Visit Beautiful Ravenna: Italy’s Byzantium

Visit Beautiful Ravenna: Italy’s Byzantium. The main reason to visit Ravenna, a few kilometers inland of the Adriatic coast, is simple – it holds a set of mosaics generally acknowledged to be the crowning achievement of Byzantine art. No fewer than eight of Ravenna’s buildings have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites. They date from the city’s history during the late Roman–early Byzantine period when this city became one of the most important cities in all of Europe.

For a city that has such historic monuments, the center feels modern – a combination of Mussolini’s building program and Allied bombing that levelled much of the city during World War II. Ravenna has some excellent bars and restaurants, but it’s the churches and mosaics that will monopolize your time. Nightlife is sparse, but a number of small coastal resorts, known as the lido towns, provide some excitement in summer. And if you’re looking for thrills and spills, the nearby Mirabilandia, a Disneyesque theme park, brings in the crowds during summer.

Ravenna also has some of the most exquisite beaches in Italy. Marina di Ravenna, the oldest seaside resort on this part of the coast, is your one-stop-shop for glittering stretches of sugar-white sand, flanked by some of the best seafood restaurants in the area. If you’re staying in the center of Ravenna, it’s a twenty-minute car journey – alternatively, you can catch the number 70 bus.

Whether you are looking for Italian culture, tasty Italian delicacy or magnificent beaches, you will find it in Ravenna. No other place in Italy or even Europe is like Ravenna; you will be totally blown away by the magnificence of its mosaics and the hospitality of the residents will leave you breathless. You can also visit all of Italy’s great beaches on Pinterest.

Ravenna Weather – Best Time to Visit Ravenna

Ravenna belongs to the moderately warm climate zone. Weather conditions in the city are typical for the Mediterranean — warm summers with a sufficient amount of precipitation and mild, relatively warm winters. July is the hottest month of the year. The temperature during this period ranges from 77°F to around 84°F. January is the coldest month; with temperatures averaging 36°F..

The water is warm enough for swimming in early summer and stays cool until September. The beach season in Ravenna is also during this period. But more and more courageous tourists open the season in May and end only in October.

Through the months of June and July there is the Ravenna Music Festival, offering a program of over 70 events between concerts, theater, and dance.

Autumn is marked by the Golden Nights Festival, a celebration for lovers of poetry, painting, mosaic art, and music.

Best Ravenna Beaches

Lido di Savio

A sandy beach and a clean and gently sloping sea is what welcomes you at Lido di Savio. Rows of umbrellas color the beach. By day, you can go for a walk or on a bike-ride on the cycle lanes running along the seafront and into the lush pine forest. Otherwise, you can enjoy one of the many water sports activities, the many swimming pools or tennis courts offered by the hotels.

Punte Marina Terme

This beach has a long and lush coastal pine forest for a back drop — Po Delta Park, and is the highlight here. Punte Marina Terme is immersed in nature and dedicated to outdoor activities. Runners and walkers can cross a maze of paths all year round. Punta Marina Terme also offers a wide range of sports and entertainment activities. Besides water sports activities, the facilities includes beach volleyball, beach tennis, and kite-surfing.

Lido Adriano

This golden beach has a new system of wooden walkways running over the dunes that embellish the area, and can easily be reached by bike. You will also find a great pet-friend beach, accessible with your four-legged friends from sunrise to sunset. Enjoy a ride on the cycle path running behind the dunes leading to the nearby towns of Punta Marina Terme and Marina di Ravenna. The beach and its promenade are the is a great meeting play for youngsters and families for fun-filled evenings.

Marina di Ravenna

By day, this beach surrounded by the green pine forest and is crowded with colorful umbrellas and beach beds. At night, the beach turns into a big “open-air disco”, with music, concerts, and free events of every kind. The dunes and the magnificent pine forest behind, provide for a relaxing atmosphere. The beach also has facilities to include beach volleyball, basketball, beach soccer, but mainly beach tennis (commonly called “racchettoni”), which is considered a “national sport” in Ravenna.

Marina Romea Beach

Marina Romea Beach is ideal for families and children. It’s in the hamlet of the same name in the municipality of Ravenna, and can be reached by expressway or train. Surrounded by the Po Delta Park and the Piallassa della Baiona protected natural area, the 2-kilometer beach is bordered by the River Lamone to the north and Porto Corsini to the south.

Best Ravenna Restaurants

Osteria del Tempo Perso $11 – 30

This restaurant has an evening-focused atmosphere with its small tables set close together and its subtle lighting. Beautiful black-and-white photos alternate with books and bottles of wine on the walls, while the cuisine here is simple and contemporary with a focus on fish dishes. Telephone: 39 0544 215393 Web: Osteria del Tempo Perso

Antica Trattoria al Gallo 1909 $11 – 30

A member of the “Locali Storici d’Italia” association, the restaurant dates back to the early 19C and has been run by the same family for over a century. A trattoria in name only, the restaurant is decorated in joyful Art Nouveau style and is renowned for its simple, reasonably priced regional cuisine, with a choice of meat and fish dishes featuring on the menu. Telephone: 39 0544 213775 Web: Antica Trattoria al Gallo

La Cucoma $11 – 30

Enjoy fish specialities in a classic-style restaurant with a friendly, family atmosphere, plus a few daily specials announced at your table, on a menu which is totally dedicated to fish and seafood. Apart from the raw fish dishes which are more expensive, the restaurant is renowned locally for its value for money. Telephone: 39 0544 534147 Web: La Cucoma

CâMì $30 & Over

Situated in the verdant countryside around the River Savio, yet just 3km from Milano Marittima, this restaurant is part of an agriturismo. Here, the experienced chef reinterprets regional dishes using top-quality fruit and vegetables from the farm’s own gardens, putting into practice his belief that healthy eating should also be an enjoyable dining experience. Telephone: 39 0544 949250 Web: CâMì

La Voglia Matta $30 & Over

On the ground floor of the Ca’ Ruffo hotel, this delightful small restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy delicious meat and fish dishes accompanied by a good wine chosen from a list full of surprises – you’ll be grateful that the enthusiastic owner has spent so much time choosing exactly the right bottles for ageing! Telephone: 39 0545 954034 Web: La Voglia

Best Ravenna Bars & Pubs

ZERO4 IL Pub in Centro

Address: Via Alfredo Oriani 38-40 A pochi passi da Sant’Apollinare Nuovo Ravenna Telephone: 39 392 590 4462 Website: ZERO4 IL Pub in Centro

Darsenale – Bizantina Brewpub

Address: Viale Giovanna Bosi Maramotti, 48122, Ravenna Telephone: 39 392 377 7568 Website: Darsenale – Bizantina Brewpub

Fresco, Cocktails & Tapas

Address: Via IV Novembre 51, 48121, Ravenna Telephone: 39 0544 218285 Website: Fresco, Cocktails & Tapas

Down Town Pub Ravenna

Address: Via San Mama 73, 48121, Ravenna Telephone: 39 327 268 5462 Website: Down Town Pub Ravenna

Primary Irish Pub

Address: Via Del Sale, 51, 48125 San Pietro in Vincoli, Ravenna Telephone: 39 333 625 6629 Website: Primary Irish Pub