Ravello

18th-century ceiling frescoes, an elegant wood-paneled bar, white-jacketed waiters, and a dramatic view of the Mediterranean give this lounge a romantic 19th-century ambiance. Piano music from 7pm onwards.

Bar Don Pasquale at the Hotel Palumbo

See above listing for the Episcopio Winery.

The Episcopio winery, on the grounds of the Hotel Palumbo, was established in 1860 by the hotel's founder, Pasquale Palumbo, and is overseen today by his great-grandson. Over the years, many of Ravello's famous visitors, including Richard Wagner, have enjoyed the quality whites and reds that these beautiful terraced vineyards have produced. Tours of the winery are available, or you can relax with a glass at the hotel bar, where you can rub elbows with the ghosts of past celebrities and look out at the sea in an old world Mediterranean atmosphere.

Ettore Sammarco and his children run this small but respected winery, in business since 1962. Wines, such as the DOC-designated Selva delle Monache, are produced from grapes grown exclusively in Ravello. Visitors to the winery may now purchase wine and limoncello made onsite.

Gennaro, the resident sommelier at Mamma Agata's cooking school and restaurant, leads an evening wine tasting in which three local wines are paired with traditional foods. Like the cooking classes, a wine tasting experience at Mamma Agata's has received rave reviews from travelers.

The best-known winery on the Amalfi coast is located in Furore, just north of Ravello. Several of the wines from this family estate, run by Marisa Cuomo and her husband, Andrea Ferraioli, have won numerous awards and honors, among them the Ravello Bianco, produced from a blend of two varietals grown only in Ravello. Be sure to try the 2007 Bianco Fiorduva, which won the coveted Tre Bicchieri award, the highest honor given to wines in Italy.

The vineyards that cling to the hillsides below Ravello primarily produce white wines; two local DOC white wines of note are Vigna San Lorenzo from the Episcopio winery at the Hotel Palumbo and Selva delle Monache from the Ettore Sammarco winery, both located in town. To sample the area wines, make sure to tour a local winery, either independently or through a tour company. Those travelers looking for something a little stronger should visit the bars located in Ravello's luxury hotels and enjoy a cocktail in high style. Espresso and other coffee drinks can be found in cafes near the town center.