Location: Ravenna
Top Things to do in Ravenna
- 1. Basilica San Vitale
- 2. Mausoleo di Galla Placidia
- 3. Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
- 4. Battistero Neoniano (Battistero degli Ortodossi)
- 5. Battistero degli Ariani
- 6. Mar - Museo d'Arte della citta di Ravenna
- 7. Basilica di S. Giovanni Evangelista
- 8. Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
- 9. Basilica di San Francesco, Ravenna
- 10. Archiepiscopal Museum
The 10 Best Things to Do in Ravenna, Italy
Ravenna once was the capital of the Byzantine Empire in Italy, and it still has amazing mosaics recalling that heritage. Also make sure you visit Dante's tomb, as well as the little pile of rubble where local residents hid his urn during WWII to prevent it from being damaged.
Restaurants in Ravenna
1. Basilica San Vitale
Overall Ratings
5 based on 3 reviews
History As a symbol of the Archiepiscopal Chancellery of Ravenna, San Vitale is one of the greatest works of late Roman art. Famous for its mosaics commissioned by Archbishop Maximian (546/556 AD), the basilica is a place of contemplation. While the body descends its steps the spirit rises to the Truth. A masterpiece to be admired for its evident beauty and its hidden, precise, evocative theological argument.
Reviewed By coconutugly - Marbella, Spain
I ❤️’d this Basilica.... i saw it in arctic conditions, bad lighting, freezing....but thought it was just magnificent. Could’ve gazed at the mosaics for ages. Don’t know the price for entry as we bought the 9€ all incl ticket for 5 places. There was no-one around! This leads to the Mausoleum Behind it., also a must-see
2. Mausoleo di Galla Placidia
Overall Ratings
5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By MarcusHurley - Bristol, United Kingdom
One benefit of visiting in the winter is that very few other people do!
We had the place to ourselves and it is a delightful tomb. The sarcophagi were impressive examples of early Christian work but the decor of the tomb was just amazing.
Don't leave San Vitale without visiting this place too!
3. Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By MarcusHurley - Bristol, United Kingdom
This was the first place we visited after leaving the train station and it was by far the best. The mosaics are breathtaking! The fact that it wasn't designed as a church added to the appeal. The mosaics were untainted by renaissance additions and the 'modern' part is limited to one end of the building.
Buy the combi ticket here for €9.50 (I think) and it covers access to the other main attractions.
Some explanations in English would have been useful but I guess we can all do research before or after our visits.
4. Battistero Neoniano (Battistero degli Ortodossi)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
The most ancient of Ravenna monuments, at least with regard to when building began, it dates to the end of the 4th or the beginning of the 5th century.
Reviewed By CalBristol - Weston super Mare, United Kingdom
A pleasant walk through the backstreets of this sleepy town (where the shops still close for lunch!) will bring you to another rather plain brick building which is the Baptistry.
This was not quite so crowded as some of the other places I visited and is also easy to explore because there is only the one room. The centre of the floor under the magnificent dome is taken up with a large font which of course in the early Christian church, the baptism rites included total immersion in the water.
The lower part of the walls are lined with marble and the several columns decorating the walls have obviously come from pagan mouments as they are all different!
Above the marble panels, the mosaics are splendid with gorgeous colours and patterns, figures of saints and angels and in the dome, Christ being baptised.
5. Battistero degli Ariani
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 658 reviews
6. Mar - Museo d'Arte della citta di Ravenna
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 184 reviews
Built in the early 16th century, the cloister of the Abbey of Saint Maria in Porto gets its name from the Loggia del Giardino, better known as the Loggetta Lombardesca, from the Campionese and Lombard workers, operating there under the direction of Tullio Lombardo. The original building underwent changes in its use and function from the period of the Napoleonic suppressions, up until its renovation in the early 1970s. The only things remaining of the original building are the cloister, with original renaissance proportions, the layout of spaces and the elegant loggia with five arches, which has become the monumental emergence and symbol of the entire complex. Currently, the Loggetta Lombardesca is home to the Art Museum of the city of Ravenna, since 2002 the Institution of the Municipality of Ravenna. With the creation of the Institution, the museum (which was already the Municipal Art Gallery) has relaunched its cultural activities. It has combined the already-consolidated activity of preservation and promotion of the patrimony with a well-structured cultural production, by creating the International Mosaic Documentation Centre, and also an exhibition activity, allowing the results of the most advanced scientific research to be divulged. The museum moves in various directions, in order to investigate art workshops, from the wide topics of contemporaneity in a historical perspective, to the frontiers of emerging creativity and from work to promote the patrimony to the recovery of material culture and manufactured articles.
Reviewed By marijansesvete - Zagreb, Croatia
The temporary exibition in March 2016 was almoust nothing for me (with many commercials) but the permanent one was great: many renesance, baroque and contemporary paintings and sculptures. And pretty cheap (I think 3€). The staff was very friendly. Go here before Museo Nazionale - it's much better choice.
7. Basilica di S. Giovanni Evangelista
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 194 reviews
Reviewed By Jincognito - Gainesville
Because of the absence of glittering mosaics, this does not get the attention of many of the churches, but it is a fine place, nevertheless. In addition, there is a display of floor mosaics that are really very good. The church was badly damaged in the way but the tower looks truly historic
8. Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 550 reviews
Reviewed By JohnInItaly - Santa Cruz, California
The "Newer" church above the ancient site is unspectacular, but you can imagine life in this area during Roman times. I find it fascinating that the street levels have risen so much since ancient times. The site was used for Medieval burials many hundred years after all traces of the older culture was gone, and they went down to or even through the Roman floor level. The site was discovered by a construction backhoe operator digging an underground garage (fat chance now) and the remarkable find came to light. They know that the site continues outward much further, but they cannot tear down buildings on other property for additional uncovering, although some temporary digs were made. Part of our mosaic tour of Ravenna. We started with a list and only actually missed one attraction in three days. Every attraction except one out of town was reached by walking in close proximity to the historic city center. We did not move the car one time, other than to arrive and leave town. Print some papers in advance from the internet and carry them with you to help you understand what you are looking at. Buy a nice photo book to take home and continue your studies.
9. Basilica di San Francesco, Ravenna
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 599 reviews
Reviewed By JohnInItaly - Santa Cruz, California
Not so special as a church or grand building, but the remaining medieval floor level, now under water, helps you understand how cities over history have been raised to accommodate rising water table levels, both here and elsewhere. Part of our mosaic tour of Ravenna. We started with a list and only actually missed one attraction in three days. Every attraction except one out of town was reached by walking in close proximity to the historic city center. We did not move the car one time, other than to arrive and leave town. Print some papers in advance from the internet and carry them with you to help you understand what you are looking at. Buy a nice photo book to take home and continue your studies.
10. Archiepiscopal Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 605 reviews
Archiepiscopal Museum and the Chapel of St. Andrew The Archbishop's Chapel of St. Andrew is guarded as a gemstone inside the Bishop's Palace. It was the private chapel of the bishops of Ravenna and it was built and decorated with mosaics from 494 till 519. Set up inside the rooms of the Bishop's Palace, the collection of the Archiepiscopal Museum contains epigraphs, the Cathedral treasure, remains of mosaics from the ancient Basilica of Ursus and above all the ivory throne of the bishop Maximian (6th century).
Reviewed By TravelFan48105 - Ann Arbor, Michigan
This was extremely interesting and contains many wonderful pieces e.g. the ivory carved bishop’s throne and Roman artifacts. The museum also contains the gorgeous little Capella di Sant-Andrea, the private chapel of the bishop, with its magnificent mosaics. The mosaics depict many local birds and is quite amazing. This is included in the combined ticket so it is definitely worth a visit.
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