IT · Emilia-Romagna · 44.42°N 12.20°E

ravenna

Glowing Byzantine mosaics behind plain brick walls, with piadina for lunch between churches.

Best time
April–June and September–October are pleasant for walking between churches. July–August is hot and humid; winter is often foggy, but the mosaics are all indoors.
How long
1–2 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop to Bologna, usually via Dubai or Istanbul, about 16–18 hours all in. Trains from Bologna reach Ravenna in about 1–1.5 hours. Italy is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
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IT · Emilia-Romagnaravenna44.42°N 12.20°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Glowing Byzantine mosaics behind plain brick walls, with piadina for lunch between churches.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingRavennaIT, Emilia-Romagna
KLravenna
≈ 9,723 km from KL, as the crow flies
Mausoleum of Theodoric, Ravenna, Province of Ravenna, Region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Photo: Zairon · CC BY 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

From the outside, Ravenna's churches are plain brick. Inside, their walls glow with 1,500-year-old Byzantine mosaics of gold and coloured glass, in a quiet, flat town you can cover on foot or by bike.

Makan

  1. PiadinaRomagna's flatbread, folded round cheese, rocket or cured meats. The traditional dough is made with lard.Map ↗
  2. CappellettiSmall pasta 'hats'; in Romagna they're usually filled with cheese and served in meat broth.Map ↗
  3. PassatelliThick strands of breadcrumb, egg and parmesan, pressed straight into broth.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. San VitaleAn eight-sided church where Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora face each other in gold mosaic.Map ↗
  2. Mausoleum of Galla PlacidiaA tiny brick tomb with a deep blue mosaic ceiling scattered with gold stars.Map ↗
  3. Sant'Apollinare NuovoLong processions of saints in mosaic march along both walls of the nave.Map ↗
  4. Sant'Apollinare in ClasseA basilica a few kilometres out of town, with a green mosaic meadow of sheep in its apse.Map ↗

Good to know

  • One combined ticket covers San Vitale, Galla Placidia, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and two more sites in the centre; Sant'Apollinare in Classe is ticketed separately.
  • Galla Placidia lets in small groups at set times, so book a slot in busy months.
  • Halal food is scarce here; Bologna has far more choice, and seafood and cheese dishes are the easy options in Ravenna.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.