Ravello is the Amalfi Coast's quiet aristocrat, a hilltop town of gardens and music that floats far above the traffic and the beach crowds below. And at its very highest point, about 1,150 feet above the sea, sits Caruso, a palazzo whose origins reach back to the 11th century. Its heated infinity pool, which appears to dissolve straight into the blue of the Bay of Salerno, is one of the most photographed swimming pools in the world. The first swim of your honeymoon here is not something you will forget.
The building has been welcoming travelers since 1893, when the Caruso family opened a five-room guesthouse called the Pensione Belvedere. Over the decades Greta Garbo, Humphrey Bogart, Virginia Woolf and Jackie Kennedy all found their way up the hill. Today, under Belmond, it combines the drama of medieval vaults and 18th-century frescoes with the polish of a modern grand hotel. For couples who want romance with some history behind it, plus a little distance from the bustle of Positano and Amalfi, it is close to perfect.
Highlights at a glance
- Heated infinity pool hovering 1,150 feet above the sea
- 11th-century palazzo with 18th-century frescoes
- Belvedere terrace dining with herbs from the gardens
- Complimentary daily gozzo cruise along the coast
- Quiet Ravello base near Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone
- Shuttles down to Amalfi and Positano
Between Sea and Sky
Caruso occupies a clifftop spur in Ravello's historic center, a short stroll from the cathedral square, Villa Rufolo and the long avenue that leads to Villa Cimbrone's Terrace of Infinity. Because the town sits so high, the views are wider and the air cooler than down on the coast, a real gift in July and August.
The gardens are the hotel's other great setting. Over more than a century they have grown into a sequence of terraces planted with lemon and olive trees, herb beds and old roses. The Belvedere, an open-air colonnade dating to the 11th century, gives a nearly 360-degree sweep of mountains and sea. It is the place to be with a glass of something cold as evening falls.
Rooms and Suites in a Medieval Palace
There are around 50 rooms and suites. Over half are suites. Interiors play the building's history against Italian comfort: vaulted ceilings, terracotta and majolica floors, antiques, four-poster beds in some rooms and marble bathrooms. Nearly every room has a private terrace, balcony or garden.
For a honeymoon, sea views are non-negotiable, so book a room or suite in the main building facing the coast. Entry-level rooms across from the main house come with small gardens and are lovely, but the panorama is the reason to be here. If you want to splurge, the top suites set within the gardens, including those in the separate Villa Margherita, feel like private villas with the hotel's services on call.
Dining on the Belvedere Terrace
Ristorante Belvedere is the main event, serving refined Mediterranean and Campanian cooking with herbs and produce from the hotel's own gardens. Dinner on the terrace, with the lights of Maiori and Minori glittering far below, is a classic Amalfi Coast evening. Ask about the chef's table if you want something more intimate and tailored.
By day, the poolside restaurant keeps things easy, with salads, fresh fish, pasta and wood-fired Neapolitan pizza served under umbrellas. Before dinner, head for the Cocktail and Piano Bar, where restored 18th-century frescoes cover the walls and the bartenders make the most of Amalfi lemons. In warm weather, an open-air champagne bar sets up in the colonnade.
Why guests fall for it
The Pool, the Spa and the Boat
The heated infinity pool, built during the hotel's restoration in the early 2000s, is the heart of daytime life. Surrounded by roses and lemon trees, it seems to hang in midair over the coastline. It is at its loveliest early in the morning, before most guests stir.
The spa offers Mediterranean-inspired massages and rituals, some of them in a sea-view gazebo in the gardens, plus a gym. And since Ravello has no beach of its own, Caruso brings the sea to you: a complimentary daily cruise aboard a traditional wooden gozzo glides along the coast toward Positano. The hotel also runs shuttles down to Amalfi and Positano. The concierge can also arrange lemon-farm visits, private boat days to Capri or drives to Pompeii and Paestum.
Ravello After Dark
One of the joys of staying in Ravello rather than on the coast is the evening. When the day-trippers leave, the town falls quiet. You can wander the lanes to the cathedral square for a gelato or an after-dinner limoncello.
If you visit in summer, look into the Ravello Festival, a celebrated program of concerts staged largely in the gardens of Villa Rufolo, sometimes on a stage that seems to float over the sea. The hotel has long supported the festival and the concierge can help with tickets. A sunrise concert or a sunset recital here, then a walk back to your room through the rose garden, is honeymoon gold.
Why Couples Adore It
Guests come for the pool and leave talking about the people. Reviews consistently highlight staff who are attentive without hovering, remember preferences and go out of their way to arrange special touches for anniversaries and honeymoons.
The other recurring themes are serenity and views. Couples love that Ravello feels peaceful compared with Positano and that the gardens offer endless corners to sit together. Almost every room looks out over the sea. The Belvedere terrace dinners, the daily boat trip and the frescoed bar all earn frequent praise, as does the sense of sleeping inside a piece of history that has been restored with real care, guided by archaeologists and art historians.
Good to Know
- Caruso is seasonal and typically closes in winter, reopening around early March.
- Ravello is reached by a winding road above Amalfi. Private transfers from Naples are the easiest option and people prone to car sickness should plan accordingly.
- There is no beach in Ravello. Use the hotel's boat and shuttles to reach the coast.
- The adjacent church makes Caruso popular for weddings, so on some weekends you may notice celebrations.
- Families are welcome, but the atmosphere, especially in spring and autumn, is mostly couples.
Insider tips
- Book a sea-view room in the main building rather than an entry-level garden room across the way.
- Reserve the morning gozzo cruise early in your stay; it is complimentary but popular.
- Time a summer stay with the Ravello Festival and ask the concierge for concert tickets.
- Walk to Villa Cimbrone's Terrace of Infinity in the late afternoon when the light turns golden.
