Ravenna

Ravenna is the capital of the province of Ravenna, which is located in the region Emilia Romagna in northeast Italy. The city with about 158.750 inhabitants looks back on a long and impressive history. Created as a settlement in the sixth century B. C., Ravenna has been the capital of Italy three times. From 402 to 476, the city was the royal seat of the Roman Emperors, and later on also that of the Ostrogoth and Byzantine sovereigns. The city has originally been located directly on the shore of the Adriatic Sea, but due to siltation the city center is nowadays about 10 kilometers away from the beach. The basilicas and baptisteries of Ravenna contain the richest heritage of well-preserved mosaics from the fifth and sixth century A. D., eight of them being included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO since 1996. Ravenna is also custodian of the mortal remains of the great poet Dante Alighieri, who is honored every September by a series of artistic and cultural events.




 

If you are interested in arts and history, Ravenna’s basilicas and mausoleums, which include some of the world’s most impressive mosaics, are an absolute must. Do not miss to visit the city’s eight UNESCO monuments:
1. Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
2. Neonian Baptistry
3. Arian Baptistry
4. Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
5. Oratory of S. Andrea – Archiepiscopal Chapel
6. Mausleum of Theodoric
7. Basilica of San Vitale
8. Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe
While discovering the city’s heritage, you can enjoy all the other pleasures Ravenna has to offer: shops, bars, restaurants and pizzerias, all of them in great historic atmosphere. Other points of interest are the Piazza del Popolo with the Venetian Palace, the Alighieri-Theater, the Dante-Museum and Dante Alighieri’s tomb, the Oriani-Library, the National Museum, the 7 city gates and many more.
However, in Ravenna you cannot only admire arts, history and culture, but also enjoy the beaches of the Adriatic Sea. The most popular vacation destinations are Lido di Savio, Casal Borsetti, Marina Romea and Marina di Ravenna. There, you can relax in the sun, engage in one of the many water sports possibilities, stroll along the promenade or through the pine woods, enjoy the local food, and at night, you can simply have a good time in one of the many discos at the beach.