Sorrento to Positano and Ravello: Private day trip

Positano was an important port for the ancient Greeks and Phoenicians, and prospered under the Amalfi Republic during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. However, unlike other nearby towns, Positano wasn't a hot holiday destination for 19th century intellectuals. Rather, it was an essay by John Steinbeck for Harper's Bazaar that brought the poor fishing village to the attention of the world's jet setters. A maze of steep lanes and stairs wind their way past pastel colored houses, cafes, galleries, and upscale boutiques down to Positano's renowned Marina Grande beach. Nearby, is the unmissable Church of Santa Maria Assunta, with its colorful majolica tile dome, lavish Rococo interior, and legendary 13th century Byzantine black Madonna icon.

Dating back to the 5th century, Ravello became an influential town under the rule of the maritime Republic of Amalfi. When the republic went against King Roberto Il Guiscardo in 1081, the town’s noblemen refused to accept it. It is said some started calling the town “rebello”, rebellious, which is how the name ‘Ravello’ appeared. Ravello’s 11th century Duomo is testament to the prosperity of those years. The simplicity of its white facade is offset by the magnificent 12th century bronze doors, of which Italy only has a few. But Ravello’s main draw are its villas. The 13th century Villa Rufolo and its gardens, restored from a state of decay by a Scottish botanist in the 1850s, was Wagner's inspiration for the garden of Klingsor in his opera Parsifal. No less stunning are the gardens of the 11th century Villa Cimbrone. The tree-lined avenues, rose gardens, and wisteria-laden trellises all culminate in what Gore Vidal described as the most beautiful place on the planet: the belvedere. Lined with marble busts and accented with a pseudo-Roman temple, this overlook on a sheer cliff-face gives spectacular views of the Amalfi Coast.