Belmond Hotel Caruso

Location:

Located on the highest point of Ravello, the hotel is perched on a cliff top 1000ft (300mt) above the sea level overlooking the spectacular Mediterranean of the Amalfi Coast.

Distance in km from hotel to:

• Sea: 5 km
• Amalfi: 7 km
• Sorrento: 50 km
• Positano: 18 km
• Naples City Center: 64 km
• Pompeii: 28 km
• Paestum: 70 km
• Milan: 816 km
• Genoa: 786 km
• Rome: 248 km

Ferri Boats to Capri and Ischia can be taken from Amalfi or Sorrento.

Transfers:

By Air
Naples International Airport (Capodichino) is approximately 65km from the hotel. (50 min drive)

Direct Flights from:

• London everyday with British Airways and British Midland
• Paris everyday with Air France, Alitalia
• Madrid direct flights only on Saturdays and Sundays with Iberia
• Barcelona everyday with Iberia
• Frankfurt and Münich everyday with Lufthansa and Air One
• Zürich only Saturdays with Volareweb

Transfers are available on request to and from the airport.

By Train
From Venice S. Lucia to Napoli Centrale
From Milano Centrale to Napoli Centrale
From Florence Santa Maria Novella to Napoli Centrale
From Rome Termini to Napoli Centrale

By Car from Naples

1. Fastest route: Take the Naples – Pompeii – Salerno highway. Exit at Angri. Follow the indications for "Valico di Chiunzi" and "Costiera Amalfitana", reaching Ravello through the pass (valico).
2. Slower but more scenic route: Take the Naples – Pompeii – Salerno highway. Exit at "Vietri sul mare". Follow the indications for "Costiera Amalfitana" and "Ravello", touching Cetara, Maiori and Minori. This road is very panoramic, but can have a loto of traffic, specially at weekends and public holidays.

By Car from Rome

1. Fastest route: The shortest route, with the least traffic and a good view over Naples: From the Rome – Naples highway, reaching Caserta Sud, take the A30 indicated as the Salerno – Reggio Calabria. Exit at Nocera. Follow the indications for "Valico di Chiunzi" and "Costiera Amalfitana", reaching Ravello through the pass (valico).
2. Slower but more scenic route: At Caserta Sud take the A30 and proceed towards Salerno until the "Vietri sul Mare" Exit. Follow the indications for "Costiera Amalfitana" and "Ravello", touching Cetara, Maiori and Minori. This road is very panoramic, but can have a lot of traffic, specially at weekends and public holidays.

By Helicopter.

It is possible to arrive by helicopter, arrangements will be done with the concierge.

45 rooms, comprising 5 Suites, 17 Junior Suites and 23 Double Rooms. More than 90% of the rooms and suites have sea view and terrace, while many also have a private garden.

Room Facilities

• Safe
• Air-conditioning
• Direct dial telephone
• Internet Broadband
• Mini-bar
• Colour satellite TV
• DVD
• Bathrobe
• Hairdryer
• Weightscale

Guest Services

• Laundry service and dry cleaning are available six days a week. Same day service is available on request
• Concierge services providing babysitting, car hire, transfers with personal driver, post and parcel services, theatre and cinema, excursions, newspapers, concert tickets
• 24-hour room service
• Valet parking and garage are available to hotel guests
• Complimentary boat excursions from May to end September and complimentary shuttle service to Amalfi and/or Positano

Facilities

• Open-air heated infinity swimming pool
• Belvedere In Room Spa
• Spa will be available in the near future
• Open-air Gym Area
• Boutique & Signature Shop
• Free internet point

Meetings

Two well-appointed function rooms with natural day-light and state of the art meeting facilities (that can be turned into a larger one), equipped for banquets, cocktails, wedding parties and for small, selected seminars.

• Meeting facilities up to 100 people
  - Sala Wagner: 100 people theatre style
  - Sala delle Colonne – capacity: 120 people banqueting style
• At the Belvedere*: open air banqueting facilities up to 150 people

* "The Belvedere" is a separate body of the building. It is a wide open air garden extension with a marvellous 11th Century Colonnade. Here we can find the restaurant Belvedere, the Pool, pool bar, Gymnasium, and solarium. The Belvedere is the ideal location to celebrate cocktail parties and banquets, with a 360° view of the Amalfi Coast.

Restaurants and bars

• Caruso Restaurant (Indoor) with a patio for shoulder seasons. Capacity for 90 pax. Located on the first floor with an spectacular terrace from where you can admire the breathtaking views of the Amalfi Coast.
• The Belvedere Restaurant, located on the Belvedere area close to the pool, open air restaurant (80 seating)
• The Poolside Snacks & Bar serves informal luncheons and drinks.
• The Cocktail and Piano Bar, located on the main building first floor with Frescoes from the 1700.

Local Attractions

• Villa Rufolo - This magnificent medieval villa is surrounded by extensive gardens; the exotic oriental plants and fountains frame an excellent view over the jagged peaks and the distant Maiori Bay. The calm, tree-lined Moorish cloisters provide a soothing retreat. A Wagnerian festival is held at the villa every year, to commemorate the composer's love for Ravello and the inspiration that he derived from the Villa Rufolo for the second act of Parsifal.
  
• Villa Cimbrone - The ancient villa has been enriched with antiques, paintings and relics from all over Italy. The gardens are a Mediterranean tour-de-force, with sculptural cypresses, fragrant roses and statues of Roman gods. From the belvedere there is a jaw-dropping panorama over the Gulf of Salerno.
  
• Duomo - Ravello's 11th Century Cathedral has a bronze door cast by Barisano da Trani (1179) and an impressive 13th Century pulpit supported by six spiral columns. A chapel contains the blood of the 4th century San Pantaleone which liquefies in May and August.
  
• Museo del Duomo - Situated in the Cathedral crypt, the collection includes a 13th Century bust of Sighelgaita Rufolo and altar marble mosaic relics from 1272.

Excursions

• Amalfi is a pleasant health and seaside resort with a mild climate and a rich history. In 839 AD it became the first Italian maritime republic and it is now the largest town in the region. The town's most noted asset is the ornate 13th Century façade of the Duomo. The Piazza Flavio Gioia by the harbour is a vibrant area with several bars and restaurants.
  
• Positano is a hugely popular beauty spot, noted for its lovely Moorish architecture and unbelievable site. The buildings of this fishing village are stacked on terraces on the steep hillside and appear to cascade into the sea. The grand church of Santa Maria Assunta provides a focal point to the picture-perfect townscape.
  
• The fascinating ruins of Pompeii are well worth a day's visit to fully explore. In AD 79 an eruption from Mount Vesuvius buried the town in 6m of pumice and ash. Excavation in the 18th century revealed an incredible snapshot of Roman life at the time of the disaster: the ruins still contain paintings, sculptures and even the graffiti on street walls is preserved. The impressive western area has numerous points of interest such as the frescoes of the Casa del Vettii, the Forum (Market Place) and the Stabian Baths.
  
• The constant sunshine, rugged coastline and superb hotels have helped to create a tourist's paradise on this island. Capri has been the home for Roman Emperors, Italian Dukes and now movie stars and jet setters are attracted to the luxurious houses on the hillside. The main town of Capri has several bustling piazzas and the colourful Marina Grande overlooks the Harbour. The Island's many attractions include the Blue Grotto, a 54m long sea-cave that is bathed in an ethereal blue light, the impressive remains of Emperor Tiberius' palace and the medieval monastery of Certosa di San Giacomo.
  
• Paestum is one of the most important ancient Greek sites in Italy and was founded in the 6th Century BC. The three Doric temples are still in remarkable condition - the rich yellow limestone is brought to life by the intense Mediterranean sunshine and the surrounding cypress trees. The skeletal form of the city is still evident in the ruins of public buildings, roads and protective walls. An extensive collection of artefacts from excavations is displayed in the museum.

Activities and Events

• Music Festival - The concerts at Villa Rufolo are from March till the end of October. The highlight of the season is usually the first week of July with the Wagner Festival. The Festival has seen performances from world-famous artists such as Zubin Metha, Lorin Maazel and Placido Domingo.
  
• Sailing - Motor and sailing boat excursions depart from Amalfi and cruise past the villages of Atrani, Minori and Maiori, as well as the plethora of creeks and inviting bays.
  
• Trekking - Ravello has several mountain paths with incredible views, passing picturesque villages such as Scala, Minori and Atrani.