of which follow ancient paths through the sur-
rounding Lattari mountains. If you've got the legs for it, you can walk down to
Minori
via an attract-
ive route of steps, hidden alleys and olive groves, passing the picturesque hamlet of Torello en route.
This walk kicks off just to the left of Villa Rufolo and should take you no more than 45 minutes. Al-
ternatively, you can head the other way, to Amalfi, via the ancient village of
Scala
. Once a flourishing
religious centre with more than a hundred churches, and the oldest settlement on the Amalfi Coast,
Scala is now a pocket-sized sleepy place where the wind whistles through empty streets, and gnarled
locals go patiently about their daily chores. In the central square, the Romanesque
duomo
(Piazza Mu-
nicipio; 8am-noon & 5-7pm)
retains some of its 12th-century solemnity. Ask at the Ravello tourist
office for more information on local walks.
