Ravenna

Ravenna is absolutely wonderful, but unfortunately the sites are very far apart. Especially with walking challenges, you would need your two nights to see them. I'm not a big fan of Bologna, but I know others are.

I like both Bologna and Ravenna, but given your walking issues, I think you are better off staying 2 nights in one place. I would choose Ravenna, as it is smaller than Bologna, and the attractions are a little closer to the train station than in Bologna. I agree that in Ravenna, some of the attractions are a bit spread out. However they are mostly small places, so not a lot of walking is required inside them.

Ravenna for sure.

We returned from Italy on Monday. We spent the first 6 nights in Bologna, using it as a base to visit other parts of Emilia Romagna, including Ravenna. I know there are mixed opinions on Bologna, but we enjoyed it. That being said Ravenna was one of our favorite day trips. Personally, if I had to pick one, I'd go with Bologna, just for the food, but if the mosaics and sights of Ravenna are your primary interest, you should stay in Ravenna. We had a great lunch at Ca de Ven. Not sure if I helped, but have a great trip.

I also loved Ravenna and it’s mosaics, and also enjoyed lunch at Ca de Ven. Also, Ravenna is very flat, I never so many bicyclists, of all ages, except in China.

The food in Bologna and Ravenna is about the same. No need to stop in Bologna, if only for food.

I would pick 2 nights in Ravenna. We enjoyed Ravenna and the mosaics are amazing. Only spent part of a day and 1 night in Bologna staying near the main piazza. It was fine but we don't feel the need to return. We did Mantova/Mantua as a daytrip by car from where we were staying near Lake Garda and went to the Ducale Palace but skipped Palazzo Te. We enjoyed the untouristy Mantova. Have a great trip!

Thanks for all your opinions! So Ravenna it is ! With that...hotel suggestions would be much appreciated. Also is there buses or trams in Ravenna to get you to the sites?

I spent 2 nights in Ravenna on the way from Rome to Venice last June. I have some knee challenges, but the flat walking helped. Some of the UNESCO sites do have chairs to sit in while gawking. I did not go to numbers 7 and 8 because of the distances. There are buses to them. The other 6 are much closer to each other than you might think and than they appear on this map.

I started with #6 and bought my ticket for all there. I had been in Ravenna in 1977 and was going there again with the Village Italy tour but I needed more time with those amazing mosaics.

I stayed at the B&B Corso Diaz. It was a good location. There is a small elevator, but there are stairs to get to it. There was no one there at night. In fact, I think I was the only guest both nights I was there. The guy who served breakfast didn't speak much English.

They also have another option close by. The B&B Degli Artisti is run by someone who speaks more English, but I could find no way to see an English version of their website. Still, I think if I went back, I'd certainly consider staying there. But, a Booking.com search indicates that there are many, many more potential choices. Be sure to set the currency to Euro (€).

I have no walking challenges as long as I don't attempt uneven terrain. Perhaps that's why I don't remember the Ravenna mosaics as being very far apart except for the one site that's out of town. A bus will take you very close to it. The bus departs from near the train station, but you need to get on it going in the right direction. A stop at the tourist office to pick up a local map is recommended. Ask the staffers to mark the bus stop on the map. Also ask about the bus stop to return from that site. I can't remember whether it's right across the street from where you arrive by bus.

I liked Bologna a lot and only day-tripped to Ravenna, but Ravenna would be a lovely place to stay. In your situation I would definitely spend at least one night there, and it's such a pretty place that two nights would be great.

In Ravenna I heartily recommend the Hotel Albergo Cappella. Our room was gigantic, the shower had more handles and nozzles than my whole house combined. Breakfast was very nice, and a few years ago, they offered a happy hour with enough snacks to call a meal. But the staff were exceptional. The trains went on strike the day of our travel to Ravenna, and sure enough, there was the clerk waiting for us at midnight with a smile and open arms to grab the luggage from our hands. They xeroxed many, many pages of tour books for me and wouldn’t accept anything except my thanks, and offered help and friendly conversation throughout or stay. It’s a pretty good hike from train station to hotel. We enjoyed dinners at the nearby Trattoria La Rustica...good food, friendly and patient staff. Causal, family run, popular with locals...or at least lots of people who spoke Italian. Safe travels.

We stayed for 5 nights in Ravenna the second week of December a couple of years ago. As you can imagine, Ravenna will be much busier in June and it may take longer to walk to and get into the various sites and see them in peace. Two nights is doable, though ---- many people visit Ravenna only as a day trip and manage to see everything in one big rush. Except for the one in Classe, the sites are very close together and Ravenna is a very pleasant, walkable town (at least in December!) with good places to eat.

Here's our list of sites. Be sure to find out when each one is closed and strategize your visits. Going early and late to sites will help you avoid the daytripping crowds. With only two nights, you will have to cross a couple off of this list. Look at Google Images to get an idea what each is like. Take binoculars.

Arian Baptistry
Basilica di San Francesco (quick visit)
Museo Nazionale (close to next four places)
Basilica di San Vitale and the Mausoleo di Galla Placidia
Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra (underground floor mosaics discovered more recently, stair-lift)(could be skipped if necessary)
Basilica di Sant'Apollinare in Classe (must take bus to it, pretty easy though)
Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo (near train & bus station)
Museo Arcivescovile (near the next two places)(includes mosaics in 5th-century chapel of Sant'Andrea)
Neonian Baptistery
Duomo (quick look at floor)

Here is a list of restaurants we planned to eat at, but I don't remember which ones we DID eat at. The one I do remember is the hole-in-the-wall piadina place, Piadina Cupido. I could eat piadina for breakfast lunch, and dinner. And sweet piadina with fig jam for dessert. The food in Bologna is excellent as is the food in Emilia-Romagna generally (but different in every town!), but you will eat well in Ravenna and the mosaics are unique.

La Piada di Ale, Trattoria la Rustica, La Trattoria al Cerchio, Osteria Piattoforte, and Osteria del Tempo Perso