Ravenna half-day tour: Byzantine mosaics and Dante's tomb

Five monuments, one afternoon: trace Ravenna's shift from Arian to Byzantine rule through its mosaics

A three-hour guided walking tour of Ravenna's city centre covers five key monuments (Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Dante's tomb, the Baptistery of Neon, the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia) tracing how different faiths shaped the town's art and architecture. The guide explains how mosaics evolved from the age of King Theodoric to Justinian's reign, and why one church earned the name "church for two religions."

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Basilica of San Vitale30m
2. Mausoleum of Galla Placidia10m

Explore Ravenna's historic mosaics and monuments

• Visit Church of Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo
• Walk through Piazza Del Popolo and Dante’s tomb area
• See Battistero Neoniano and its mosaics
• Tour Basilica of San Vitale and view mosaics
• Visit Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

The experience

Sant'Apollinare Nuovo sits near the railway station on Via di Roma, its plain exterior hiding the reason this church matters: inside, mosaics from two competing faiths (Arian and Catholic) cover the walls, each layer marking a shift in power and belief. The guide walks you through how the decorations changed when Justinian's influence arrived, turning the church into a visual record of religious and political upheaval in the early sixth century.

From there the route moves into the city centre, passing through Piazza del Popolo and the quiet area where Dante Alighieri lived and was buried in 1321. His tomb is a small neoclassical building near the cloisters of St. Francis, a deliberate memorial in a neighbourhood devoted to his memory. Then comes the Baptistery of Neon, built in the early fifth century and decorated with mosaics, stuccos and inlaid marbles that blend three techniques into one unified space. The Basilica of San Vitale follows, the tour's centrepiece, with its octagonal plan and the famous panels showing the Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora in full court regalia, a window into Byzantine splendour that survives nowhere else quite like this.

The walk ends at the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, a small building from the first half of the fifth century whose interior mosaics (especially the lunette of the Good Shepherd) are among the finest examples of Early Christian art. All five stops sit within walking distance in the city centre, and the pace leaves room to stop for coffee. The tour runs three hours and works for all fitness levels. The streets and interiors are wheelchair accessible.

What’s included

• Guided tour in English, Italian, French or German.
• access to five monuments in the city centre.
• walking route through Ravenna's historic core.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on site€ 11.50

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Cinzia Tittarelli

Is this one for you?Small groups and solo travellers suit this pace: three hours on foot through the city centre, with a guide who unpacks the religious and political history behind each mosaic. You'll move at a steady clip and stop to look, not linger, so it works for anyone comfortable with a morning or afternoon of walking.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French, German and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What makes Sant'Apollinare Nuovo called the "church for two religions"?

Sant'Apollinare Nuovo was built by King Theodoric, an Arian ruler, at the end of the fifth century, and its mosaics reflect Arian decoration. When Justinian's Catholic influence arrived, new mosaics were added in the Catholic style, leaving both faiths visible on the walls side by side: a rare record of religious transition frozen in decoration.

Which monuments does the tour visit?

The tour covers five: Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Dante's tomb, the Baptistery of Neon, the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. All are in Ravenna's city centre and connected by walking routes.

What are the famous panels in the Basilica of San Vitale?

The Basilica of San Vitale holds two celebrated mosaic panels showing the Emperor Justinian with his court and the Empress Theodora with her attendants. These scenes are valued both as art and as historical documents. They reveal the wealth and ceremony of the Byzantine court in the sixth century.

Is the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia worth the visit if I've already seen the other churches?

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is small but the interior mosaics, especially the lunette of the Good Shepherd, are considered among the finest Early Christian mosaics anywhere. The guide explains why the scale and atmosphere of the space matter as much as the decoration itself.