What to Do in Ravenna in 2 Days: Complete Itinerary — Mosaics, Dante and Food

What to Do in Ravenna in 2 Days: Complete Itinerary — Mosaics, Dante and Food

Ravenna is one of those Italian cities that always surprises. It doesn't have Florence's crowds or Rome's fame, but what it holds is simply unique in the world: Ravenna's late-antique and early Christian mosaics are UNESCO World Heritage Sites — and they're alive, not dusty. Two days are the bare minimum to do them justice. Here's how to use them well.

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Before you go: practical information

How to get to Ravenna

• From Rimini by train: 50–60 minutes, ~€5 (regional)
• From Bologna by train: 1h20, ~€10
• From Cesena: 30 minutes by train
• By car from Bologna: 75 km, A14 + ring road, ~1h15

Getting around Ravenna

Ravenna's old town is compact and pedestrian-friendly. Most monuments are reachable on foot from the centre. A bike is even better:

• Bike rental: many points in the centre, ~€10–15/day
• Car parking: large paid car park near the station, ~€1/hour
• TPR bus: useful for reaching peripheral areas

The Ravenna Card

If you're visiting multiple monuments, the Ravenna Card (available at the tourist office or online) includes entry to San Vitale, Battistero Neoniano, Mausoleo di Galla Placidia, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, the Archbishop's Museum and Battistero degli Ariani.

• Price: ~€12 (adult) / ~€6 (children/reduced)
• Valid for multiple days
• Savings compared to individual tickets: ~40%

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Day 1: the mosaics and the old town

Morning (9:00 AM–1:00 PM): the UNESCO heart

9:00 AM — Basilica di San Vitale Start here. San Vitale is the absolute masterpiece: built in the 6th century AD, it houses mosaics of a quality and chromatic vibrancy that, even after 1,500 years, leave you breathless. The panels showing Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora are among the most important artworks in the world. Spend at least 45 minutes here.

• Entry: included in the Ravenna Card
• Individual ticket: ~€3.50
• Hours: open from 9:00 AM

10:00 AM — Mausoleo di Galla Placidia Steps from San Vitale, this small building hides the most beautiful starry sky in Italy: the deep blue mosaic vault with golden stars is one of the most intense visual experiences in the country. Brief but extraordinarily powerful.

• Entry: included in Ravenna Card, booking required (limited to 16 people per slot)
• Visit duration: 15–20 minutes

10:30 AM — National Museum of Ravenna Next to San Vitale, it houses collections from late antiquity, the medieval period and the Renaissance. Excellent for contextualising what you've seen. Can be skipped if short on time.

11:30 AM — Battistero Neoniano Italy's oldest baptistery (5th century AD) and the most beautiful. The mosaic dome depicting the Baptism of Christ surrounded by the Apostles is perfectly preserved. Unlike San Vitale, the atmosphere here is more intimate and contemplative.

• Entry: included in Ravenna Card
• Duration: 20–30 minutes

Lunch (1:00 PM–2:30 PM)

Ravenna has a gastronomic tradition that's less "touristy" than Rimini — in a good way. Prices are more honest.

Where to eat:

• Ravenna Covered Market (Piazza Andrea Costa): open for lunch, stalls with piadine, local charcuterie and cheeses. Full meal €8–12.
• Trattorias on Via Cavour: the main pedestrian street has several small restaurants with a set menu for €12–15
• Piadinerie: in the city centre, piadina with local produce €4–6

What to eat in Ravenna:

• Cappelletti in broth (the local stuffed pasta)
• Piadina with squacquerone and Parma ham
• Adriatic fish brodetto (in fish restaurants)

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Afternoon (2:30 PM–6:30 PM): Dante and the medieval city

2:30 PM — Dante's Tomb Dante Alighieri died in Ravenna in 1321 and is buried here — not in Florence, which occasionally still tries to reclaim him. The tomb is simple, austere, deeply moving. Outside the tomb stands the votive lamp that has burned since 1908, fuelled with oil donated each year by the city of Florence as an act of atonement.

• Entry: free
• Duration: 15–20 minutes
• Note: Florence is "in debt" to Ravenna — this is one of the most fascinating chapters of Italian literary rivalry

3:00 PM — Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo Built by Theodoric in 500 AD, it houses the central nave mosaics with the famous "procession" of virgins and martyrs — a musaic sequence of extraordinary elegance. Different from San Vitale: more sober, more narrative.

• Entry: included in Ravenna Card
• Duration: 30–40 minutes

4:00 PM — Archbishop's Museum and Cappella di Sant'Andrea Small but precious: it preserves the Throne of Maximian (6th century), a masterpiece of ivory carving, and the Cappella di Sant'Andrea with wonderful mosaics. Less visited than the other sites — enjoy the relative tranquillity.

• Entry: included in Ravenna Card
• Duration: 30 minutes

5:00 PM — Strolling the city centre Ravenna has a very pleasant old town. Take time for:

• Piazza del Popolo: the main square, with the two Venetian columns
• Via Cavour: the pedestrian shopping street
• Giardino Speyer: small green park near Dante's Tomb

6:00 PM — Battistero degli Ariani Often overlooked by hurried tourists, this 5th-century baptistery is a hidden gem: the mosaic dome is perfectly intact and of great beauty. It's also free — no small advantage.

• Entry: free
• Location: slightly off-centre from the UNESCO cluster, 10 minutes on foot

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Evening: where to have dinner and what to do after dark

Aperitivo: bars in Piazza del Popolo and along Via Cavour do excellent aperitivi from 6:30 PM. Prices are significantly lower than the coast — spritz at €5–6.

Dinner:

• For fish: the harbour canal area and Piazza Andrea Costa (10 min from the centre)
• For traditional Romagnolo cuisine: trattorias in the Borgo San Biagio neighbourhood
• Dinner budget: €15–25 per person including wine

After dinner: Ravenna isn't Riccione — nightlife here means culture, not clubs. Outdoor concerts, open-air cinema in summer, theatres. In summer there's often something on at Rocca Brancaleone (the ancient Venetian walls host events and festivals).

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Day 2: beyond the centre — Sant'Apollinare in Classe and the Delta

Morning (9:00 AM–12:00 PM): the basilica outside the city

Sant'Apollinare in Classe The masterpiece that hurried tourists often skip — an unforgivable mistake. Just 5 km from Ravenna's centre, this 6th-century basilica has the most imposing apse mosaic in all of Romagna: the great medallion with Saint Apollinaris among the lambs, against an otherworldly emerald green background.

• How to get there: TPR bus from the station (15 min), bike (20 min), car (10 min)
• Entry: ~€5 (not included in the standard Ravenna Card — check current terms)
• Duration: 30–45 minutes
• Tip: go early in the morning before tour groups arrive

Mid-morning: the Classe pine forest and the Delta

After the basilica, the Classe pine forest — the same forest praised by Dante in the Divine Comedy (Purgatorio, Canto XXVIII) — is reachable on bike or on foot. It's a maritime pine forest stretching for kilometres: cool, silent, extraordinary.

If you have a car, you can venture to the Po Delta and the Valle di Comacchio: flamingos, eels, lagoon villages. A landscape completely unlike anywhere else in Romagna.

Lunch: in Ravenna or towards the delta

• In Ravenna: covered market restaurants, budget €10–15
• In Comacchio (if you're there): marinated eel and delta brodetto — a unique experience

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Afternoon (2:00 PM–6:00 PM): lesser-known sites and exhibitions

Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra Discovered in the 1990s during construction work, this late-antique domus (5th–6th century AD) is preserved beneath a city-centre church. The polychrome mosaic floors are extraordinarily beautiful and almost entirely unknown to visitors.

• Entry: ~€4
• Duration: 30 minutes

MAR — Ravenna City Art Museum The civic museum hosts good temporary exhibitions and a permanent collection of modern and contemporary art. Check what's on during your visit.

• Entry: ~€9 (includes temporary exhibitions)

Street art in the Ponte Marino neighbourhood Ravenna has a vibrant street art scene. The area around Via Ponte Marino features works by international artists. A small detour off the standard tourist route.

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Ravenna with children

Ravenna is better suited to older children (8+) for the historical sites. However:

• The Classe pine forest is perfect for all ages
• The Comacchio valleys with flamingos fascinate children enormously
• The National Museum has educational workshops for schools and families
• The Po Delta with boat rides through the canals is a unique experience

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Daily budget in Ravenna

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FAQ

How many hours do you need to see Ravenna? To see the main UNESCO sites you need at least 4–5 hours. To explore Ravenna properly, two full days is ideal.

Is the Ravenna Card worth it? Yes, almost always. If you visit San Vitale, Galla Placidia, Battistero Neoniano and at least 2 other sites, the Ravenna Card more than pays for itself compared to individual tickets.

What's the most beautiful site in Ravenna? It depends on your taste. San Vitale is technically the most important. The Mausoleo di Galla Placidia is the most emotionally powerful. Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is the most narrative. Sant'Apollinare in Classe is the least crowded and perhaps the most surprising.

Is Ravenna worth a day trip? Yes, but it's a rush. In one day you can see the main sites (San Vitale, Galla Placidia, Baptistery, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Dante's Tomb). With two days you truly experience Ravenna.

Do I need to book Mausoleo di Galla Placidia in advance? Yes, booking is mandatory (limited to 16 people per slot). Book online on the Ravenna UNESCO sites' booking portal or directly at the ticket office.

How far is Ravenna from Rimini? 50 km, approximately 50–60 minutes by regional train (€5) or 45 minutes by car.

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