Ravenna

A short way from the coast and from the Lidi Ravennati (the Ravenna beaches) you find the beautiful city of Ravenna, a place whose artistic beauty and historical importance date back to a glorious past, since it was chosen in Roman times as the capital of the Western Roman Empire.

Among the cobbled streets you can clearly sense the past in the palazzi, monuments and churches that bear witness to the greatness of the city. It is world-famous for its mosaics which illustrate the skill of the Byzantines artists who made them.

Numerous are the universally important monuments to be admired and they are quite rightly listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Mausoleum of Galla Placida dating back to the 5th century B.C. which contains the oldest museum in the city.

Among the city’s other important world-famous monuments is the Mausoleum of Theodoric with its singular dome made from a single block of stone and, among its churches not to be missed, the Basilica of Saint Vitale with its wonderful mosaic panels portraying the emperor Justinian and his wife dressed in sumptuous clothing and adorned with rich jewels.

Then there is the Basilica of Saint Apollinaire with its slender round bell tower and frescoes that line the walls of the whole nave, considered to be the largest frescoed surface in the world, while the Neoniano (Cathedral) Baptistry is the oldest building in Ravenna and has a domed roof covered in fine mosaic decoration.

The architectural gems do not end here. Still waiting to be admired are the Archiepiscopal Chapel, the Basilica of Saint Apollinaire in Classe and, in Ravenna again and not to be missed, the Tomb of Dante and the Dante Museum which exhibits relics and remains of the famous life of the poet.