Piazza Duomo, Ravello, at dusk

Ravello's main square is unusual for the coast because it is flat, open and almost empty of cars — the road stops at a tunnel below it. On one side the cathedral presents a plain whitewashed front with a bronze door cast in 1179; on the others, the gate of Villa Rufolo, a couple of cafes and a low wall with the valley beyond.

After the day visitors go back down to Amalfi, usually around six, the square empties almost completely, and that is the hour to work it. The cathedral facade is lit, the paving holds the last warmth of the day, and the steps in front give a natural stage. Because the square is level and generous, it is the easiest place in Ravello to photograph a whole family or a group without anyone standing on a stair.

This is also the practical hub of the town: everything else — Villa Rufolo through the gate, Villa Cimbrone ten minutes along the lane, the belvedere over the valley — starts here, so it works well as the meeting point and the first or last stop of a session. Note that Ravello sits several hundred metres above the coast road on a series of hairpins; allow real travel time from Amalfi or Positano, especially in August.