Villa Gaiola

Whether you have seen it in pictures, or observed it as a wide-eyed tourist from a hydrofoil, riding the waves of the Tyrrhenian Sea from over a thousand feet beneath, nothing can adequately prepare you for the sublime and spectacular majesty of Villa Gaiola. Tour guides on day cruises running from Sorrento to Capri introduce it to their passengers as a matter of natural reflex, causing all on board to crane their necks while fixating on this supremely elegant and intriguingly proportioned palazzo. Viewed from the sea, the six-bedroomed Villa Gaiola gives the illusion of defying gravity, appearing to cling to the face of a dizzyingly high cliff. 

The villa is only reachable by foot, its gate just a ten-minute walk along narrow footpaths from Ravello’s central piazza, at the end of Via dei Fusco. Even from here, Villa Gaiola remains coyly shrouded in its six acres of gardens, with olive and lemon trees just beyond the iron gates. Clusters of blue hydrangea sit alongside a chestnut grove, before an allée of cypress trees guides you to the grand reveal, at the bottom of a flight of steps. As you enter the forecourt, the curvaceous Amalfi coastline, burnished cobalt Mediterranean waters and the beaches of Minori explode into view – along with the magnificent stucco and concrete fortress that is Villa Gaiola, hewn into the mountainside. At once, the optical illusion is broken, the magician’s secret revealed - to the disappointment of absolutely nobody.  

The villa’s thirteen-year build was completed in 1927, becoming the home of Lucille Beckett - daughter of Ernest William Becket, Lord Grimthorpe. However, it is neither Lucille nor Ernest who are mentioned by tour guides to their awe-struck passengers, but the man who became owner of the villa in 1972, the legendary novelist, playwright and essayist – Gore Vidal. 

A writer as elegant as the villa itself, Vidal was understandably besotted by this paradisiacal residence, from where he penned some of his greatest books, starting with Burr in 1973. Vidal and his partner, Howard Austen, set about embellishing further on Villa Gaiola’s beauty, adding more species of flowers, grasses and shrubs to its seven levels of terraced gardens, which cascade in dramatic fashion down six acres of mountainside. The addition of the swimming pool, coinciding with the release of Vidal’s novel Lincoln, was made in 1984, marble paved terrace and all. Today, the giant oblong pool is complemented by a charming kitchenette, perfect for preparing a romantic alfresco supper.

Upon viewing the property and passing through its mosaic tiled and terracotta hallway, Vidal had already decided to complete the purchase. He was instantly enamoured by the classical Roman floor plan, a sequence of rooms opening off the long halls of the ground floor. The villa was subject to a painstaking renovation in 2016, which resulted in refinished flooring, the installation of frescoes for the twenty-six-foot high ceilings, and the addition of a glorious array of antiques and contemporary Italian masterpieces. All but one of the ground floor rooms were repurposed, now comprising sitting rooms, a winter living room with a working fireplace, and one for the summer, which opens to a panoramic sea view terrace.

Respectfully left untouched during the refurbishment, was Vidal’s rococo study, or ‘studio’ as he called it. In a building comprised of arches, curves and varying heights of almost organic nature, this room, birthplace of so much of Vidal’s genius output, is a geometric anomaly – a ‘perfect cube’. Still in situ, facing the fireplace, is the suede beige chesterfield from which Vidal would hold court, tumbler of Macallan 12 in hand, his guests in the adjacent club chairs. The fireplace is itself adorned with two framed versions of Vidal’s 1976 appearance on Time magazine’s cover, an honour he shared with both his father and grandfather. Vidal’s vintage globe remains too, alongside his chestnut desk, upon which he would type up his manuscripts.

Also retained and lovingly restored, are the main architectural elements and feature pieces of the original build, such as barrel-vaulted ceilings, designed to keep the house cool in the heat of Amalfian summers, the huge tufa stone mantelpieces, colourful floor tiling, and the ornate grillwork on the arched doors and windows. There is a beautiful wooden bar too, a nod to the Vidalian ritual of finishing work at 4pm, upon which time cocktail hour would begin…concluding after midnight!   

The six lavish and characterful suites, which have welcomed guests such as Mick and Bianca Jagger, Andy Warhol and Tennessee Williams, among many other luminaries, are of course finished to the highest standard throughout. Each of the bedrooms are equipped with large smart televisions, king-size beds with headboards crafted from fine leather or fabric, along with exquisite ornamentation. Superior Italian styling is showcased in each suite - floors are made with fine antique ceramic from nearby Vietri, while the fitted bespoke wardrobes come courtesy of local artisans. The Serenity suite’s Jacuzzi and the astonishing vistas from Ecstasy’s windows have to be seen to be believed, and not just in the bedroom. A wonderful sea view can be enjoyed from the bathroom’s rose window, perhaps installed to give guests a reason to step out of the incredible chromotherapy shower.

Villa Gaiola is the very quintessence of luxury, a work of architectural genius, the embodiment of tranquillity. To those passing by off the shores of the Amalfi Coast, it looks impossible. As the former home of a writer who was also one-of-a-kind, its uniqueness and beauty make the most perfect and beautiful sense.

You will be just a ten-minute walk away from the Duomo Square in the centre of Ravello, a clifftop jewel of the Amalfi Coast. You will find superb shopping here, as well as a wealth of fantastic eateries and a vibrant street market on a Tuesday morning.