WHAT’S AN AMALFI COAST MUST-SEE?
Have a question? Ask our expert Simon Calder
Q I’m off on my honeymoon to the Amalfi Coast in three weeks! What shouldn’t we miss out on?
Thomas J
A Congratulations: great destination and timing. You won’t be able to miss the road along the Amalfi coast. For 20 twisted miles, this thread of highway laces itself between a placid sea and a mighty range of ancient volcanoes. In any fold of coast pinching more than a scrap of flat land, a village has sprung up. But above all of this stands Ravello, aloof in its grandeur and extravagance.
At its prime, this town atop a pinnacle was a city: Ravello had a population of 30,000. Now this has shrunk to 2,000, but it still has its own cathedral and bishop – and the most perfect setting for a drink with a view. The Villa Cimbrone has 12th century roots, and occupies meticulous gardens created by a British nobleman: Ernest Beckett, the second Baron Grimthorpe. He designed the grounds so that the visitor is drawn unerringly to the edge of the world, on a precarious balcony, jutting out from the sheer cliff-face.
Today, it is a hotel, which has hosted D H Lawrence, Winston Churchill and the Clintons (though not all at the same time). I’ve just checked for the cheapest double room in June, and the lowest I could find was £500 per night. However, non-residents are welcome to eat and drink. The restaurant is, by all accounts, superb – with ingredients grown at the Villa itself – but I made do with just a beer. I hope you have a chance to visit.
Every day, our travel correspondent, Simon Calder, tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder