Ravenna

Transportation options:
https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Ravenna-Italy/Montefalco

Ravenna has a beautiful historic district as well as the mosaic sights. Unfortunately, I know nothing about Montefalco (except that Googling for photos reveals that it is photogenic), so I cannot compare the two towns. It looks like quite a time-consuming process to travel between the two towns by public transportation--generally over 5 hours by train to Foligno, then a bus or taxi to Montefalco.

We visited Ravenna when we were living in Germany and drove to Italy for a vacation. We loved the city with all its Byzantine history.

I think we did the city in less than a full day.

Best bet is to arrive a couple of days early and spend them in Ravenna then head to Padua to meet the group. When I did the Villages tour we arrived in Ravenna mid-morning and spent our time at the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum, they are next to each other. We then had free time, a couple of hours at least, to explore. Some of the group visited some of the other churches, some took a long lunch but there was certainly enough time to explore the old city. Much of Ravenna closed from 1-4, don’t know if that has changed in the past 11 years.

It was a long drive from Ravenna to our hotel in Montone and it was easily 5 pm by the time we arrived; we just had time to stretch our legs and take a walk, or some people napped, and have a shower before dinner (which was included in our tour) and an interesting talk on the cuisine of the region (truffles!).

Ravenna is a busy, small coastal city, Montefalco will be the first of the true hill towns you will stay In so a totally different experience.

If you plan to arrive in Padua a couple of days before the tour begins, it might be easier to make a pre-tour day trip to Ravenna than trying to get from Ravenna to Montefalco in the late afternoon or evening. Ravenna would take you 2+ hours each way from Padua, but it's an easy train trip with change in Ferrera.

You might also call the always-helpful RS Tour Department with your question or use the discounted planning consultation that's usually a part of the tour package to explore options.

Last summer we flew into Bologna and took an easy train to Ravenna. We had 3 nights in Ravenna and enjoyed it very much.

Even though we were not part of a tour, it would be easy to arrive a few days early and spend some time in Ravenna. Then train up to Padua to begin your tour.

I would not suggest this. As noted, the entire trip from Ravenna to Montefalco will take around 5 hours. The stop you get off for Montefalco is not a big town and if it's late you might have trouble getting a cab. The hotel in Montefalco is not a typical hotel with a 24 hour front desk. It was the owner's childhood home--villa--and it was turned into a hotel.

You will get to Montefalco late in the afternoon and probably get a short walking tour of the village. It will be the last village you see that is not full of tourists.

I have been known to leave tours for a few hours and meet up later via public transport. However, this itinerary is not one I would suggest.

If you really want more time in Ravenna, do as others have said and arrive a couple of days before the tour and go to Ravenna then.

I took the Village Italy tour a couple years ago and had the same thought. I am glad I didn't try it, though, because there weren't a lot of trains from Ravenna to other small towns, so the only real option would have been to rent a car. If you plan your day and talk to your guide you can at least see one other church before moving on to Montefalco.

The group tours the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. Our guide gave me the group ticket so that those who wanted to could try to visit other churches. We went to the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo (which has the mosaics that I wanted to see and a history that fascinates me) and then walked through town to see the tomb of Dante. We grabbed a piadina so we wouldn't starve just before we boarded the bus. I could have gladly spent another day in Ravenna, but that will have to wait for my next trip!

I spent 2 nights and the day between in Ravenna before my VI tour last summer. The solid day was plenty of time for me, but I visited the tour sites very briefly and concentrated my time on the others I could walk to. I did not go to the ones that required taking a bus. To see everything without visual overload could require 3 nights with 2 whole days between, especially if Ravenna is your first stop upon arrival in Europe. Jet lag, you know.

Thank you for responding to my Ravenna question regarding time fit in more of the 8 Unesco World Heritage sites during Ravenna “pass through”) . Deborah, I especially appreciated your response of how to squeeze in two more sites plus Dantes tomb while others are enjoying a lengthy relaxing lunch than grabbing a piadina to eat while on the bus to Montefalco.

On Travel Forum I enjoyed a question someone posted “your addicted to traveling to Europe when.....”. The dozens of responses made me smile and laugh out loud. All readers and users of the Travel Forum are my kind of people. Take care of one another....
......need to look up piadina so I will no what to have for late lunch on bus!