Venice no. Or at least that's a trending topic for travel writers, I saw it mentioned either in the NYT or the WSJ recently.
Here's a British take on the subject:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/36497775/ravenna-italy-sleepy-italian-city-beaches/
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
6603 posts
Thanks for the link. I know Ravenna has been frequently recommended as a day trip or short stay, mainly for the mosaics. But it's nice to read a well written trip report for a change, and not just a piece of click bait by someone who has never actualky been there. Or AI.
But since Ravenna is now the embarkation port for some cruise lines that previously docked in Venice, I hope this doesnt speed from hidden gem to over touristed spoiled beauty too quickly
Posted by
Idaho, USA
8838 posts
”Right on Italy’s eastern coast sits an often overlooked little city that blows Venice right out of the water.”
LOL! Hardly! I enjoyed staying in Ravenna for a few nights in 2018 and brought my daughter in 2022 for a nice day trip. But, comparing Ravenna to Venice - no contest that Venice is immensely more interesting!
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
17559 posts
I hope this doesnt speed from hidden gem to over touristed spoiled
beauty too quickly
I hope not either, Cjean; I've been looking forward to seeing those mosaics FOREVER, and that port has me worried. It's on the next-trip list for a 2-3 night stay.
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
1978 posts
Well, as nice as Ravenna may be, it simply does not play in the same league as Venice. Venice, Florence, Rome and Naples were regional powers for several following centuries (Rome for millennia) and had money to spend on churches, music and arts. Add Milan and Palermo if you want. A lot of other Italian cities had they hour of glory (Turin, Genoa, Padua, Parma, Urbino, Ferrara, and so on including Ravenna) but it was not as long or as rich.