Ravenna Mosaic Tour: UNESCO Monuments with Expert Guide

Walk through five centuries of Byzantine mosaics without hunting for the stories behind them

A guided tour of Ravenna's mosaic-filled UNESCO monuments starting from Piazza San Francesco, with a certified expert guide leading you through the Basilica of San Vitale, Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, and other sites in the historic center. The tour runs 2 to 3 hours depending on your chosen option, with monument entry and a radio guide (for larger groups) included. Live guides speak English, Spanish, Italian, and French.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Ravenna's famous mosaics

• Start at Piazza San Francesco
• Visit Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
• Tour Basilica of San Vitale
• See Baptistery with mosaic dome

The Experience

The tour winds through Ravenna's historic center starting at Piazza San Francesco, moving between monuments that span the 5th and 6th centuries. The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, built around the middle of the 5th century, opens with a simple brick exterior that gives way to a small Latin cross interior covered in rich mosaic decoration. The dome's countless gold stars have drawn visitors for centuries—Dante Alighieri himself drew inspiration from them for the Divine Comedy. The Basilica of San Vitale, a 6th-century structure with clear Eastern influence and an octagonal plan, holds the most celebrated mosaics: the imperial couple Giustiniano and Teodora with their full ceremonial parades, rendered in the stupendous detail of the apse.

A certified expert guide walks you through each site, explaining the mosaics, the history of the figures depicted, and the techniques that have kept these tesserae brilliant for over 1,500 years. Depending on which option you book, you'll spend either 2 or 3 hours on the route, visiting either 3 or 5 monuments. The guide speaks your choice of English, Spanish, Italian, or French. For larger groups, a radio guide ensures you hear every detail without crowding around a single speaker. Monument entry is included, so there's no separate ticket line to navigate.

The tour is wheelchair accessible, and the streets of the historic center are navigable for all fitness levels. If you're traveling with infants or small children, they can ride in a pram or stroller, and public transportation options are nearby if you need to rest between stops. The route is designed to hold together in a single morning or afternoon, so you see the mosaics in context rather than as isolated visits.

What’s included

• Certified expert guide in your choice of English, Spanish, Italian, or French.
• entrance tickets to all monuments on your chosen route.
• radio guide for larger groups.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Visit Ravenna (Ravenna Incoming)

Is this one for you?Book the 3-hour, 5-monument option if you want the full arc of Ravenna's mosaic story—the Baptistery with its Baptism of Christ and procession of Apostles adds context that the shorter route doesn't reach. The 2-hour, 3-monument version works if you're fitting this into a half-day and want to see the two most celebrated sites without rushing.

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Top questions

What's the difference between the 2-hour and 3-hour tour options?

The 2-hour tour covers 3 monuments—the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Basilica of San Vitale, and one additional site—while the 3-hour option adds two more stops, giving you a fuller picture of Ravenna's mosaic heritage across 5 monuments total.

Does the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia really have mosaics that inspired Dante?

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia's dome is covered in gold stars set against a deep blue background, and the 5th-century work did inspire the great poet Dante Alighieri when he was writing the Divine Comedy—the guide will point out which passages he drew from it.

What are the mosaics of Giustiniano and Teodora in the Basilica of San Vitale?

The Basilica of San Vitale holds one of the most important works of early Christian art in Italy: a 6th-century representation of the Byzantine imperial couple Giustiniano and Teodora, each shown with their full ceremonial parades rendered in the apse mosaics, reflecting the Eastern influence of the period.

Is there a radio guide, or do I just follow the group?

For larger groups, a radio guide is provided so you can hear the expert guide clearly without everyone clustering around a single speaker; for smaller groups, the guide leads you directly through each site.

Can I bring a stroller or wheelchair on this tour?

The tour is wheelchair accessible and the historic center streets are navigable for all fitness levels; strollers and prams are fine for infants and small children, and public transportation options are available nearby if you need a break.

What language options are available?

The tour is offered in English, Spanish, Italian, and French; you choose your language when you book, and each option may have a different duration or number of stops, so check which combination suits your preference.