Bologna and Ravenna in 1 Day- Doable?

Just to suggest that a lunch in Ravenna would be as good as a lunch in Bologna, the food is very much the same. It would be even a little better in Parma, but it is on the opposite direction.

It could be done. Rushed, as you know. The train is about 75 minutes.

Do you know where you’ll eat in Bologna? Do your homework here because I stopped for lunch in route from Venice to Florence and found a nice-looking restaurant but was disappointed with the food.
Venice needs three nights not two and Rome deserves four nights if you include a day in Vatican City.
According to Google AI, the mosaics in Ravenna are from the fifth and sixth century and the mosaics in Venice are from the twelfth and thirteenth century. This means they differ in artistic style, themes and inscriptions.

These are my notes from my upcoming trip to Italy which includes a day trip from Ferrara to Ravenna. There are four sites to see the mosaics in Ravenna, one of which requires a five minute train ride. Basilica di San Vitale; Basilica di Sant’Appollinare Nuovo; Mausoleo di Galla Placida; Basilica di Santa’Appollinare in Classe: Local train to Clases-five minutes direction of Rimini or bus 4 opposite main train station www.ravennamosaici.it for biglietto cumulative.

I was in Venice in the fall and from what I have been told and read, the mosaics in Ravenna are astonishing and a highlight for anyone who enjoys art. I am also spending one night in Bologna and three nights in Rome. It would depend on what you require for hotel comfort. My hotel cost in Bologna is similar to the cost in Rome. I use booking.com.

How about taking the trains straight to Ravenna and spending the night there? About 2.5 hours, changing trains in Bologna or Ferrara. I actually preferred the food in Ravenna (like piadina) and it's such a nice walkable town. Seeing the mosaics in Ravenna this way sounds less exhausting to me. Maybe cheaper than staying and eating in Bologna?

I think you need to decide if you are doing Bologna or Ravenna and concentrate on one of them. If you arrive late enough in Bologna for lunch - probably past 1 - and eat a culinary lunch and then get back to the train station and take the 75 minute train to Ravenna you will have precious little time to see all the sites. Now there are the two "biggies" but there are smaller sites scattered all over town as well as other things - floor mosaics - site to see. If you only do a quick lunch in Bologna to save time for the mosiacs then that lunch could be anywhere.

So I would choose to see Bologna and plan a tour of the markets and some well chosen meals with reservations or choose to continue on and eat and stay in Ravenna and see as many sites as possible. In general I try not to stay one night somewhere unless it is for travel logistics reasons - like the night before a flight. I think splitting the difference between two places in one flying day is too much. So no, not really doable.

Be aware that Bologna train station is the exception in that transitions between the fast trains (3 levels below) and the local trains at ground level take some time and an airport like transfer to switch between. Do not linger in Bologna station but process directly your track because it may be further than you think.

Have a great trip,
=Tod

There are more than four places to see mosaics in Ravenna. I wouldn't be willing to settle for so few hours there, but I am nuts about mosaics.

Bologna is a large city, and the historic center is quite a walk from the train station. The area around the train station isn't particularly attractive.

Two nights in Venice is really quite inadequate. Folks who make such quick trips to Venice often come away not liking the city, because they felt they had to spend nearly all their time in area between the train station, Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco. Since you'll already be in Venice, I'd opt to add more time there rather than making extremely quick stops in two additional places, which will add quite a bit to your transportation overhead and require an extra hotel check-in/check-out.

I think that one day wouldn't do either two justice. Ravenna has gorgeous mosaics that should take a day to observe.

Not enough time in Ravenna for the mosaics and two have timed entries. No comparison with the mosaics in Venice and Ravenna - Ravenna is absolutely amazing.

Here's a greatly whittled-down list of Ravenna mosaics to see. I especially enjoyed the first three because they are in small buildings and you see the mosaics up close.

Arian Baptistery

Neonian Baptistery

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

Basilica di San Vitale

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare in Classe (you have to take a bus to this one, but well worth it)

Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo

Italy by Way of TikTok

I would pick one or the other. As much as we enjoyed the mosaics in Ravenna, I would choose to spend the night and day in Bologna. In addition to the great food and porticoes in Bologna, we thought the Basilica of Santo Stefano (the Seven Churches) was outstanding. If you try to do both, you will have very little time in Ravenna to see the mosaics. It's not worth the 75 minute train ride, one-way, IMO. Don't forget to factor in the time it takes you to get to the train station from your hotel.

And I agree with everyone who says 2 nights in Venice is not nearly enough. I think your visit will be unsatisfactory, and you will leave Venice very disappointed, and complain about the crowds. We spent 4 nights in Venice and could have used an extra night. Venice is amazing, and it really is like no other. One of my favorite cities! And a great place to get lost in. If you have the time . . .

I would spend the extra night in Venice.

I’d pick an alternate idea to do both. Take the 1-hour train from Venice to Ferrara, leave off your luggage and have an amazing lunch or dinner at Trattoria da Noemi (get a reservation ahead if time).

Take the direct train from Ferrara (much easier train station than Bologna to navigate, too) to Ravenna. See the mosaics which are fantastic. I like them much more than Venice’s, and I love Venice! Take the train back to Ferrara afterwards and enjoy an apertivo outdoors by the castle in the center of the city.

Take the direct 3-hr train to Rome the next day.

Thanks everyone for your help.

Originally, I was thinking about 2 nights in Bologna, with 1 day for Bologna and the other day for Ravenna. But, then, that would have only left 3 nights for Rome.

So, Bologna is out then; I'll have to choose somewhere else to stay overnight.

How long does it take to take to see the Ravenna mosaics?

My cursory impression was that the sites in Ravenna were so close to each other, with the exception of the furthest one away, that it would only take 3-4 hours to see those with the Ravenna .

I didn't realize that you needed to pre-book the Ravenna mosaics time slots too. I guess you can't just roll up to Ravenna that day and see them.

It depends on how many of the places you want to see. I believe the combo ticket covers five mosaic sites, four of them in town. But there are others, including a mosaic museum and a crypt with mosaics under water. In addition, Ravenna's historic center is attractive and deserves some time.

I've been to Ravenna twice (late June or July 2015 and early September 2022). It wasn't busy either time, but it obviously can be busy. I just went to the ticket office and bought my ticket. Entry times were available within the next half hour, maybe even earlier than that. I was spending 3 nights (just 2 full days) in Ravenna, so I wasn't worried about the precise timing of my entry to the two sites where you need a time-specific reservation. I wouldn't head to Ravenna from Bologna (or Ferrara) on a day trip without prebooking entry to the mosaics. On a longer visit, it would probably work out fine.

I would choose Ravenna
It’s a lovely small town that will be a nice break between the crowds in Venice and Rome
Change trains in Ferrara-easier than Bologna

One day is not enough for Bologna

Have a piadina for lunch in Ravenna, there are some good restaurants there for dinner as well
The mosaics are simply amazing

(although I have to agree that 2 nights is too short for Venice, especially if day one is jet lag day)

For the Ravenna mosaic sites with advanced tickets, sometimes they do get booked up and other times you could walk up and buy tickets on the spot. I suspect it may be related to cruise ships along with other large tour groups. My experience in October 2024 was that several sites were sold out for the day I had originally planned to go so I chose the next day, bought my reserved tickets and it was fine. The day I was there, people could buy same day tickets on the spot and no one cared what time you visited the 2 sites that had specific times, or how long you stayed. However, I heard that they were expecting large crowds the next day.

I believe it's Roberto who has warned us that Ravenna gets a lot of school groups in the spring.