Ravenna: Mosaics and Marble

Here’s your refined and clearly formatted itinerary for the Ravenna Mosaics Tour:

Ravenna: A Journey Through Mosaics & Empire

Overview

Step into the glittering heart of late antiquity and early medieval Europe with expert guidance from Rowena Loverance or Dr. Sally Dormer. Ravenna, once the capital of the Western Roman Empire, Ostrogothic Kingdom, and Byzantine outpost, flourished with lavish patronage—leaving behind a legacy of world-renowned mosaics. Its decline became its preservation, making Ravenna a living museum of early Christian and Byzantine art.

Itinerary

Day 1: Fly to Bologna • Transfer to Ravenna

• Depart from London (regional connections available) to Bologna with British Airways
• Transfer to Ravenna and check in to the Palazzo Bezzi Hotel (or similar) for 3 nights
• Afternoon visit:
  • Sant’Apollinare in Classe – early Christian basilica, showcasing architectural form and religious function
    Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Ravenna – Early Christian & Byzantine Legacy

• Morning visits:
  • Mausoleum of Galla Placidia – stunning early Christian vault mosaics
  • San Vitale – iconic Byzantine church with centralized plan and rich mosaics
• Afternoon:
  • Residenza dei Vescovi – includes:
    • Museo Arcivescovile
    • Archiepiscopal Chapel
    • Ravenna’s 18th-century cathedral
  • Visit to a modern mosaic studio (subject to confirmation)
    Meals: Breakfast

Day 3: Ravenna – Ostrogothic Power & Artistic Flourishing

• Morning sites:
  • Theodoric’s Palace
  • Orthodox Baptistery (octagonal, 5th-century)
  • Sant’Apollinare Nuovo – Theodoric’s palatine church
  • Arian Baptistery – features the baptism of Christ in mosaic
• Additional stops:
  • Dante’s Tomb & Basilica of San Francesco
  • City Art Museum – includes a collection of contemporary mosaics
  • Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra – Byzantine-era palace with exquisite mosaic flooring, discovered in 1993
    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4: Theodoric’s Mausoleum • San Pietro in Silvis • Return

• Morning:
  • Visit to Theodoric’s Mausoleum – 10-sided, built of massive ashlar stone blocks
  • Drive to San Pietro in Silvis – a 7th-century rural church offering comparisons with Ravenna’s urban structures
• Lunch in Bagnacavallo
• Transfer to Bologna Airport for return flight to London
  Meals: Breakfast, Lunch