“Incomparable... rising above the roses and oleanders on a plateau whence the gaze sweeps to the sea.” This was the description of Villa Cimbrone given in summer 1835 by the German traveller Gregorovius, who was in no doubt about the charms and magic of this place.

The Villa and its wonderful grounds, which have been compared to the “Gardens of Armida amongst the roses and the hydrangeas”, have remote origins that are intermingled with the history of Ravello itself. Early archive documents from the eleventh century tell us that the Villa was built on a headland of a vast estate called “Cimbronium”, from which it got its name.

The current complex at Villa Cimbrone, consisting of the main building and the centuries-old six hectare park, is universally recognized as one of the most important sites – in landscaping and botanical terms – produced by the English romantic culture in the Mediterranean area in the late 19th and early 20th century, along with the Hanbury Botanical Gardens and Russell Page’s “La Mortella” on Ischia.

Tourists and visitors, enraptured by the charms and fascinating qualities of Villa Cimbrone, will not fail to notice that Ravello, with its unique, still unspoilt beauty, has a long, rich and noble past. Its story is told by every corner of this enchanting place and you do not need to know the details of the history to sense its presence: you can feel it in the air.