Ravenna mosacics...HELP with understanding how the multi tickets work March 2026

I don't know anything about Dante Day. Ravenna wasn't busy with tourists at the time of either of my visits (late June or July 2015 and September 2022), but I've read on this forum that the city gets a lot of school-group visits in the spring. I suppose that might affect your experience.

I think you'll find, when you actually go through the ticket-purchase process, that you need to pick an entry time for one or two of the mosaic sites. The others you can visit at any time they are open. My most recent trip to Ravenna was in 2022; that's how it worked then.

@ acraven I appreciate the reply.. I think, for the extra few bucks per person, I am simply going to book a Get Your Guide tour, which includes entry to all 5 and a guide.. plus cancellation, which is a real perk of these 3rd party folks (in case of severe weather or train strike) Typically we do our own trips but I am beginning to see the positives in just showing up ! Thanks again.

Lisa
Get Your Guide is a reseller-they don’t actually operate any tours

See if you can find the actual tour company and book direct -its usually noted somewhere on the GYG listing

Yes, Yes I know they are a reseller, but the ticket is reasonable and has a guide ,I know there is a guide in town itself as well, but this comes as a package and is not much more than the 5 mosaic ticket, plus it is refundable with GYG. Also, I don't have to deal with that additional pesky question of tickets to enter.. It's fine, a convenience. Some tour group in the end. I'm a good traveler, thanks though !!

** I am not going on the Dantedi and with GYG I no longer have the question about reservations at the sites we have the multi pass tickets for. Thanks all !

I also found it a little confusing initially when purchasing tickets last summer. Although we booked a private guide for the day she wanted us to purchase our own tickets in advance for specific times. In case this is useful for anyone else, from my notes:

This website helped me: https://theportablewife.com/travel/destinations/one-day-in-ravenna-itinerary/
It has a hot link to the ticket purchase page. Look for the text "purchasing advanced tickets online" on the page above. If purchasing tickets from this website they only become available about two months in advance. Like many Italian ticket websites, there is no indication that you're attempting to purchase too many days in advance; it just looks like there aren't any tickets available.

It's now required to book a time slot to visit the Baptistery of Neon and Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, I believe the ticket purchase webpage guides you through this requirement during booking, giving the chance to reserve your time slots for these two sites. The tickets will be emailed to you, which you can either print out or show on your phone. If I remember correctly, you can only book time slots for those sites; the other sites on the multi card can be visited any time on the same day.

The top UNESCO-listed sites in Ravenna may only be seen on combination tickets. The three-site pass includes the Basilica San Vitale, the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, and the Archbishop’s Chapel. The five-site pass adds the two sights that require time-slot reservations: the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and the Neonian Baptistery. Single-admission tickets are not available for these five sites.

Have euro coins if visiting the Arian Baptistry, which is not included in the multi site ticket. Before you can enter, you’ll need to buy a paper ticket from the machine out front. The machine doesn’t take credit cards. I think it was a few Euros per person. When we visited on a Sunday afternoon a man was operating the ticket machine; We couldn't tell if he was 'official' or just looking for 'opportunities' but it worked out fine. I believe this site is only open Sunday and Monday.

The Domus of the Stone Carpets mosaics/Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra is also worth seeing, particularly to get a feel for the layers of archeology that exist under Ravenna.

The Basilica San Vitale and Mausoleum of Galla Placidia are next to each other, it is around a 15-minute walk to the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, and another 15 minutes to the Neonian Baptistery, which is next to the Archbishop’s Chapel, and about 15 minutes from San Vitale.

Going early and late to sites will help you avoid the day tripping crowds.

@Lia Thank you for your detailed report.. This is what I gathered after trying to decipher all the online hints and tips that I could find, plus now AI helps by summarizing This is why, in the end, for a tiny bit more $$ we will do the 5 site multi tour with Get Your Guide, and that small cost gives you the guided tours and no need to purchase those 2 extra tickets (and says "skip the line" but I do not expect too long of a line on March 24th) there are many tickets still available.
Plus, the GYG allows us to cancel without penalty if there is a cyclone or something that day.

I think this is 39 USD to do via GYG and the Visit Ravenna site offers the 5 entrances with a guide for around 28
But with GYG I can't mess it up.

I must say, as a RN and mother who has raised 3 children, now adults, this one was a puzzle. Most of the Italian sites are puzzling, whether it is the museums, monuments etc..it just never seems as straightforward as the many other countries that we have recently visited.
Thanks again !

You're welcome! A guide is completely worth it. You'll get so much more out of experiencing the mosaics. Have a great trip!

Thanks so much !

Honestly if you go into the official website for tickets isn't so confusing. www.ravennamosaici.it
1) click "tickets"
2) choose the day of the visit
3) check ho many monuments you want to include (2, 3, 5)
4) Choose the entry time at each monument (in fact is important only for Galla Placidia and the Baptistery)
5) choose the kind of tickets
6) go to the cart for payment.

In general if you have flexibility you can even purchase the tickets the same day, because seldom you find Ravenna monuments completely sold out. In March is possibile there are several school groups, but a slot can be found.

Purchasing a guided tour in my opinion is a very good idea in Ravenna. Mosaics are nice itself, but know the history of the people shown and of the building is more interesting too!

@Ricky, I appreciate your reply. Actually, if it were that simple I would not have taken the time to post the question. It seems there is indeed another step of securing/reserving the 2 entry tickets ASIDE from the regular multi- entry to the 5 sites. This was the confusing part. Also that when you put the ticket for the 5 multi sites in your cart it does not prompt you to proceeed to pick their entry times..which is separate from the overall time that you choose initially. I was asking for reassurance with those steps following the obvious steps to purchase the 5 site multi. The confusion on my part was regarding "another step"

Make sure you actually have a guide with get your guide. sometimes they just walk you to the site and tell you about it outside. I really don't think you need a tour guide for it. I've taken two people there last year and if you read in advance that is all you need. It is simple. The ticket can be on your phone and you just show it - only two sites have timed entry. The House of the Stone Carpets (english translation) is quite interesting as is the museum on Via Roma. I've been to Ravenna at least 10 times and it is amazing. Easy train ride from Bologna. I recommend a piadina or crescione for lunch.

Thank you for your reply Linda !