6 Best Things to Do in Ravenna

The 13th-century Piazza Del Popolo is around a 10-minute walk west down Viale Farini from the Ravenna train station, with tree-shaded footpaths leading you into the narrow and tiled arcade of Via Armando Diaz. Plenty of benches beside bike parking spaces allow you to sit and take in the surrounding Venetian architecture.

Prominent buildings include the Palazzo Comunale, Palazzo dei Rasponi del Sale, Palazzo dell'Orologio, and an impressive clock tower. Café terraces on the piazza’s western end let you enjoy coffee with the view, set under 2 pillars featuring statues of the city’s patron saint Apollinaris and the martyr Vitalis of Milan.

Among the many impressive mosaics in Ravenna, a good starting point is the 5th-century, UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mausoleo di Galla Placidia. It has an unassuming red brick exterior built in the shape of a cross. Step inside and you’ll find its vault walls, lunettes and cupola all covered in vivid mosaics. One of its most significant mosaics is Christ’s depiction as the Good Shepherd. Also check out the San Vitale basilica that's conveniently next door, with its own great mosaic collection.

Ravenna’s rich in history, and you’ll find a good variety of museums downtown. Start at Mar-Museo d'Arte della Citta (Museum of Art) in the monumental complex of Loggetta Lombardesca (tickets are from €6). Besides holding several important temporary art exhibitions, it has 3 permanent collections showcasing 14th through 19th-century paintings and sculptures, such as the statue of Guidarello Guidarelli by Lombardo. Modern 19th through 20th-century art includes the Byzantine-inspired artworks of Gustav Klimt. For a museum that’s all about what Ravenna’s famous for, check out TAMO, a mosaics museum housed inside St. Nicholas’ church, which features ancient to contemporary samples.

As one of the largest amusement parks in Italy, Mirabilandia offers thrill rides such as an inverted rollercoaster, which is also among the longest in Europe. The park has well over a dozen rides for different ages and adrenaline levels, as well as a waterpark for some sliding and splashing fun. Small kids can safely play at the Ottoland playground, families can join a rushing rapid ride in specially designed rafts on the Rio Bravo, while die-hard thrill-seekers can dare the Divertical – one of the world’s tallest “water coasters”. Tickets are around €36 for adults and €23 for kids under 140cm.

If you visit in the summer, check out Ravenna’s festival of opera and classical music, held at various theatre venues. An annual event in praise of the city’s rich art and history since 1990, its themes vary each year, with dance and cultural events having been added to the agenda. One of the main venues to hit during the festival is Teatro Comunale Alighieri, where theatrical plays and orchestral concerts are held, and some basilicas such as San Vitale hold arts exhibitions and instrumental solo performances. Tickets per event are from €10.

Different farmers’ markets and street markets open on different days of the week in Ravenna. The long strip of Via Sighinolfi hosts Mercato di Ravenna, which is a good start. The spacious square and parking lot of Piazza Della Resistenza usually opens with a farmers’ market on Monday and Thursday afternoons through 6pm, featuring stalls of fresh produce, some of which let you sample fruits and cheeses. Another can be found along the length of Viale Farini every Tuesday afternoon. For antiques and knick-knacks, the streets around Piazza Garibaldi, Via Gordini and Piazza Einaudi usually feature street markets over every third weekend of the month.