What to see in Ravenna in 2 days: itinerary through Byzantine mosaics and Dante's memory

Why visit Ravenna in 2 days

Ravenna is the city of mosaics, and not just any mosaics: those shining here for sixteen centuries are the finest and best preserved in the world. Three times a capital (of the Western Roman Empire, of Odoacer and Theodoric, and of the Byzantine Exarchate), it holds eight UNESCO monuments and the tomb of the supreme poet Dante Alighieri. Two days are the right time to let yourself be dazzled by the gold of the mosaics and discover a city on a human scale.

Day 1: the UNESCO mosaics of the centre

Morning (3-4 hours)

Begin at the Basilica of San Vitale, the masterpiece of Byzantine art in the West. The apse mosaics depicting Justinian and Theodora are breathtakingly beautiful: the colours after 1,500 years glow as if laid yesterday. Allow at least 45 minutes.

In the same complex, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia looks modest outside but inside is a sky of golden stars on cobalt blue. It is Ravenna's oldest mosaic (5th century) and also the most moving. Entry is timed: arrive early.

• Basilica of San Vitale: 45 minutes
• Mausoleum of Galla Placidia: 20 minutes
• National Museum (same complex): 45 minutes

Continue to the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, commissioned by Theodoric in the 6th century. The central nave is flanked by two mosaic processions: 26 martyrs and 22 virgins advancing towards Christ and the Virgin. The refinement is hypnotic.

Afternoon (3 hours)

Visit the Neonian Baptistery (5th century), Ravenna's oldest monument: the mosaic dome with the Baptism of Christ is a gem. Then the Arian Baptistery, built by Theodoric for the Arian faith, with a similar but subtly different baptism mosaic.

Reach Dante's Tomb on Via Dante Alighieri. The supreme poet died in Ravenna in 1321 and rests here, far from the Florence that had exiled him. The votive lamp burns oil offered by Florence every year: a centuries-old gesture of atonement.

Hidden gem: the Classense Library, in the Camaldolese monastery beside San Vitale, holds Dante manuscripts and a Baroque hall of rare beauty. Entry is free.

Evening

Dinner around Piazza del Popolo. Try cappelletti in brodo (round here, not square like tortellini), piadina romagnola filled with squacquerone and rocket, and passatelli in brodo.

Day 2: monumental outskirts and the sea

Morning (3 hours)

Devote the morning to monuments outside the centre. The Mausoleum of Theodoric, a 15-minute walk from the station, is an Istrian stone monolith with a 300-tonne dome carved from a single block. How the Goths lifted that weight remains a mystery.

Then take bus 4 (20 minutes) to the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, near the ancient port. The apse with its Transfiguration mosaic set in a flowering meadow is one of the absolute masterpieces of mosaic art: the light entering through the side windows animates the tesserae, creating an effect no photograph can capture.

• Mausoleum of Theodoric: 30 minutes
• Sant'Apollinare in Classe: 1 hour
• Archaeological area of the Port of Classe: 45 minutes

Afternoon (3 hours)

Back in the centre, explore lesser-known Ravenna. The Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra, beneath the church of Sant'Eufemia, preserves 5th-6th century mosaic floors discovered in 1993: 14 rooms with extraordinary polychrome mosaics that few tourists visit.

Finish with the Archbishop's Chapel in the Archiepiscopal Museum, the only UNESCO monument with a separate ticket. The ivory throne of Maximian (6th century) is the highlight.

Hidden gem: TAMO (Tutta l'Avventura del Mosaico), an interactive museum in the former church of San Nicolo explaining mosaic techniques from antiquity to today. You can even try hands-on workshops.

Evening

Last evening in Ravenna. Stroll through the illuminated streets and stop at the Bottega del Mosaico to watch the artisans at work. Seafood dinner at Marina di Ravenna (15 minutes by bus) or at trattorias in the centre with tagliatelle al ragu and Romagna wines.

Practical tips

Ravenna is best explored by bicycle: it is flat with cycle paths everywhere. The combined ticket (13 euro) includes San Vitale, Galla Placidia, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Neonian Baptistery and Archbishop's Chapel. Free parking on the ring road. For the sea, Marina di Ravenna is 10 km away.

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