Ravenna in a day
A one-day plan for Ravenna: the Basilica of San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Baptistery of Neon, the Archiepiscopal Museum, the Tomb of Dante and the Basilica of San Francesco, then Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, the Arian Baptistery and Sant'Apollinare in Classe. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Ravenna in 1 day
Day 1
Basilica of San Vitale
6th-century octagonal church with famous Byzantine mosaics of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora.
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia Must see
Small 5th-century brick building with the oldest mosaics in Ravenna, its starry blue ceiling glowing in the dim light.
Ravenna Baptistery of Neon Must see
5th-century octagonal baptistery beside the cathedral with a dome mosaic of the baptism of Christ.
Archiepiscopal Museum and Chapel
Museum of the archbishops with the Chapel of Saint Andrew's mosaics and the ivory throne of Maximian.
Tomb of Dante
Small neoclassical temple from the 1780s holding the remains of Dante Alighieri, who died in exile in Ravenna in 1321.
Basilica of San Francesco, Ravenna
Church beside Dante's tomb, where his funeral was held, with a flooded crypt whose old mosaic floor lies under water.
Piazza del Popolo
Ravenna's Venetian-style main square, with two tall columns and arcades, and a good spot for a coffee or the evening stroll.
Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo
Theodoric's palace church, with long mosaic processions of saints and virgins along the walls of the nave.
Arian Baptistery
Small baptistery built by the Ostrogoth king Theodoric, with a dome mosaic of the baptism of Christ.
Mausoleum of Theoderic Must see
The tomb of the Ostrogothic king, a stone decagon topped by a single enormous monolithic dome; one of Ravenna's UNESCO early Christian monuments.
Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe
Large 6th-century basilica in Classe with a green and gold apse mosaic of Saint Apollinaris among sheep.
Watch: Ravenna
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Ravenna
April to June and September to October are the most pleasant, with mild weather for walking between the monuments. Summer is hot and humid, and winter can be foggy and cold, though the mosaics are indoors. The Ravenna Festival of music and theatre runs from June to July.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Ravenna on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Ravenna on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Ravenna on GetYourGuide or on Viator
- From the airport: a private transfer in Ravenna with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Ravenna with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
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Tips for Ravenna
- One combined ticket covers San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Baptistery of Neon, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and the Archiepiscopal Museum.
- The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia has timed entry in busy periods; book a slot ahead.
- Sant'Apollinare in Classe is about 5 km south of the centre; take the bus or the train to Classe.
- The old town is flat and compact, and many locals get around by bike; renting one is an easy way to see it.
- Dress modestly in the churches, which are still places of worship.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Archiepiscopal Museum and Chapel: Incola, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Arian Baptistery: Gsimonov, CC0
- Basilica of San Francesco, Ravenna: José Luiz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Basilica of San Vitale: Commonists, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo: Sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe: Berthold Werner, Public domain
- Mausoleum of Galla Placidia: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mausoleum of Theoderic: ThePhotografer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Piazza del Popolo: Incola, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ravenna Baptistery of Neon: ThePhotografer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tomb of Dante: ThePhotografer, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
