Ravenna/Verona

What's the previous stop? The next stop? Will you be moving around by trsin or by car?

Previous stop is Castlemuzio. Arriving by car. Once we arrive in Ravenna we will dump the car and from then on use trains. That being said, I am not opposed to keeping the car during the Ravenna stay. When we leave Ravenna we head to Verona. After Verona, on to Como and more specifically Varenna

Two nights Verona, one night Ravenna.

Unless you are absolulely crazy about mosaics....then do the reverse. I liked the mosaics but I like history more and Verona had more history.

We are crazy about Mosaics. We do love Church History.....But your comment regarding the history of Verona does help.

I like the plan of Ravenna first and then Verona. However, it is at least three hours on the train between the two (with a change in Bologna) so check and see if driving will be a lot quicker.

Good point. Perhaps I will keep the car until Verona. It’s always a great feeling when you finally let go of the car!

Days of the week may matter, too, now that I think of it. There are seven mosaic sites in Ravenna. Are any of them closed the day you will arrive or the morning after? What about the things you want to see in Verona?

I haven't been to Verona so I can't compare the two cities, but I did love the mosaics in Ravenna, and the historic center is lovely in itself. I think you'll need at least 24 hours in Ravenna. I made a day-trip from Bologna and regretted not having more time--and I'm neither religious nor really interested in religious history. I bet you'll want to spend considerably more time at each site than I did. Maybe you can finesse your departure time from Verona to give yourself some time there on the day you move on to Varenna and give the two nights to Ravenna.

One of the mosaic sites is out at Classe. Although there's bus service from town, it would be smart for you to hit that one before returning the car. It's southeast of Ravenna and wouldn't be much of a detour for you as you drive up. I found all the other mosaic sites to be walkable.

Very very helpful! Thank you so much!

Ravenna to Verona to Varenna, I always thought that sounded like a wonderful and lyrical itinerary. Maybe Viareggio or Volterra after that.
Hard to tell where it would be best for you to spend more time, including two evenings. You just need to read up and decide which has more places you will want to visit, dependent on your own interests.
I will just add that (1) I would have really valued having a good guide (meaning a person, or maybe audio tour) especially at San Vitale in Ravenna. The mosaics in that church are extensive, extraordinary and detailed, and I found it very difficult to constantly switch between looking down to read my guidebook and looking very high up at the mosaics, head constantly bobbing, eyes constantly seeking and focusing. When I was there it was not crowded, but I envied a couple of groups that were there with a guide (person) to explain the mosaics, while the visitors just looked up! (2) Verona combines history and livability better than any city I know in Italy. It’s fun to join the many local couples and families and groups of friends as they stroll through the wide marble pedestrian streets and piazzas before and after dinner. You can also try dining on horse or donkey, if you like. (3) there are, or at least were, some “fast train” schedules that go between Verona and Bologna in one hour. I know that because I took one.
Enjoy, wish I could join you!

We spent 5 nights in Ravenna in December 2016. Doing 3 half-day daytrips by car left us about 3 days actually in Ravenna. Probably could be done in 2 whole days, but I would sure want to spend 2 nights in Ravenna. Partly because all the mosaics become a blur if you don't take your time with them and partly because we really liked the food of the region. Eat piadina at the hole-in-the-wall Piadina Cupido Ravenna --- I hope it's still there!

What we enjoyed seeing (Take binoculars for the high-up mosaics.):
Arian Baptistry
Basilica di San Francesco (quick visit)
Museo Nazionale (close to the next four places)
Basilica di San Vitale
**Mausoleo di Galla Placidia
Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra (underground floor mosaics discovered recently)
Basilica di Sant'Apollinare in Classe (take bus to it, pretty easy though)
Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo (near train & bus station)
Museo Arcivescovile (near the next two)(see the mosaics in the 5th-century chapel of Sant'Andrea)
Neonian Baptistery
Duomo (quick look at floor)

We also spent 5 nights in Verona in September 2019. Strangely, while that was the more recent trip, I had to go look at my photos to remind myself what we especially liked doing or seeing there. The real stand-out for my husband was seeing an opera in the Arena, and for me it was the church art (but especially the bronze doors) in the Basilica di Zeno. We steered clear of the crowds in the street around Juliet's fake balcony. I admit to enjoying Verona slightly less than other cities and towns in Italy just because it was stinking hot that week and full of other tourists everywhere we went, but I do think with just one night there you could see "enough."

I feel your pain in having to stay places only a night or two, and having to choose!

Hi,

I agree with both Nancy and ACraven. I haven't yet been to Ravenna (I have tentative plans to visit during the 3rd week of July, 2021) but from everything I've read, and seen on Youtube, the mosaics contained in the various sites listed by Nancy are worth at least a very full day if you can get there.

I have been to Veronna two or three times and it is worth two full days - beautiful city, very, very walkable, an arena that is older than Rome's Coliseum, some gorgeous architecture, nice churches, and within walking distance across the river Adige, another roman theatre and spectacular views over the City. Plus, great food and inexpensive wine bars filled with Vlapolicella, Amazon and Grappa. I agree you should skip the "fake" Romeo & Juliet stuff (I've never seen it, so I'm not your best source), but the Piazza Erbe, Piazza Bra, and Lamberti Tower are wonderful.

Whatever options you choose, I don't suspect that there will be a lot of tourists in either city this summer.
Good luck

We stayed in Verona (3 nights, but with a day trip to Padua), Ravenna (2 nights) and one night in Bologna with an early flight the next morning. We short-changed Bologna and used it as a transit stop. So, we had 1-1/2 days plus arrival day (maybe another half day) in Verona. Verona was busy even in early November. This was an extension to our trip to Sicily. In November the flights home were cumbersome, so we decided to add a week in northern Italy to see some places we had missed and then have 2 flight trip home. (It would have been 3 flights and 24 hours transit from Sicily).

There is a lot to see in Verona and we enjoyed it very much but if you only have 3 nights, I would stay 2 nights in Ravenna and 1 in Verona. The mosaics are amazing and completely unique. I had wanted to see them for years and was not disappointed. It takes time to see them due to opening hours. Ravenna is easily walkable and we retraced our steps multiple times but with short distances, this was not a problem. We had 1-1/2 days which was enough.

Hope you have a lovely trip.