Ravello ~ Music In The Kitchen™

Join Chef Raffaele for a delicious cooking experience in the city of music, Ravello!

Our “Music In The Kitchen” program will have you cooking Neapolitan classic traditions with our excellent Chef in a city that is steeped in music from around the world. Chef Raffaele transforms fresh garden picked treasures along with seasonal fish and meats, and hand-made pastas into savory favorites. He starts with grilled eggplant rolled with fresh Ricotta and basil then slow baked; or hand-made ravioli stuffed with pumpkin and tossed with olive oil; and fresh caught sole rolled with garden herbs and lemon oil grilled to perfection. His desserts make for a sweet ending, and include almond flour cake, torta di mandorle, topped with caramelized oranges and a steamy espresso, or delicate crostata filled with fresh seasonal fruits. This is just a sample of the Neapolitan classics that will be made.

Discover Italy’s best-loved Neapolitan recipes with Chef Raffaele. This cooking program walks you through tasty recipes-all of which you can easily create at home, and gives you the opportunity to learn about Ravello’s traditions and customs in an inspiring atmosphere overlooking the Amalfi Coast.

Cooking Lessons

Cooking classes take place in the professional kitchen where you will learn to prepare traditional recipes of Ravello with our dynamic duo team, Chef Raffaele & Pastry Chef Gaetano. Learn how to make hand-made panzarotti, fresh ravioli stuffed with ricotta & eggplant, acqua pazza: local fish slow cooked in cherry tomato, basil and “crazy water.” And Chef Gaetano’s sweet desserts, pastiera, sfogliatelle, babà, and torta Caprese, will have your new Italian recipe book filled with sweet treasures. You will be learning new recipes and technique, and also the traditions and customs of this ancient village overlooking the Amalfi Coast. Executive Chef Raffaele & Pastry Chef Gaetano will guide you through a selection of their traditional recipes using only the best local ingredients from their garden, along with invaluable tips and suggestions that will ensure your culinary masterpieces are successful time after time.

Ravello

Ravello is located on a rocky spur high above the Amalfi Coast. The quaint town of villas, churches and rose gardens has been a destination for musicians, artists and writers throughout time. All the “Greats,” including Richard Wagner, M. C. Escher, Giovanni Boccaccio, Virginia Woolf, Gore Vidal, André Gide and Sara Teasdale have been inspired by its beauty. And every summer, the Ravello Festival, started in 1953 in honor of Richard Wagner, hosts orchestras and classical music concerts.

This delightful town is renowned for its peacefulness and its unique landscape, and no trip is complete without a visit to one of the area’s cliff-side view points offering splendid panoramas of terraced hillsides covered in lemon groves and vast expanses of glittering azure sea. Far above, thin wisps of cloud reach down to caress the rooftops of villas and shroud the mountain tips in the lightest of mists, creating a truly magic atmosphere.

Take a walk to the piazza and enjoy a coffee or limoncello as you watch the world go by. Visit the town’s cathedral, San Pantaleone, and take a look at the fascinating Byzantine mosaic in the chapel and visit its small museum in the crypt. But perhaps what most people enjoy most in Ravello is to visit its two famous villas. The first of the two, Villa Cimbrone, is now also a museum, and is famous for its ‘Terrace of Infinity’, a terrace that offers a view that prompted Gore Vidal, the well-known American writer and honorary citizen of Ravello, to declare it ‘the most beautiful panorama in the world’. Although it’s a little walk away, your time and effort is well repaid by the breathtaking scenery. Villa Rufolo on the other hand, is situated in the main piazza, and is home to Ravello’s annual Wagner Music Festival. Some concerts are held in little corners of the villa’s lush gardens, but the more important performances are held on a specially built stage that is literally suspended out over the mountainside, a scene that lives in the audience’s mind for years to come.

The Amalfi Coast

One of the best-loved stretches of coastline in the world, the Amalfi Coast is home to the charming towns of Amalfi, Positano, Praiano and Vietri, all of which are famed for their beauty and historical significance. Stroll through the ancient burgh of Amalfi and browse through shops selling handmade paper, limoncello and colorful pastas, and enjoy a cafe and babà or a delizia al limone in the piazza. Positano is another gorgeous seaside town, and its pastel colored houses seem to tumble down the hillside in a race for the beach. Stop off for lunch in one of the restaurants on the waterfront or do a little shopping for Positano’s unique handmade shoes and clothes. Ceramic lovers should head for Vietri where there is an enormous choice of ceramic goods, all hand-painted in the most beautiful pastel colors. Many of the shops will also pack your goods and ship them worldwide.

Accommodations

Your accommodation is situated in Ravello’s historic center at our 4 star property, just a few steps from the main piazza, Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo, and is nestled in the luxuriant green of the surrounding countryside. Each room has is fully equipped with modern comforts such as private bathroom, satellite TV, air conditioning, minibar and hairdryer and is bright and tastefully furnished. Superior rooms are furnished with a selection of local style pieces and boast locally crafted terracotta tiles on the floor, combined with the characteristic hand-painted ceramic tiles typical of Vietri on the Amalfi Coast. All rooms have a private balcony overlooking the sea and equipped with table and chairs. The residence has panoramic terraces that offer spectacular views over the hillside and down to the sea. There is also a solarium for those wishing to take time out and soak up some of Ravello’s inimitable atmosphere.

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Itinerary~ 5 days, 4 nights

Check in and start your program Sunday to Tuesday. Other check in days available upon request, please call for details.

Sunday: Arrival & Check In

• Transfer from Naples airport to Ravello.
• Arrival at your four-star villa hotel in the historic center of Ravello.
• In the evening, enjoy your welcome cocktail and introduction to your program.
• Meet the family who has owned the property since its conception.
• Dinner on your own. Suggestions provided.

Monday: Visit Lemon & Olive Groves ~ Cooking Class 1

• Breakfast is served.
• After breakfast, head out for a stroll through the lemon and olive groves of the property.
• Return to the kitchen for your Cooking Class 1. Prepare a traditional menu with Chef Raffaele from appetizer to dessert.
• Lunch follows featuring the foods prepared in class.
• Afternoon free to explore Ravello on your own. Don’t miss the breathtaking Villa Cimbrone.
• Dinner on your own. Suggestions provided.

Tuesday: Visit Tramonti Vineyard, Cheese Maker & Tastings

• Breakfast is served.
• Set out for your full day Food Tour with visit to the vineyards of Tramonti, the cantina, and cheese maker. Enjoy an unforgettable day rediscovering the tastes and flavors of the countryside. Lunch included with local cheese, salami and local wine.
• Dinner on your own. Enjoy a meal in the Ravello’s picturesque piazza or head down to Amalfi. Recommendations available on request.

Wednesday: Cooking Class 2

• Breakfast is served.
• Meet in the kitchen for Cooking Class 2 with Chef Raffaele. Prepare a full course menu with fruits and vegetables straight from the garden.
• Lunch follows featuring the foods prepared in class.
• Afternoon free to explore the towns of the Amalfi Coast. Wander down to Amalfi and visit the famous pastry café and enjoy a cappuccino and one of the local specialties: delizia al limone. Or go to Vietri to visit some of the celebrated workshops where local artisans hand-paint the area’s beautiful ceramics.
• Dinner on your own. Enjoy a meal in the Ravello’s picturesque piazza or head down to Amalfi. Suggestions provided.

Thursday: Departure

• Breakfast is served.
• Transfer to Naples airport or Train Station and arrivederci!