Ravenna

Day 1: Late Roman and Byzantine heart

Ease into Ravenna’s golden age around the cluster of masterpieces near San Vitale. Keep the pace unhurried to avoid mosaic fatigue, and pre-book the cumulative ticket with a timed slot for the tiny, ultra-popular mausoleum.

• Morning: Pick up/use your Biglietto Cumulativo and enter the Basilica of San Vitale at opening time to beat the tours; bring a small pair of binoculars or use your phone zoom to study faces and garments, and remember: no flash. If your Mausoleum of Galla Placidia slot is later, fill the gap next door at the Museo Nazionale di Ravenna.
• Midday: Time your Mausoleum of Galla Placidia visit for late morning to midday on a bright day so the alabaster windows glow honey-gold; expect a strict 5–10 minute stay. Break for lunch nearby and hydrate—summers are hot; in winter, check the shorter hours.
• Afternoon: Visit the Archiepiscopal Museum and the Cappella Arcivescovile (note the anti-Arian imagery of Christ as a warrior), then descend to the Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra for exquisite floor mosaics; it’s refreshingly cool underground in summer.
• Evening: Wander the Zona del Silenzio: Dante’s Tomb, Quadrarco di Braccioforte, and the Basilica di San Francesco with its haunting flooded crypt (illuminated by coin). In June–July, consider an evening Ravenna Festival concert in a historical venue—book early.

Day 2: Ostrogoths to Byzantines in the city

Today tracks the shift from Theodoric’s Arian court to Orthodox Byzantium. Focus on iconography and “edits” to monuments—knowing what changed makes the mosaics speak.

• Morning: Start at Sant’Apollinare Nuovo; study the long nave processions and look for ghostly traces where Theodoric’s court was erased. Pop into TAMO (Tutta l’Avventura del Mosaico) to decode techniques and symbols before a coffee in Piazza del Popolo.
• Midday: Compare baptisteries: the Neonian (Orthodox) for its lively, classical apostles, then the nearby Arian Baptistery with a more schematic, youthful Christ—perfect for spotting theological nuance. Dress modestly and keep voices low; these are sacred spaces.
• Afternoon: Stroll to remnants of the Roman walls near Porta Adriana/Porta Serrata for a breath of open air. If you fancy hands-on history, book a short mosaic workshop in a local laboratorio—connecting today’s craft with 1,500 years of tradition.
• Evening: Aperitivo in the historic centre and a gentle passeggiata through the pedestrianised streets (watch for swift cyclists). In peak summer, plan a post-siesta evening visit to avoid heat and crowds; in the off-season, enjoy the serene, near-private basilicas.

Day 3: Classe and Theodoric

Head out to Classe to understand why Ravenna mattered: its port powered the empire. Pack water and a hat in summer; the coastal plain can be hot and bright, while winter brings earlier closing times.

• Morning: Take bus line 4 from the station to the Archaeological Park of Classe (Antico Porto di Classe); walk the excavated docks and warehouses and use the multimedia to picture the bustling harbour.
• Midday: Continue to the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe for the vast, tranquil apse mosaic—saint among sheep under a jewelled cross—best savoured unhurried. Nearby cafés are convenient for a simple lunch before returning.
• Afternoon: Back in town, walk to the Mausoleum of Theodoric, a stark masterpiece capped by a single 300-tonne stone—buy the separate state ticket (often offered with Sant’Apollinare in Classe). If time allows, detour through Parco di Teodorico or revisit a favourite museum detail you noted earlier.
• Evening: Climb to the Giardini Pensili above the Rasponi Crypt for a quiet sunset view over Piazza San Francesco, then a final dinner. If you’re visiting during the Ravenna Mosaico biennial (autumn), end with a contemporary mosaic show to see the ancient art form living on.

Notes for all days:

• Book the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia slot online in advance; the microclimate limits stays.
• The Biglietto Cumulativo covers San Vitale, Galla Placidia, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, the Neonian Baptistery, and the Archiepiscopal Museum/Chapel; Sant’Apollinare in Classe and the Mausoleum of Theodoric require separate tickets.
• The centre is a ZTL; park on the perimeter and walk. Keep a respectful, quiet demeanour in sacred spaces and never use flash.

By Air

• Ravenna has no commercial airport.
• Bologna (BLQ, ~85 km): Most convenient. Marconi Express (7–8 min) links the airport to Bologna Centrale; then a regional train to Ravenna. Total public transport time typically 1 h 30–1 h 50. By car ~1 h 15.
• Rimini (RMI, ~70 km): Seasonal/charter focus. Local bus to Rimini FS, then regional train to Ravenna (about 1 h–1 h 20). By car ~1 h.
• Forlì (FRL, ~35 km): Limited flights. By car ~40–45 min; by public transport around 1 h with a change.
• Venice (VCE, ~155 km): Train via Venezia Mestre/Bologna to Ravenna in ~2 h 45–3 h 15. By car ~2 h 15–2 h 45 (SS309 Romea can be slow).
• Florence (FLR, ~170 km): Train via Firenze SMN–Bologna–Ravenna in ~2 h 45–3 h 15. By car ~2 h 20.

By Train

• Main station: Ravenna (central; ~10 minutes’ walk to the historic centre; taxis and local buses outside).
• From Bologna Centrale: Direct regional trains roughly every 30–60 minutes; journey 1 h 10–1 h 30.
• From Rimini: Direct regional trains along the Adriatic line; about 1 h; typically hourly.
• From Ferrara: Direct regional services; about 1 h 20–1 h 40, generally every 1–2 hours.
• From major cities (with a change):
  • Florence: High-speed to Bologna (35–45 min) + regional to Ravenna; total ~2 h 15–3 h.
  • Venice: Via Mestre/Bologna; ~2 h 45–3 h 15.
  • Milan: High-speed to Bologna (~1 h) + regional; ~2 h 30–3 h 15.
• Operators: Trenitalia for regional and high-speed (Italo serves the high-speed leg to Bologna; change there to Trenitalia regional).

By Car

• Routes:
  • From Bologna: A14 to Cesena Nord, then E45/SS3bis or RA8/A14dir to Ravenna; ~1 h 15.
  • From Rimini: SS16 Adriatica; ~1 h.
  • From Venice: A13 to Ferrara Sud then SS16 to Ravenna, or SS309 Romea (picturesque but often slow); ~2 h 15–2 h 45.
  • From Florence: A1 to Bologna then A14 towards the Adriatic; ~2 h 20.
• Notes:
  • The historic centre is a ZTL (limited traffic zone); avoid driving inside without a permit. Use edge-of-centre car parks and blue-zone street parking.
  • Summer weekends can be congested on SS16/Adriatic routes.