RAVENNA, ITALY

Of all of Italy’s many towns and cities which are steeped in history and filled with monuments, Ravenna boasts a unique and invaluable heritage.

Of all of Italy’s many towns and cities which are steeped in history and filled with monuments, Ravenna boasts a unique and invaluable heritage. Through the monastic cloister and the triple windows of the bell towers, Ravenna reveals to us the winding course of Christianity down the ages, from the time of its first bishop, Apollinare of Antiochia, to the age of Dante – from the Renaissance to the Baroque. Between the 5th and 6th centuries, Ravenna became the chief political centre in the west and the capital and administrative seat of the Roman-barbarian kingdoms, a period which has left fine monuments and memorials to the Christian faith. After a short journey by coach to the historical centre, we will begin our guided walking tour to the Church of Sant Apollinare Nuovo, famous throughout the world for its splendid mosaics. Then it’s on to Galla Placidia Mausoleum; splendid mosaics. Then it’s on to Galla Placidia Mausoleum; designed in the shape of a Greek cross, it was built in the 5th century for the Emperor Teodosius’s daughter and is covered in the oldest Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna. One of the main scenes inside the mausoleum depicts the martydom of St Lawrence. Our next visit is to the Church of St Vitale, one of the most important examples of Byzantine art and architecture through Ravenna. This is the only key church from the period of Emperor Justinian that has remained virtually intact to the present day and is now listed in the UNESCO World Heritage cite. Continuing on to the Neonian Bapistery, a small 5th-century building, we will discover an impressive mosaic of the baptism of Christ by St John the Baptist in the centre of the domed ceiling. Our penultimate stop is Dantes Tomb, a small Neo-Classical temple, built in 1780 by the architect Camillo Morigia. Finally we will admire the Basilica of the Holy Spirit (exterior view only). Previously the cathedral of the Arian bishops, it was dedicated to the catholic religion by archbishop Agnello in 556 AD. Following our visits we will have some free time to explore the city further or do a spot of shopping. After our free time we will then drive back to our awaiting ship. Please note that the historical centre is pedestrianised, therefore this tour involves approximately 2 hours of walking; some steps will be encountered when entering the churches and the monuments. Not suitable for passengers with limited mobility.