Guided Mosaics, Admission Included

Guided Mosaics, Admission Included, rated 4.9 across 110 traveller reviews.

Overview

This two and a half hour walk from Walks In Europe covers Ravenna's headline Byzantine monuments in one loop, with admission tickets to every site already paid for. The group meets outside Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, where the guide holds a Walks In Europe signboard, and the route runs from there to Dante's Tomb, Basilica di San Francesco with its submerged mosaic floor, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and finally the Basilica of San Vitale. The tour ends back at the same meeting point.

Because entry times are pre-booked, the guide explains the mosaics with the background that makes them legible: the biblical scenes in the nave of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, the imperial portraits of Justinian and Theodora at San Vitale, and the deep blue ceilings of Galla Placidia. Groups are capped at 14 travellers, and many reviewers credit the guides with deep knowledge of the history and the meaning behind each panel. A combined ticket also covers self-guided entry to the Neonian Baptistery, visited on your own after the walk.

The tour is built around the UNESCO mosaic sites and the context behind them, with a guide providing insight at each stop. Expect to be on your feet for the full duration. It does not work for wheelchair users, per the listing, and transportation to the meeting point is not provided.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meeting pointVia di Roma 53, in front of the main entrance of Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo. Arrive 15 minutes early, as entry tickets are timed and expire within 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo30 minutes. A former Palatine Chapel with mosaic panels along the nave telling stories from the Old and New Testaments.
3. Dante's Tomb20 minutes. The national monument built in 1781 to honor Dante Alighieri.
4. Basilica di San Francesco30 minutes. The basilica and its underwater mosaics, visible on site.
5. Mausoleo di Galla Placidia20 minutes. A 5th-century UNESCO monument with mosaics covering the walls and ceiling in deep blue tones.
6. Basilica of San Vitale30 minutes. Byzantine mosaics including the apse mosaic of Emperor Justinian and his court and the mosaic of Empress Theodora.
7. City center and finish20 minutes of free time in the center. Your combined ticket also includes self-guided entry to the Neonian Baptistery. The tour ends where it started.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points shape how this tour goes, from timed tickets to summer heat.

• Arrive early. The listing asks travellers to be at the meeting point 15 minutes before the start because tickets are timed and expire within 5 to 10 minutes. Joining after the tour has begun is not possible.
• Standing and walking. Several reviewers noted the tour involves a lot of standing and walking across the full 2 hours 30 minutes. One traveller in her eighties found it manageable but thought older visitors might tire. Reasonable mobility helps.
• Small group feel. Groups are capped at 14, and reviewers repeatedly mentioned the small size of their groups.
• Weather and water. Dress for the weather and for standing outdoors between sites.
• Dress code. The listing requests respectful dress for the sacred sites on the route. Choose clothing that suits a place of worship.
• Baptistery is self-guided. A guided visit inside the Neonian Baptistery is not included, but your combined ticket covers entry on your own after the tour.

Common issues. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, and no transportation to the meeting point is provided. Religious observances occasionally close sites, in which case guides explain them from outside, and last-minute changes may only be announced at the start. One reviewer struggled to hear the guide and wished for audio headsets. The pace involves standing and walking for the full duration.

Common Questions