Private Kids And Families Walk

Private Kids and Families Walk, rated 4.9 across 10 traveller reviews.

Overview

This private walking tour spends three hours with a local expert guiding one group only, moving on foot between four of Ravenna's famous mosaic sites. It starts at Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, where the guide points out biblical mosaics from both the Old and New Testaments, including the Procession of the Magi. From there the walk continues to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, then the Basilica of San Vitale with its well known depictions of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora, and finishes at the Battistero Neoniano.

Because it is private, the pace and the questions are set by your group rather than by a fixed schedule with strangers. The listing describes the guide as a local expert, and reviewers again and again describe guides with deep knowledge of the mosaics, the history behind them, and how the pieces were made and altered over time. One traveller who expected to prefer sports over art said the mosaics surprised him anyway.

Families with children, couples, and anyone wanting an introduction to the city before exploring alone will fit well here. The route is wheelchair and pushchair accessible according to the listing, and the whole experience takes place outdoors between stops and indoors at the monuments.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Sant'Apollinare NuovoThe guide waits outside the basilica on Via di Roma, near the obelisk. The first stop lasts 1 hour and admission is free.
2. Mausoleum of Galla PlacidiaA UNESCO World Heritage Site with the Good Shepherd mosaic. The stop lasts 30 minutes, and the admission ticket is not included.
3. Basilica of San VitaleA Byzantine masterpiece with mosaics of Justinian and Theodora. The stop lasts 1 hour, and the admission ticket is not included.
4. Battistero NeonianoThe final stop, known for its early Christian mosaics. It lasts 30 minutes, the admission ticket is not included, and the tour ends here on Piazza Arcivescovado.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you plan the day, from the extra ticket cost to what the walk itself feels like.

• Extra ticket cost. Entry to the monuments is not in the tour price. The listing states a fee of 12.50 euros per person for admission, and the guide assists with buying tickets on the day. Only the walk at Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is free to enter.
• Pace and fitness. This is a walking tour between sites in the city centre, so expect to be on your feet for the full three hours. Reviewers describe the walk through town between sites as a pleasant way to see the city. The private format means the pace can adjust to your group.
• Guide knowledge. Travellers consistently praise the guides' knowledge, with several mentioning detailed explanations of the theology, history, and construction of the mosaics. One reviewer said the explanations of the metaphorical imagery were outstanding.
• Bringing children. Only your group participates, so children can ask questions and set the tempo.
• Questions welcome. Multiple reviewers note the guides were patient with questions and clearly enjoy explaining the UNESCO sites. If something in a mosaic is unclear, ask on the spot, since the guide explains how and why certain pieces were altered.
• Getting there. The meeting point is outside Sant'Apollinare Nuovo on Via di Roma, near the obelisk, and the tour ends at the Battistero Neoniano on Piazza Arcivescovado. The listing notes the area is near public transportation, so plan the return leg from the endpoint rather than the start.

Common issues. Admission to the monuments is not included, so budget the 12.50 euro per person ticket on top of the tour price. The experience requires a minimum number of travellers; if that minimum is not met it may be cancelled, with a different date or a full refund offered. One reviewer wished the tour had covered more places, so anyone wanting an exhaustive sweep of the city should check whether extra sites can be added. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted.

Common Questions