Extraordinary Homes by KiG Magazine KiG Summer 2019_WEB | Page 11

“Positano bites deep,” wrote
John Steinbeck when he
visited the Amalfi Coast on
assignment for Harper’s
Bazaar in 1953. “It is a
dream place that isn’t quite
real when you are there and
becomes beckoningly real
after you have gone.”
- Music and history in Ravello -
Perched a dizzying 1,200 feet (366 m) above
the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea, the town of
Ravello has survived Barbarian invasions,
uprisings, warring families, and earthquakes
since its founding in the fifth century as a
maritime stronghold. It’s often referred to
as the jewel of Amalfi for its undisputed
beauty and unmatchable vistas. At its
heart, Villa Rufolo, named after the family
it was originally built for, is a hodgepodge
of architectural styles spanning Norman,
Arabic, Moorish, and Roman, and also home
each summer to the Ravello Festival, which
stages some of the world’s best symphony
orchestras on the edge of a dramatic
escarpment in tiered 19th-century gardens.
You can explore the town on a private walking
tour with a local historian, or arrange for a
chauffeur to drive you to nearby Positano,
or to the hotel’s own private beach club,
where a speedboat will jet you across to
the island of Capri. The craft will hug the
rugged Amalfi coastline, slow down under
the arch of Faraglione di Mezzo, or Lover’s
Rock, and return via beachside restaurant
Lo Scoglio da Tommaso for spaghetti
vongole and freshly caught sea urchins.
KENSINGTON
KENSINGTON EXTRAORDINARY
INTERNATIONAL GROUP
HOMES
11