brown brick building near green trees under blue sky during daytime

Ravenna

Ravenna's early Christian and Byzantine mosaics, Dante's tomb and a historic center you can walk in one day or a slower overnight stay.

Find a room in Ravenna Start with the essentials Plan a trip to Ravenna

We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.

Ravenna is the capital of its province in Emilia-Romagna, in northern Italy, and it sits about 8 km inland from the Adriatic Sea. The city is known as the capital of mosaics. Eight early Christian monuments here have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, and they are best visited as a group, with tickets available for several of them. In the 5th century Ravenna was the capital of the Western Roman Empire, and later it was the seat of the Ostrogothic kingdom and the Byzantine Exarchate of Italy. Dante Alighieri is buried here too, in a quiet zone beside the San Francesco convent.

Most of the mosaic monuments sit close together in the historic center, so a day trip from Bologna can cover the highlights by the A14 motorway. An overnight stay gives you time to see them at a slower pace. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable months, because summers are hot and humid, averaging around 23 °C, and winters are cool, around 5 °C, with fog and frost common. Allow a full day for the churches, and more if you add the pine forests or the Adriatic beaches.

Ravenna in five

Buy a combined ticket for the mosaic sitesSeveral of the early Christian monuments are covered by one combined ticket sold on site. Check the official page for what it includes, its validity and any timed-entry rule, since smaller buildings can limit groups.
Start with San Vitale and Galla PlacidiaThey sit next to each other and have the best-known mosaics. Go at opening, before the tour groups, and keep your voice down in the small chapels, where entry may be in limited groups.
Add Sant'Apollinare in Classe if you have timeThe basilica lies outside the center, near the former port of Classe. It is reached by a short bus or train ride, so check the timetable and its opening hours before you go.
Base here or day-trip from BolognaRegional trains from Bologna run in about 1 to 1.5 hours, which makes a day trip easy. Stay a night if you want an evening in the old center without the day-trip crowds.Bologna
Pair it with the Adriatic coastRimini is a short train ride south and Marina di Ravenna has beaches close by. In summer the heat is strong, so visit the interiors in the morning.Rimini

Things to do in Ravenna

See all attractions in Ravenna

Church · RavennaBasilica di Sant'Apollinare NuovoVisit later in the day to watch natural light shift across the mosaics.

Church · RavennaBasilica of San VitaleBook tickets online to reduce time at the ticket office.

Church · RavennaBasilica of St. Apollinaris in ClasseBuy tickets in advance, since the site recommends it.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to RavennaPut the places you like in Ravenna on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Bologna (BLQ), then train; Forli and Rimini have small airports
Getting there: Regional train from Bologna, about 1 to 1.5 hours
Getting around: On foot; bike or bus to the coast and Classe
Best base: The historic center near the monuments
Time needed: 1 full day; 2 with the coast and Classe

Weather by month

Rainy days
Days with storms
Festival

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh9°Low3°Cold, foggy
FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh11°Low5°Cold, quiet
MarchPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh14°Low7°Early spring
AprilPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh17°Low10°Mild, walkable
MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh21°Low14°Warm, festival
JuneClear8 rainy daysHigh27°Low20°Hot, festival
JulyClear8 rainy daysHigh29°Low22°Hot, humid
AugustClear8 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh29°Low22°Hot, quiet
SeptemberClear10 rainy daysHigh24°Low18°Mild, calm
OctoberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh20°Low14°Cool, misty
NovemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh14°Low9°Fog, rain
DecemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh10°Low5°Cold, lights

Average daily high and low in Ravenna, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Festivals: May Ravenna Festival · Jun Ravenna Festival · Jul Ravenna Festival

Right now in Ravenna

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 7°
Humidity: 64%
Wind: 32 km/h
Chance of rain: 3%

Ravenna

12:24 AM

Tuesday, November 3

GMT+1

Today16°7°3%Tuesday: Rain. High 16°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 3%.
Wed15°7°5%Wednesday: Fog. High 15°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 5%.
Thu15°5°5%Thursday: Fog. High 15°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 5%.
Fri11°9°16%Friday: Rain. High 11°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 16%.
Sat9°8°20%Saturday: Rain. High 9°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 20%.
Sun15°8°18%Sunday: Rain. High 15°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 18%.

Updated 09:30 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.8961 EUR

Amount

Converted to

EUR · Euro

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Ravenna

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Every year

MayPalio of FerraraFerrara, a day trip
May–JulRavenna FestivalRavenna

Day trips by train

Before you go to Ravenna

Trains from BolognaRegional service to RavennaRead the guide

Mosaic monument ticketsCombined entry for the main sitesBook timed entry

eSIM for RavennaOpening hours and trains on the goRead the guide

Travel insurance for ItalyCover for rail delays and baggageRead the guide

We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.

Rules for Ravenna, checked

Many non-EU nationals can visit Italy without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Check your passport's status at esteri.gov.it before you book.
Cover shoulders and knees inside churches, including the mosaic basilicas. Carry a light scarf if you plan to visit several in one day.
Dial 112 for police, fire or an ambulance anywhere in Italy.
Restaurants often add a coperto (cover charge) and sometimes a service charge. Check the bill before you tip, since rounding up is common.

Plan around Ravenna

All of Italy

Regions, cities and the rules every visitor needs

Read the guide Bologna

The usual base and rail hub for Ravenna

Read the guide Rimini

The beach resort a short train ride south

Read the guide Ferrara

A walled Renaissance city north of Ravenna

Read the guide Italy by train off-peak

How to price regional rail legs

Read the guide Schengen 90/180 rule

How long you can stay across Italy and its neighbors

Read the guide

Ravenna FAQ

Is Ravenna worth visiting?

Yes, if you care about Byzantine and early Christian art. The mosaics at San Vitale and Galla Placidia are some of the finest in Europe, and the center is flat and walkable. It is less useful for a general sightseeing trip.

Can you visit Ravenna as a day trip from Bologna?

Yes, by regional train in about 1 to 1.5 hours. A day covers the main mosaic sites if you start early. Stay a night if you want to add Classe and the coast, or an evening in the old center.

How many days do you need in Ravenna?

One full day for the main monuments and the old center. Two days let you add Sant'Apollinare in Classe, the beaches at Marina di Ravenna or a slow lunch without hurrying.

Which mosaics are the most important in Ravenna?

The ones at the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia are the best known, followed by Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and the Neonian Baptistery. See those first if you only have a few hours.

When is the best time to visit Ravenna?

Spring and autumn are pleasant for walking between monuments, while summer is hot and flat. Winter can be foggy but quiet. Check each monument's opening hours, since smaller buildings have shorter days.