Ravello's main square is small enough to cross in thirty seconds, which makes the view from it all the more surprising: the gulf opens up to the south between the rooftops, and the village drops away so steeply that you are looking at the sea from what feels like an aircraft. The piazza is the natural gathering point of the town — there are a few cafe tables, the cathedral occupies one side, and the bell tower rises behind it.
In the early morning, before the first buses arrive from Amalfi, the piazza belongs to the residents: the bar on the corner opens early, and locals stop for a coffee on the way to work. In summer the square fills by mid-morning and stays busy until evening. Either time is worthwhile; the character is just different.