Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are entirely our own, and we have not been compensated in any way for these opinions.
We normally like to take a break from the winter weather of Western North Carolina during January and February. So, in January, 2025, we decided to take that break in Italy. We spent nearly 5 weeks there, with much of that time spent in Florence.
We rented an apartment in Florence for the month of February and spent much of that time exploring Florence. We detailed all the places we visited in a recent article, Florence – Top Things to Do and See. Since Florence is located relatively close to many other sites of interest, we took advantage of our time there to make some day trips to other nearby cities. In this article, we will share our overnight visit to Bologna and Ravenna.
Bologna
We did not rent a car during our time in Italy, choosing instead to make the most use of the train system. We began our trip by using the high-speed train, Frecciarossa, to make the 40-minute trip from Florence to Bologna’s Central Station.
Our plan was to spend the morning and afternoon in Bologna and then take another, regional train, from there to Ravenna. That meant we had about six hours to spend in Bologna. Admittedly, that is not a lot of time in this city, but we did have a chance to take in a few sights, and more importantly, experience some of the excellent cuisine for which Bologna is so well known.
— Bolognese City Gate
Our first stop on our self-guided walking tour was Porta Galliera, just a few blocks from the train station. Bologna is famous for its well-preserved original medieval city, which was once surrounded by tall walls, towers and gates. Today, 10 of its original 12 gates remain, and the Porta Galliera is considered to be the most impressive of those gates. We passed through the gate and began our exploration of the medieval city.
— Neptune’s Fountain
We walked toward the center of the old town toward the Piazza del Nuttono, where we found the Fountain of Neptune. This beautiful sculpture and fountain were constructed in the mid-1500’s, and have become somewhat of a symbol of the city. It was commissioned by Cardinal Charles Borromeo to commemorate the election of his uncle as Pope Pius IV.
— Basilica di San Petronio
Just a short walk and across the Piazza Maggiore from Neptune’s Fountain, is the Basilica di San Petronio, named for the patron saint of Bologna, St. Petronius. Construction of the Gothic building began in 1390, with most of the construction completed in the 1500’s. However, the actual front façade has never been fully completed.
The church is the largest in Bologna. In fact, it is the sixth largest in all of Europe. It contains 22 side chapels all containing spectacular frescoes, paintings, sculptures, stained glass, as well as Italy’s oldest pipe organs.
One of the unique items in the basilica is the meridian line that runs through the church. Astronomer Giovanni Cassini designed and placed the meridian line in 1655. This meridian line was designed to accurately portray the daily altitude of the sun at noon, from which all sorts of astronomical events could be calculated.
— Two Towers
Our next stop on our tour was the famous Two Towers.
During the Middle Ages, Bologna was replete with similar towers, with some historians placing the total number around 100. Most stood more than 300 feet, and were presumably constructed by the city’s wealthiest families as some sort of defensive position. Today, there are less than 20 towers remaining. These two towers, the Asinelli and Garisenda, being the most well-known today.
Both towers were constructed in the early 1100’s, by the Asinelli and Garisenda families. The Asinelli tower is the taller of the two, standing at about 320 feet. During its history, it has been used for scientific studies, an observation post during WWII and even as a relay for a local TV station.
You may notice that both towers are leaning, especially the Garisenda. It currently stands at 157 feet, but it was once 50 feet taller. Unfortunately, its precipitous lean necessitated the removal of those 50 feet to prevent a total collapse of the tower. The city is supposed to undertake an effort to improve the support of the tower. However, until then, the tower has been cordoned off because its position is so precarious.
— Cremeria Santo Stefano
Our next stop was supposed to be the Cremeria Santo Stefano, known for being the best gelato in the city. Unfortunately, we arrived there not too long before our planned lunch, and the lines were quite long. So, we decided to skip it. The reviews for this spot are great, so if you have the time, you may want to give it a try!
— Quadrilatero
Next up was the old market, known as the Quadrilatero. Located in an old historic district, this area has all kinds of shops and restaurants. It can be a little crowded, but it is interesting just to walk through all the narrow passageways and check out all that this area has to offer. Stop here for a coffee, spritz, pizza or gelato. You can find just about everything in the Quadrilatero!
We could not resist stopping for a cappuccino at one of the lovely cafes, before making our way to the next stop at the Basilica di San Paulo Maggiore, just a few blocks away.
— Basilica di San Paulo Maggiore
Our next stop was the Basilica di San Paulo Maggiore, which was commissioned in the early 1600’s. The outside of the basilica belies its beautiful interior. Once inside, you will find amazing frescoes, and sculptures depicting events from the life of St. Paul, as well as other biblical scenes.
— Lunch at Ristorante Da Cesari
After our early departure from Florence and morning tour of Bologna, we were more than ready for a great meal. We chose the Ristorante Da Cesari. This restaurant is family-owned, and has been in business for more than 70 years. We arrived shortly after noon, and it was already very busy. We noted that most folks appeared to be locals, so we were pretty confident that we were going to have an authentic experience. We were not disappointed!
Their menu is filled with classics, but we both chose the city’s signature dish – Tagliatelle with Bolognese sauce. It was by far the best Bolognese that we have ever had anywhere. Our meal, accompanied by a lovely glass (or two) of Chianti Classico and followed by a dessert of Panna Cotta, was undoubtedly the best meal of our entire trip to Italy.
— Basilica di San Francesco
After lunch we made our way to the Basilica di San Francesco. This church was commissioned by the Franciscan community in the 13th century. Today, it is a mixture of architectural styles including late Gothic, Romanesque and even early Renaissance. Unfortunately, we were unable to go inside and had to limit our exploration to the lovely exterior.
After our visit to the basilica, we started making our way back to the train station for the short train ride to Ravenna.
Ravenna
It took just over an hour by train to reach Ravenna, arriving around 5PM. From the station, we made the short 10-minute walk to our accommodations, the Casa Masoli. The Casa Masoli is much like a bed and breakfast, with uniquely decorated private rooms and ensuite bathrooms. The building was originally a private home constructed in the 18th century. As such, you can still find beautiful ceilings and frescoes that were part of the original construction. Today, the Masoli family are the current owners, and they have filled every room with lovely works of art, including those from Ravenna artist Ruffini.
The best part of the Casa Masoli was perhaps the warm and friendly welcome we received from the staff and owner. They were all gracious and kind, making us feel more like we were in a private home, rather than a B&B. Breakfast was amazing, with all sorts of pastries, eggs to order, and the best Americano coffee of our entire trip!
We highly recommend Casa Masoli. Not only were the accommodations terrific, but the price is extremely reasonable!
By the time we settled into our room, it was starting to get a little late. Since we had not made a reservation for dinner, we walked to the nearby Mercato Cuperto. The Mercato Cuperto is a community market area. However, it also has all sorts of eateries, from counter service and take-away spots, to full-service restaurants, making it easy to find something that will appeal to your palate.
After a dinner of pasta and chianti, we made our way back to the Casa Mosoli for a good night’s sleep before our full day of touring Ravenna.
The host at Casa Masoli was very accommodating, so that even though we were checking out, she allowed us to leave our luggage there all day while we toured the city. Unfortunately, it was rainy and cool that day. However, we had come prepared for the weather, so we donned our rain gear and set out on our self-guided tour.
— Basilica di San Vitale
The Basilica di San Vitale is a Byzantine-style church constructed in the 6th century. Like many of the sites we visited in Ravenna, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The basilica is famous for the extraordinary mosaics located throughout its interior. These mosaics, along with the baroque frescoes that were added in the 1700’s are unique, elaborate and absolutely stunning! This basilica alone made the trip to Ravenna worthwhile. However, there is much more to see in this city, as we discovered as we continued our tour.
— Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
A short distance behind the Basilica di San Vitali is one of Ravenna’s greatest treasures, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. The mausoleum was commissioned by Empress Galla Placidia in the 5th century. She was the sister of Emperor Homorius, and she intended the small building to be her home and final resting place. As it turns out, she died and was buried in Rome. However, the mausoleum contains amazing mosaics. Because the building is small, visitors are able to get a very close-up view of the intricate mosaic art. The artwork is simply stunning, making the mausoleum a must-see when visiting Ravenna.
— Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore
The Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore is a small church located very close to the Mausoleum. The church was originally constructed in the 6th century, and was once adorned with mosaics. However, those have been lost and in fact, with the exception of the apse and the bell tower, the church was completely rebuilt in the Baroque style in the late 1600’s. Admittedly, it is a bit anticlimactic after having seen the stunning mosaics of San Vitale and the Mausoleum, but it is still worth stopping by to have a look at one of the earliest churches of Ravenna.
— Basilica San Domenico
A few blocks away was our next stop, the Basilica San Domenico. A large church, it was constructed in the 13the century and was dedicated to Domenico di Guzman, founder of the Dominican Order.
The church was renovated in the 1700’s, and although it remains a consecrated church, services are no longer conducted there. It is now mainly used for exhibitions. However, it does contain some fragments of its original interior, including some frescoes in the sacristy and bell tower. There are also many examples of Renaissance art from local artists.
— Piazza del Popolo
We continued our tour, passing through the historic Piazza Del Popolo, the civic center of Ravenna. Prior to the arrival of the Venetians, the square was once the site of a small river that ran through this part of the city. However, the Venetians completely reconstructed and enlarged the square. There are two granite columns located in the square. These columns were brought from Constantinople and erected in 1483. They are topped with statues of the patron saints of Ravenna, St. Vitalis and St. Apollinaris.
Surrounding the square are plenty of lovely shops and restaurants. It is a good place to take a break for a coffee or snack.
— Sant’Apollinare Nuovo Basilica
From the Piazza del Popolo, we walked about 4 blocks to the Sant’Apollinare Nuovo Basilica. This basilica was originally constructed in the 6th century, and has undergone numerous changes to its name, appearance and doctrine. However, the basilica was renamed to its current name in 856 A.D., when the relics of St. Apollinaris were transferred there from the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe (also in Ravenna).
The church has undergone further renovations in both the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, visitors can see rows of beautiful mosaics, some dating from the 7th century. These mosaics include those in the Hellenistic-Roman style and the Byzantine style. All depict various biblical scenes and themes.
The Basilica is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and both the interior and exterior are considered excellent examples of the fusion of western and eastern styles from the 5th and 6th centuries.
— Archiepiscopal Chapel
Our next stop was the Archbishop’s Chapel of St. Andrew, which is located on the first floor of the bishops’ palace. Although it is the smallest of the mosaic sites in Ravenna, it is nonetheless beautiful and worth a quick stop.
— Batlistero Neoniano
Just around the corner from the Archbishop’s Chapel, is the Batlistero Neoniano or the Baptistery of Neon. This relatively small, octagonal building constructed around the beginning of the 5th century, is actually the most ancient monument in Ravenna. Its ceiling mosaic depicts John the Baptist, baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River.
As a UNESCO site, it is considered one of the finest and most complete examples of Christian baptistries.
— Cathedral of Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Adjacent to the Baptistry is the Cathedral of Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This cathedral was originally constructed in the 5th century. However, the cathedral was destroyed in 1512. In the 1700’s, the cathedral was rebuilt in the Baroque style. Although you will not see as many mosaics inside, you will see numerous chapels replete with splendid paintings and sculptures. Definitely take the time to visit this cathedral
— Dante’s Tomb
Next on our self-guided tour was the Dante’s Tomb, located next to the Basilica of San Francesco. The poet spent his final years in Ravenna and died there in exile in 1321.
— Basilica of San Francesco
After visiting Dante’s Tomb, we walked into the Basilica of San Francesco located next to the tomb. This church was originally built on this site in 450 A.D. and was dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. In the 9th and 10th centuries, the original building was demolished and the current building and bell tower were erected. Eventually, the church was turned over to the Franciscans and rededicated to St. Francis of Assisi.
Over the years, the interior of the church has been updated. In the early 1900’s the Baroque additions were removed and the church restored to a style more similar to its original design.
After seeing all of the other extraordinary sites in Ravenna, this basilica looks a little ‘plain’ by comparison. However, one of the most interesting aspects of the basilica is the survival of the crypt beneath the church, which is the only part of the original church. It is sometimes flooded with water, but the original mosaic floor is still visible.
Return to Florence
After a very full day of touring Ravenna, we stopped for a late lunch before making our way back to the train station. We were so impressed with all of the sites within this lovely city, and we highly recommend making it a priority on your next visit to Italy!
Until next time, safe travels!