assisi or ravenna?

It depends on why you were wanting to go to Ravenna in the first place.

IMO - other than the famous chapel in Ravenna and walking around the old town............there is much more to do and see and enjoy in Assisi. I could spend at 3 night in Assisi and love it.
I would vote for Assisi.

great, I was wondering about the train from Venice to Assisi? any suggestions there too? thanks

We spent five nights in Assisi in September. We loved every minute and would go back tomorrow if we could.

Photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/103837507532952449461/Assisi2013

The Ravenna mosaics are a world treasure, and they are in more than one church. As I recall we visited six or seven sites scattered around the town. We saw them on a day trip from Venice but in your case you should spend the night and spend one afternoon and the next morning visiting them. I would not have missed this for the world!

I just sent friends there and they emailed to thank me last week.. They stayed at Palazzo Bezzi, walking distance from the train station, for 89 euros, including breakfast. They were very pleased with the price for very nice 4-star hotel.

We went to both on a Tuscany-Umbria trip. I wouldn't have missed Ravenna for the world. We spent two nights, which gave us a whole day for sightseeing, and we used every minute. The mosaics are incredible, and in several different places. Read up on the history a little before you go, so you can be aware of what an important place it was at the end of the Roman Empire. Assisi was lovely too, especially the Giotto frescos, and I wouldn't want to miss them. I'd stick with your first itinerary. A little moving about is worth it if you get to see something unforgettable.

I would keep both. The mosiacs (in several churches) are beautiful. I like the hotel Byron Centrale.

I have stayed at the Palotti, it's very nice with a very helpful staff, nice breakfast and a restaurant a few streets away.

The challenge with traveling to Italy, as you're seeing, is that it's absolutely full of scores if not hundreds of amazing places - places that people who've been there will tell you they wouldn't miss for the world. But only you can decide what matches your interests. I have not been to Ravenna. I have been to Assisi and really regretted having spent only two nights there. (Photos from that visit showing how ridiculously photogenic Assisi is are here: Assisi in May 2011)

But let's say you had asked about, say, Padova versus Assisi. You would have people telling you that the Scrovegni Chapel is a world treasure and that the frescoes inside are absolutely unforgettable, which is true. But are you now going to add Padova to your already crowded itinerary?

And what about Florence? That's not in your itinerary (which you posted in a separate thread) in which you're overnighting in 10 cities over the course of 23 nights, with LOTS of 2 nighters. I think it would be very difficult to make a case that Ravenna should trump Florence for most travelers. However, this is your trip, not mine.

Anyway, Rick gives a piece of very good advice about travel to Italy - Assume you will return, and, I would add, plan an itinerary that matches YOUR interests.

Happy travels.

In answer to the question about the train from Venice to Assisi ...

We traveled that route a couple of months ago. The trip involves a change of train in Florence. On a lark we decided to try the new privately-run Italo train on the Venice - Florence leg, instead of the government-run Trenitalia Frecciargento. Italo has its own comfortable waiting room in the Venice station, and its mid-level onboard service, which is called "Prima", was excellent. It's a two-hour-five-minute trip, at speeds up to 300 km/hr. In both Venice and Florence, Italo trains use the same stations as Trenitalia (not so in Rome and some other terminals). The Frecciargenti may be just as nice, but we enjoyed Italo.

Italo #9983 arrived in Florence at noon. The trip from Florence to Assisi is on a Regionale Veloce train that makes several stops along the way and takes about two and a half hours. They leave Florence about every two hours during the day. We bought tickets from one of the several kiosks in the Florence station and took the train that left at 14:09 (#3159), and arrived at the Assisi station (which is actually located down the hill in Santa Maria degli Angeli) at 16:44. We would not have been able to make the 12:09 departure from Florence, however; the lines were long at the ticket counters and kiosks. Beware the non-uniformed scammers who try to "help" you at the ticket kiosks -- for a price.

While we were on the Regionale train we received a text from Stefano at Hotel Pallotta, telling us the name of the driver who would meet us at the station and bring us up the hill to the hotel. It all worked very smoothly.

We enjoyed Hotel Pallotta very much. Stefano and Serena do a wonderful job and are very helpful.

As you probably know, Assisi is a hillside town, rather than a hilltop town. It slopes upward as you go east or north, and downward to the west and south. Basilica di San Francesco is at the west (lower) end; San Rufino, the bus stop at Piazza Matteotti, the Roman Amphitheater and Porta Perlici are at the east (upper) end of town. Piazza di Comune, the town square (with restaurants, pharmacies, bank, ATM, Temple of Minerva, and the underground museum of Roman artifacts) is more or less in the middle. Pallotta is just east of Piazza di Comune.

The hotel features a small common room upstairs, accessible via a narrow spiral staircase. The common room has huge windows on all four sides, and provides a wonderful panoramic view of Assisi and the valley below. Buy some fruit and cheese from the grocer across the street, pick up a bottle of wine from the wine bar just below the hotel, take them upstairs and contemplate the sunset. You'll never forget it.

Photos:

https://picasaweb.google.com/103837507532952449461/Europe2013#5930555913856553106
https://picasaweb.google.com/103837507532952449461/Europe2013#5930555914677068322

Stefano told us that the building dates back to the middle ages, but the foundation is pre-Roman.

The family's restaurant, also called La Pallotta, is just south of Piazza di Comune. It's very good. Also recommended and close by are Trattoria da Erminio and Ristorante Mangiar di Vino.

There is a full-service laundry about 200 meters east of Basilica di Santa Chiara.

Here's a video of our recent trip to Bavaria, Venice, Assisi, Rome and Dublin:
http://youtu.be/_ujuSiLLjmQ

Having been to both, I'd vote for keeping your original itinerary. Ravenna works well in an itinerary from Venice, no so well from elsewhere (except Bologna).

Assissi works well from many directions (Florence, Rome, etc.) and IMO is much easier to work into a future itinerary, if you want to go back and spend more time than your initial two nights.

For those who have not seen the Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna... you have missed a unique treasure!

Its like chocolate cake and pumpkin pie.. A bit different but both worth savoring if you allow enough time.

Our first visit to Ravenna we tried doing a one nighter (arriving in town around noon and leaving the next morning) That was a bit of a mistake as it was rushed and we didnt get to see what we wanted. The 2nd time we allowed an afternoon and a full day leaving early the next morning which worked very well for us.

I think ideally, 2 nights in each.. Love em both but rushing either is not fair.

thanks so much everyone...this is our 2nd trip to Italy (13 years ago) so as always try to visit as much as possible with the hopes of returning. At least I know now to do 2 nights every where that is why I was concerned about the 1 night in Ravenna with too much train travel...I am contemplating one night in Florence now, no Ravenna this time...(we have been to Florence but seeing David again would be great.

I would keep your original itinerary. Ravenna has many wonderful places to see and works well with continuing on to Assisi. Have a wonderful trip!