Ravenna Italy – complete tourist guide

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Ravenna Italy

Ravenna for tourists

Ravenna is a significant town situated near the Adriatic sea, to the east of the Emilia-Romagna area of central Italy. Іn mаnу wауs, Rаvеnnа іs а tурісаl Іtаlіаn tоwn, wіth thе ‘usuаl’ rаngе оf ріаzzаs аnd сhurсhеs, hіstоrісаl buіldіngs аnd а рlеаsаnt hіstоrісаl сеntrе tо ехрlоrе. Ноwеvеr, Rаvеnnа hаs sоmеthіng ехtrа tо оffеr.

Тhе сіtу wаs а vеrу іmроrtаnt саріtаl іn Еurоре аrоund thе 5th-6th сеnturу, аnd mаnу іmроrtаnt rеlіgіоus mоnumеnts wеrе соnstruсtеd аt thаt tіmе, аnd mаnу оf thеm adorned with spectacular mosaics – because there are eight major historical monuments in Ravenna in this period that together are listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Аlthоugh thе tоwn іs bеst knоwn fоr thеsе hіstоrісаl buіldіngs аnd thе vеrу fіnе mоsаісs thеу соntаіn, Rаvеnnа аlsо hаs mаnу оthеr buіldіngs аnd sіghts оf іntеrеst аnd іs аlsо јust а соuрlе kіlоmеtrеs frоm sеvеrаl рорulаr соаstаl rеsоrts аnd lоng sаndу bеасhеs.

Rаvеnnа іs оn thе tоurіst mар fоr оnе rеаsоn: іts 1,500-уеаr-оld сhurсhеs, dесоrаtеd wіth bеst-іn-thе-Wеst Вуzаntіnе mоsаісs. Κnоwn іn Rоmаn tіmеs аs Сlаssе, thе tоwn wаs аn іmреrіаl роrt fоr thе bіg nаvаl flееt. Вrіеflу а саріtаl оf еаstеrn Rоmе durіng іts аutumn, Rаvеnnа wаs tаkеn bу thе bаrbаrіаns. Тhеn, іn А.D. 540, thе Вуzаntіnе еmреrоr Јustіnіаn turnеd Rаvеnnа tо thе wеstеrnmоst ріllаr оf thе Вуzаntіnе Еmріrе. А ріnnасlе оf сulturе іn thаt аgе, Rаvеnnа wаs а lіght іn Еurоре’s Dаrk Аgеs. Тwо hundrеd уеаrs lаtеr, thе Lоmbаrds bооtеd thе Вуzаntіnеs оut, аnd Rаvеnnа mеltеd іntо thе bасkwаtеrs оf mеdіеvаl Іtаlу, stауіng оut оf hіstоrісаl sіght fоr а thоusаnd уеаrs.

Тоdау thе lосаl mаrkеt bооms wіth bіg сhеmісаl іndustrу, thе dіsсоvеrу оf оffshоrе gаs dероsіts, аnd thе buіldіng оf а nеw shір саnаl. The bustling town center is Italy’s best for bicyclists. Lосаls gо аbоut thеіr busіnеss, whіlе buslоаds оf tоurіsts slіdе quіеtlу іn аnd оut оf tоwn fоr thе bеst lооk аt thе glоrіеs оf Вуzаntіum thіs sіdе оf Іstаnbul.

Rаvеnnа іs јust а 90-mіnutе dеtоur frоm thе mаіn VеnісFlоrеnсе trаіn lіnе аnd wоrth thе еffоrt fоr thоsе іntеrеstеd іn оld mоsаісs. Whіlе іts sіghts dоn’t mеrіt аn оvеrnіght stор, mаnу fіnd thе trаnquіl сhаrm оf thе untоurіstу аnd сlаssу tоwn mаkеs іt а nісе surрrіsе іn thеіr Іtаlіаn wаndеrіng.

А vіsіt tо Rаvеnnа саn bе аs shоrt аs а thrее-hоur lоор іn thе trаіn stаtіоn. Frоm thе stаtіоn, wаlk strаіght dоwn Vіаlе Fаrіnі іntо Ріаzzа dеl Ророlо. Тhіs squаrе wаs buіlt іn аbоut 1500, durіng а 60-уеаr реrіоd оnсе Vеnісе rulеd thе tоwn. Undеr thе Vеnеtіаn аrсhіtесturе, thе реорlе оf Rаvеnnа соllесt hеrе аs thеу hаvе fоr сеnturіеs. Моst sіghts аrе wіthіn а fеw mіnutеs’ wаlks оf Ріаzzа dеl Ророlо.

А rіght оn Vіа ІV Νоvеmbrе tаkеs уоu а blосk іntо thе vіbrаnt соvеrеd mаrkеtрlасе, Меrсаtо Сореrtо (grеаt fоr рісnіс fіхіngs). Rаvеnnа’s twо mоst іmроrtаnt sіghts, Ваsіlіса dі Ѕаn Vіtаlе аnd thе Маusоlеum оf Gаllа Рlасіdіа, аrе twо blосks аwау dоwn Vіа Ѕаn Vіtаlе. Моst sіghts сlоsе еаrlу іn thе оff-sеаsоn wіntеr mоnths; рісk uр а sсhеdulе frоm thе ТІ whеn уоu аrrіvе.

Тhе Ваsіlіса dі Ѕаn Vіtаlе, аt 1,400 уеаrs оld, іs іmрrеssіvе еnоugh bу іtsеlf. Ноwеvеr, tо sее іts brіllіаnt mоsаісs stіll соnvеуіng thе іntеndеd fееlіng thаt “thіs реасе аnd stаbіlіtу wаs brоught tо уоu bу уоur еmреrоr аnd bу Gоd” іs rаrе indeed. Ѕtudу thе sсеnеs оf ароstlеs, thе lаmb оn thе twіnklу сеіlіng, thе bеаrdlеss Сhrіst аstrіdе bluе еаrth, аnd Еmреrоr Јustіnіаn аnd hіs wіfе Тhеоdоrа (аn аggrеssіvе Соnstаntіnорlе shоwgіrl whо еmрlоуеd аll оf hеr сhаrms tо асquіrе роwеr tоgеthеr аnd еvеn оvеr hеr еmреrоr husbаnd) іn thеіr lаvіsh соurt. Ѕаn Vіtаlе саn bе sееn аs thе lаst оf thе аnсіеnt Rоmаn аrt аnd thе fіrst оf thе Сhrіstіаn еrа. Тhіs сhurсh wаs thе рrоtоtуре fоr Соnstаntіnорlе’s Наgіа Ѕорhіа buіlt tеn уеаrs lаtеr, аnd іt іnsріrеd Сhаrlеmаgnе tо buіld thе fіrst grеаt сhurсh іn nоrthеrn Еurоре in his capital of Aix-la-Chapelle, now present-day Aachen.

 

Why you should see Ravenna?

You know what they say; “you never know how beautiful Europe is until you visit Italy”. To cap that, you never know how hospitable or how good Italians are at cooking until you visit Ravenna. No matter what you might’ve heard about other cities in Italy, Ravenna is where you can experience how truly amazing Italy is.

Whether you are looking for the magnificence of Italian culture or tasty Italian delicacy, you will find it in Ravenna. According to most tourists who have visited this amazing Italian city, Ravenna is like a home away from home. No other place in Italy or even Europe is like Ravenna; you will be totally blown away by the magnificence of its mosaics and the hospitality of the residents will leave you breathless.

Ravenna is one of the best places in Italy to explore its history. The city is over 1500 years old. It was a cultural and economic hub in the 5th and 6th century. You would be able to still notice the brilliant architecture of those times. If you want to move away from the tried and tested tourist cities, Ravenna is one of the perfect options for you which would help you in exploring the corner of Italy.

Ravenna recently became one of the most touristic cities in Italy thanks to an amazing and attractive integration of history, culture, music and gastronomy life. In addition, Ravenna is the not only perfect destination for couples that love history and culture, in Ravenna, you can find great attractions for your kids.

Ravenna is located in the Emilia-Romagna region. The Mosaics in the town have been awarded the UNESCO World Heritage site status. Normally, you would not find this city on the usual tourist circuit and it is only frequented by tourists who want to actually explore the history of Italy. This, however, means that it is a hidden treasure if you want to move away from the crowds and if you want to get the local feel as you would be able to easily interact with the locals. The locals are very friendly which would ensure that you are able to easily explore the culture and way of life in Italy. The town is best to explore early in the morning when there are absolutely no tourists around. Most of the tourists to arrive in this town, stick to a couple of main attractions and do not really explore the town.

We would discuss the entire details of the town right from the weather to the tourist attractions which you should visit in order to help you out in exploring this beautiful town.

 

Ravenna is an extraordinary little city. Though this city may not be big or famous as Naples, Rome, Venice, or even Florence but it is still one of the tourist most preferred destination in Europe. Apart from its beauty and hospitality, it boasts of 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites as well as other important cultural monuments which you must see.

Moreover, there are ancient cultures and histories which have been traced to Ravenna; after all, this amazing little city was the capital for three times of three different empires: the kingdom of Theodoric, the Western Roman Empire, the king of the Goth, and of the Byzantine Empire in Europe.

Additionally, Ravenna is a city of canals and has seaports that are connected to the sea by a canal. You will be left breathless by the old architectures along the old canals as well as in the old city center. There are hundreds of places you can explore in Ravenna such as the winding narrow streets and alleys that are dotted with cafes, and shops and great old architectures.

During summertime, you can get the richest cuisine in Europe in Ravenna; there are also beaches, amazing hotels, tour guides, excellent transportation network, and everything to make your dream vacation in Europe an amazing experience. This city is so amazing that most tourists who have visited Ravenna believed that Italy won’t be the same without Ravenna. The experience you will get by being in this city can’t be topped anywhere else in Europe.

In this article, we will try to cover up any question that you can think about and point you best points to see, eating guide, how to get to Ravenna and of course top hotels in Ravenna guide.

Top Places You Must See In Ravenna

Whether you are looking for the magnificence of Italian culture or tasty Italian delicacy, you will find it in Ravenna. According to most tourists who have visited this amazing Italian city, Ravenna is like a home away from home. No other place in Italy or even Europe is like Ravenna; you will be totally blown away by the magnificence of its mosaics and the hospitality of the residents will leave you breathless.

Ravenna does not only boast of great foods and good heart, they also have the most amazing history. This city was the seat of one of the most powerful sixth-century kings, Theodoric the Great. Again, Ravenna was also the seat of another influential leader; Byzantine governor. You can still see how the city was influenced heavily by the Byzantine art when you visit Ravenna.

What brought Ravenna to the limelight was their intricate mosaic work. You can see some of these mosaic works in Ravenna, especially in some building in Ravenna that forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Where to See in Ravenna

Perhaps, this is the most attractive factor in Ravenna, when it comes to places you can see while you are in Italy, Ravenna boast of hundreds of places you can see and be amazed. There are architectures, cultures, arts, and even monuments dating from the 5th and 6th century you can see in Ravenna. Like we mentioned above, this city has 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites and you will have an opportunity to see them all.

To be able to see the best Ravenna has to offer, you will need to plan your visit. Plan to see Ravenna over two to five separate days.

We have compiled the list of best places and the most beautiful attractions sites in Ravenna. The list below will help you see the best Ravenna has to offer.

Here are the best 11 places you have to see while you are visiting Ravenna, look at the table below for specific opening hours.

 

Neonian Baptistery

Even if you have been to the most exotic place on earth, I bet you will still be left breathless by the beauty and the magnificent art you will behold in Neonian Baptistery. This location is the perfect place to start your Ravenna tour; it is indeed one of the most awesome places you can see in Ravenna.

Neonian Baptistery is a fifth-century brick baptistery in the heart of Ravenna. It is octagonal in shape and one of the oldest buildings in the city. This place has its splendor under the reign of Theodoric.

Neonian Baptistery is considered as the Catholic answer to the Arian heresy and it is one of the surviving early Christian baptisteries today. You will be amazed by the intricate mosaics that line the dome of this building.

Neonian Baptistery is located in Piazza Duomo 1, Ravenna. You can trek to this baptistery from the city center. Neonian Baptistery is open every day from 9 am to 7 pm and tickets are sold for 9,50€. There are some changes in the opening time and dates so please be update here for any change 

If you want to do a virtual tour of the neonian Baptistery you can find it here

If you want to learn more about Neonia Baptistery before visiting you should check what Wikipedia has to say about it

Basilica di San Vitale

It is said that Italians have a thing for octagonal-shaped building and this is true, just like Neonian Baptistery has an octagonal-shaped building, this building also was designed in such an impressive way. The beauty on the outside was nothing to be compared to what lie inside; you will be completely blown away by how beautiful the interior of this basilica is.

Basilica di San Vitale was built in Ravenna in the first half of the 6th century and up till today, this building still acts as one of the most important examples of early Christian Byzantine art and architecture in Western Europe. The basilica has a lot of Christian symbols among which is a labyrinth that symbolizes the path of salvation from the sin to the purification.

The decoration of San Vitale is based on mosaic apart from a few Baroque frescoes that were added to the dome. You can see tons of arts and paintings inside the building. Most of these arts and paintings have the deep meaning which can be explained to you by your tour guide.

If you were to pick a single best attraction of Ravenna which can represent the entire city this one would be it. Over the years, the state has almost become synonymous with Ravenna. The exterior itself is pretty brilliantly done with the help of marble work as wells mosaics.

The construction of the church is clear depictions of Empress Theodora as well as Emperor Justinian along with other Royals.

Basilica di San Vitale is located in Via Argentario 22, Ravenna. If you are staying in any hotel in the center of Ravenna, you can get to this location by feet. It opens every day from 9 am to 7 pm and the tickets are sold for just 9,50€  please be updated here for any changes in opening times. 

You need to, however, keep in mind that when you’re visiting the site, you have to visit it on any other day than Sunday. It is closed for tourists on Sunday.

 

If you want to do a virtual tour of the San Vitale you can find it here

If you want to learn more about Neonia Baptistery before visiting you should check what Wikipedia has to say about it

You can watch the amazing video Here about San Vitale:

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

Your next stop after basking in the glory of San Vitale should be Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. This place has a simple exterior which somehow hides the wonderful mosaics and the beauty that can be seen inside. It was built by Emperor Honorius who transferred the capital of his empire from Milan to Ravenna in the honor of his sister Galla Placidia.

On the low arches and the domes of the building, you will see an amazing and careful lining of fifth-century mosaics that still looks untouched. These mosaics were made of tesserae. On the door of the building is a painting of Christ as the Good Shepherd and this painting was surrounded by the sheep designed with mosaics. Additionally, you will also see arts of the ox, eagle, lion, an angel that represented the four evangelists.

This building is one of UNESCO heritage site located in Ravenna, there are still more seven of such sites you can see in Ravenna. Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is located in Via Giuliano Argentario, Ravenna. You can visit this place on feet from the city center. The building is open every day for tourists from 9 am to 7 pm and the tickets are sold for just 9,50 € please be updated for changes.

It is actually a tomb of a lady known by the name of Galla Placidia. It is, in fact, pretty tiny.

The only reason this building was constructed is that it  was close to the European Royals.

The carving inside as well as the architecture is pretty beautiful.

When you try to get inside, make sure that there is no other tourist group inside otherwise it can get pretty cramped.

If you want to do a virtual tour of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia you can find it here

If you want to learn more about Neonia Baptistery before visiting you should check what Wikipedia has to say about it

Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo

When you are in Italy, especially in Ravenna, there are many things you might miss, but one of them shouldn’t be Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo. Here, you will see how men utilized their talent to do justice to this magnificent edifice. It is on the record that this chapel has the greatest cycle of mosaics in the world.

Guess who built this Basilica? It was almighty Theodoric himself during the first quarter of the 6th century. He built it as his personal cathedral.  The cathedral was dedicated in 504 AD to “Christ the Redeemer”.

The walls of this building were designed and divided into three distinct strips of mosaics: the highest one represents the life of Christ, the one in the center represents the Saints and the Prophets, while the last one, which is the lowest strip represents the famous people of Theodoric.

Some of the arts on the building showing the Emperor and other characters covered with white drapes were removed when the basilica was passed down from Arian cult to Catholic Church. You can also see the portrait of the port of Classe on the opposite wall; this port serves as one of the most important Mediterranean seas during the Roman Empire.

Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo is indeed a great sight to behold, the design here will leave you speechless. It is uniquely located on Via di Roman 52, Ravenna. It is opened every day from 9 am to 7 pm and the ticket goes for just 9.50.

If you want to do a virtual tour of the Mausoleum of Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo you can find it here

If you want to learn more about Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo before visiting you should check what Wikipedia has to say about it

The Mausoleum of Theodoric

No history of Ravenna can be completed without the mention of one of the greatest emperor of all time, the Great Theodoric himself. The legend had it that the red porphyry tub on the top floor of this mausoleum is the same place the great emperor took his last breath on earth.

According to the legend of this king who ruled Italy for 33 years and brought peace, wealth, and tolerance to the country, he was afraid of thunderstorm so he sought shelter in his mausoleum, but as he was taking his bath, he was struck by a lightning and a black horse arrived and threw him in the Etna Volcano!

The mausoleum is a monumental two-story rotunda the barbarian emperor planned for himself before his death. Today, it serves as one of the many UNESCO heritage sites in Ravenna. The architecture is truly amazing; it was built of marble and capped by a single stone that is over ten meters in diameter. This single stone weighs about 3,000 tons.

This tomb is at the end of the UNESCO World Heritage site.It is the tomb of Theodoric and was constructed around 520 AD.The unique thing about this building is that the entire top of the building is constructed from a single stone.The upper floors are also easily accessible.

The Mausoleum of Theodoric is located on Via delle Industrie 14. It is open for tourists every day from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm. The ticket cost just €4.

If you want to do a virtual tour of the Mausoleum of The Mausoleum of Theodoric you can find it here

If you want to learn more about The Mausoleum of Theodoric before visiting you should check what Wikipedia has to say about it

 

Arian Baptistery

 

During the time Theodoric was ruling Italy, Arian was the official religion of Italians. Thus, the great emperor built the Arian baptistery next to his cathedral. However, this place would later become an oratory dedicated to the Virgin Mary known as the Santa Maria in Cosmedin.

The Arian religion was considered by the Catholic Church to be a heresy because of their conviction that Jesus Christ was human until baptism. Today, you can still see the mosaics design on the walls of this baptistery celebrating the baptism. This image of Christ during his baptism is surrounded by the mosaic images of Christ’s 12 apostles and a throne with a cross.

Arian Baptistery is located in Piazzetta degli Ariani. You can even reach this location by foot if you are coming from the center of Ravenna. It is open for tourists from 9 am to 7:30 pm every day. No need to buy a ticket, you can come and visit for free.

If you want to do a virtual tour of the Mausoleum of The Arian Baptistery you can find it here

If you want to learn more about Arian Baptistery before visiting you should check what Wikipedia has to say about it

Museo Nazionale (National Museum)

The National Museum is located close to the Basilica of San Vitale. This means you can actually visit these two locations the same day while you are enjoying your time in Ravenna. This museum houses some of the most ancient of Ravenna’s art and culture. If you truly want to learn the history of this city, you must ensure that you visit this museum before concluding your tour of Ravenna.

Once inside, you can the cloisters of the former Benedictine Monastery. Additionally, you will excellent collections of textiles, icons, carved ivories, and ancient weapons from the Coptic to Renaissance periods. Another interesting thing to see in this museum is the cycle of 14th-century frescoes of Santa Chiara; this was taken from the convent church of the Poor Clares in Ravenna.

Museo Nazionale is located in Via San Vitale 17. 

If you want to learn more about Arian Baptistery before visiting you should check what Wikipedia has to say about it

 

 

Dante’s Tomb – Mausoleum

 

The interior of this baptistery is decorated with mosaics and carving of the 5th century. It has been renovated over the years.

The shape of the building is octagonal. The marble work of that time is clearly visible in the building.

If you want to learn more about Dante’s Tomb – Mausoleum before visiting you should check what Wikipedia has to say about it

Cappella Arcivescovile:

It is a 6th-century chapel which has been recently renovated.

 

MAR – RAVENNA ART MUSEUM

If you want to explore the art in Italy, this is one of the best art galleries which you can visit in town.

Instead of just having a temporary collection, it also has a pretty vast permanent collection.

These are some of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. In addition to that, if you’re looking at other museums as well as churches, there are plenty of them.

 

Weather in Ravenna and best season to travel

The weather in Ravenna would be peaking in temperatures around July and August. These are the months when there is also maximum humidity and the maximum chances of rain.

During the months of January to May, the temperature would hover anywhere between 40°F to 70°F. Similarly, after the month of August, the temperatures or you can start falling from 75°F to 40°F.

Thus, leaving the 2 months of July and August, for most of the months the temperatures here are pretty comfortable and you would not have to worry about rain as well.

Best time to visit:

When you’re visiting Ravenna, it is important to avoid the monsoon months of July and August.

If you need temperatures to be a bit on the warmer side, September is the perfect option for you.

If you’re looking for slightly colder temperatures, April and May are good enough option is for you.

You need to keep in mind that Ravenna is not on the tourist’s track and therefore, the crowds are always less.

We recommend you to read out complete Ravenna’s weather guide for tourist 

If you want to enjoy the local Ravenna Festival, you can visit at the end of June. The festival is conducted from mid-June to mid-July. A lot of local events are also held during this festival.

Where to Stay in Ravenna

You probably need to book a hotel before visiting Ravenna. Fortunately, Ravenna has a cluster of 5-star and affordable hotels. You can also find guest hours to sleep if you are on a budget.

We will recommend that you choose any of the hotels in the city center. Most of these hotels come at affordable prices and they will allow you to visit any of these places mentioned above on foot. Check out our article on top hotels in Ravenna to get a good idea of the best place to stay while you are visiting Ravenna.

We made a super informative guide that helps you choose the best hotel in Ravenna, you can click here to find it.

Getting to Ravenna:

Ravenna is well connected from different cities around the country.

We would highlight the different options which you have in order to reach the city.

Traveling by car:

You can pick the road on A14. Once you’re on A14, you have to take the A14D. The road would end a few kilometers before Ravenna and thereafter you have to follow the sign boards in order to reach the town.

It is also a good idea to have a map, even when you’re going by road.

Traveling by train:

Ravenna is well connected by trains with Bologna and Rimini. However, the time which trains take is often more.

Traveling by Bus:

If you’re looking for a more affordable means of transport, you can easily catch a bus from any of the bigger towns in Italy. At the most, it would be costing you around € 10. However, the bus services are not punctual.

Traveling by plane:

If you’re looking at the nearest airport, it is in the town of Forli which is served by Ryanair. If you’re looking for some of the full-service airlines through which you can get to Ravenna, then you would have to take a flight to Bologna which is at a distance of 80 km from Ravenna. However, these full-service carriers are actually pretty expensive.

Traveling by cruise ship:

Not each and every Mediterranean cruise would be stopping by Ravenna. However, there are few which would drop you at Porto Corsini for a day which is 15 km apart from the city. Most of the cruise liners would be offering you some kind of transportation to the city. This would ensure that you would be able to easily explore the city.

If you’re looking for local guides also, it can be a good idea to book one in advance.

Oftentimes, the tours are included along with:

-Bologna

-San Marino

This town has a lot of tourist attractions which you can visit.

We would go into some of the tourist attractions which you should definitely not miss.

Visiting the tourist attractions:

The tourist attractions in the city are open long hours during the day. Most of them have the same opening and closing times.

If you want to explore the city to the maximum, it is a good idea to devote 2 days at least to the city.

Special events that you should not miss:

Wine tasting around Ravenna:

The region around Ravenna, consist of a lot of vineyards. If you look at the two most famous wines of the region, you would be able to come across, Centesimino and Uva Longanesi. They are normally used by the local citizens. They are not widely known all over the world. In order to taste the wine, you can head to the winery in Bertinoro with the name of Paradiso. You would be able to explore the locally made wine when you’re at this place.

So, even though Ravenna might not be one of the biggest cities in Italy but if you want to explore the culture as well as the history of Italy, it is one of the best cities to visit. Moreover, it is not as expensive as the other cities in Italy and you can easily cover it in a couple of days.

Ravenna festival

The Ravenna Festival is a late spring celebration of musical drama and traditional music (and move, jazz, ethnic, melodic theater, expressive dance, consecrated music, electronic music, dramatization, film, in addition to traditions and presentations) held in the city of Ravenna, Italy and the encompassing zone every June and July.

It was established in 1990 by Maria Cristina Mazzavilani, the spouse of conductor Riccardo Muti, who shows up there.

Other surely understood conductors who have shown up at the Festival incorporate Pierre Boulez, Claudio Abbado, Chung, Gavazzeni, Lorin Maazel, Valery Gergiev, Zubin Mehta, Georg Solti, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Carlos Kleiber, and Georges Prêtre. The Festival additionally offers operatic creations in the Teatro Comunale Alighieri, and in addition to exhibitions of jazz and prevalent music.

You can read more about this amazing festival and be updated about the shows in the official Ravenna festival website

And you can always check what wikipedia has to say about this festival

Ravenna For kids and families

You can find attractions for kids also in the area of Ravenna. The most recommended places for kids are the park and the beach, best places to visit with your kids!

 

Eating  in Ravenna:

if you’re looking at a restaurant and cafes in the city, there are not a lot of options.

Some of the prominent options which you can visit are:

-Ristorante La Gardela

-Bars in Piazza del Popolo

-Sorbetteria Degli Esarchi Ice Cream Store

-Restaurant in Albergo Cappello

We made a great list of the best Ravenna’s restaurants  here

These are some of the prominent options which you have in the city in order to have delicious meals.

 

Getting around in Ravenna:

One of the best things about the city is that you can easily walk around the city. It is basically a walker’s paradise. Each and everything is nearby.

If you’re going to some of the tourist destinations which are outside the city, you can easily rent cars.

Cars are a solution for tourists who want to taste the area of Ravenna even more and not concentrate in the city. Rent a car in Ravenna is a great solution for families.

However, you have to keep in mind that in some of the areas, cars are not allowed. You have to find out about this in advance.

Another problem which you would have in renting the cars is that finding the parking would be very difficult. Even if you’re finding the parking, it can be expensive at € 2.5 per hour. That is why, unless and until you’re not having an extreme necessity of renting a car, you should just explore the destinations nearby as they are at a walkable distance.

Cities around Ravenna:

If you’re looking to explore a couple of cities around Ravenna, then you can explore the following two cities which we would be highlighting.

  1. Bologna:

    The city is at a distance of 80 km and is a pretty famous city in the tourist circuit. There are plenty of places which allow you to explore the city. The only problem is that when you’re taking a train to the city, it can often take a pretty long period of time as the trains are pretty slow.

  2. Ferrara:

    If you further want to explore the culture of Italy, this is another option which you have got. Around the city, you would be able to find even smaller towns in the vicinity. A single day trip would help you in covering the entire city. Moreover, it is closer to the Adriatic coast. That is why you would be able to find plenty of seaside resorts to relax. If you’re looking for the seaside resort, Rimini is a quite good option. If you’re looking for a seaside resort in Ravenna itself, you can visit the Marina di Ravenna. You can easily explore the town with the help of a bicycle. The town is pretty quiet and therefore, exploring it becomes much easier for you.

    Beaches around Ravenna:

Conclusion

We hope that you learn more about your this amazing city, if you have any question don’t hesitate to contact us.

You can find here super useful resources that help you plan your next trip to this beautiful city.

About us

We are here to help you learn and read about the beautiful city of Ravenna and prepare for your visit. 

This blog is edited by Rachel Tate, A fashion and big traveler. 

Reach Out to [email protected]

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