Ravenna: Mosaics and Highlights Guided Tour with Admission Ticket
Description
Join a small group for an exclusive guided tour through Ravenna, the city of mosaics. Discover the treasures of early Christian art and marvel at the intricate Byzantine mosaics. Stroll through Ravenna's charming city center, and experience the Magnificent Mosaics of Ravenna. Perfect for history enthusiasts, art lovers, and cultural explorers, this tour offers a deeply immersive experience with insider knowledge and unforgettable encounters with Ravenna's rich heritage. The combined ticket includes the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, the Neonian Baptistery (Self-guided), the Basilica of San Vitale, and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Start your journey with a visit to Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, a stunning basilica known for its colorful mosaics and impressive architecture. It was once a Palatine Chapel and later became a place of worship. The mosaic panels in the nave tell biblical stories from both the Old and New Testaments. Marvel at the craftsmanship and vibrant colors that bring these stories to life. See the Procession of the Magi, a breathtaking portrayal of the three wise men traveling to meet the infant Jesus.
Visit the Tomb of Dante, a national monument built in 1781 to honor the famous poet Dante Alighieri.
Located next to the Basilica of San Francesco in central Ravenna, this site is full of history. Then, explore the underwater mosaics of the Basilica of San Francesco, revealing more of Ravenna's cultural treasures.
Continue to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, a magnificent monument featuring early Christian art. This UNESCO World Heritage Site will enchant you with its mosaics on the walls and ceiling. The deep blue tones and intricate designs take you back to the 5th century. Admire the beautiful mosaic of the Good Shepherd, a symbol of the Christian faith.
Next, visit the Basilica of San Vitale, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. The intricate mosaics covering the walls and ceilings will captivate you. Look for the apse mosaic of Emperor Justinian and his court and the stunning mosaic of Empress Theodora. The basilica's octagonal shape and tall dome showcase the architectural skill of the time.
Conclude your tour with free time to discover the beauty and charm of Ravenna's city center. Your combined ticket also includes entry to the Neonian Baptistery (self-guided).
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Clients must arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the start of the tour. This is due to the timed entry of the tickets.
- Tickets are timed and expire within 5 to 10 minutes.
- Please be advised that it is not possible to join the tour after it has commenced
- Sites visited during this tour are subject to occasional closures due to holy observances. In such cases, your guides will provide explanations from outside of the sites. For last-minute closures, modifications may be communicated at the tour start time.
- Guests are kindly requested to dress respectfully when visiting sacred sites.
Reviews(86)
Our guide Frederika was very knowledgeable and gave us an explanation of the mosaics along with the history behind them. It is very helpful to have a guide so you know what you are looking at.
We enjoyed the tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable. It was very warm in July so bring water with you.
We had the best experience viewing the mosaics in Ravenna. Our tour guide, Rita, was exceptional. She was very knowledgeable and friendly, and we had a great time with her. The mosaics are amazing and its hard to believe how old they are, and how preserved. They are a must see!
We took a day trip from Bologna to Ravenna which was quite easy. Ravenna is a walkable town and the mosaics are stunning. Our guide Marina was so full of historical information about Ravenna and its priceless mosaics. Her love of history, Italy and people is so genuine and refreshing! Thank you for a wonderful memorable experience Marina!
Wonderful. Stunning mosaics incredible history. Great guide. Small group. Not long walking. Plenty of time
We were very honered last week to have Rita as our guide in Ravenna and to share her vast knowledge of the history of the incredible mosaics. One of the best tours we’ve ever experienced. We highly recommend this beautiful tour
This was a wonderful tour, very interesting, and our guide Rita was exceptional. It meant a lot of standing and quite a lot of walking but for us it was fine - older people might find it rather tiring. (My friend and I are only 80).
Really good in depth tour, a lot of info, guide was very knowledgeable. Very good value for length of tour and small group size.
A marvelous tour with a very knowledgeable guide. Amazing history, details, context for everything we saw. Enthusiastically recommend!
So much more to learn about the UNESCO mosaics than I had ever imagined. The interpretation, of those in Ravenna, is so fascinating and accurate, according to the gospels. Beautiful works of art from so many centuries ago. Rita, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable and shared all of this information and answered any questions we had. She was an excellent tour guide and delightful to spend time with. I highly recommend!
