Top Ravenna Archaeology Tours

Ravenna is home to some of Italy's most noteworthy architectural sights—but it can be hard to learn about their history if exploring solo. Instead, check off multiple highlights in one excursion, and learn insider facts from your guide along the way, on this private tour. Visit several UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Basilica di San Vitale and Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, and even see Dante Alighieri's tomb.

Recognized with UNESCO World Heritage status, Ravenna's mosaics and architecture dazzle. But knowing who's who in the artworks and parsing the complex mix of peoples and cultures during the Byzantine era isn't easy. Skip the research and see the sights in all their glory on this walking tour with a private guide—tickets at your own expense. Learn about Justinian, Theodoric, Theodora, Dante, and more as you soak up the sights.

Discover the best of Ravenna on a private tour, and get an in-depth look at the history behind the city’s Byzantine mosaics. As you walk with just your personal group, you’ll explore the city’s early Christian monuments and the hear the stories behind them. Just note that entry fees to the monuments are not included.

DISCOVER THE CAPITAL OF MOSAICS LIKE AN INSIDER! This PRIVATE experience blends the breathtaking art of the Byzantine Empire with the laid-back charm of Italian summer... From the silent beauty of UNESCO basilicas to a seafood lunch with your toes in the sand, this is the ULTIMATE RAVENNA DAY TRIP. GUIDED VISIT (with a local historical guide) of the UNESCO Big Three: San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and Sant'Apollinare Nuovo. You won’t just see these 1,500-year-old masterpieces, your private historian will bring their secrets to life. A Walk with Dante, pay your respects at the tomb of the "Father of the Italian Language" and soak in the Venetian-style elegance of Piazza del Popolo. After the history, we’ll drive to the Adriatic Coast for a lazy seafood lunch at a traditional beach club (bagno). 09:30 AM PRIVATE Pick-up (Downtown or Cruise Port) 10 AM Guided "Deep Dive" into Ravenna’s world-famous Mosaics. 1 PM Lunch on the Beach 3:30 PM Return to Ravenna

Step off the beaten path and into the glowing heart of early Christian art and Byzantine majesty. On this exclusive private tour of Ravenna, you’ll journey through centuries of sacred beauty with a knowledgeable, passionate expert at your side — bringing the stories behind the mosaics vividly to life. Along the way, you’ll also visit the Tomb of Dante Alighieri, the final resting place of Italy’s greatest poet, where history, literature, and culture come together in a uniquely evocative setting. To complete your experience, you’ll step inside a traditional mosaic workshop, where skilled artisans will demonstrate the creation of a mosaic using the ancient techniques that have made Ravenna world-famous. Witness firsthand the precision, craftsmanship, and artistry that have been passed down through generations and continue to keep this remarkable tradition alive.

Ravenna is a city endowed with UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and this experience puts the spotlight on them. On a half-day walking tour, you’ll see the Basilica of San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, and the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, plus you’ll get the inside track on Ravenna’s culinary treats with tastings of “piadina,” pasta, and even gelato. Just note that any entry fees are extra.

Experience your Ravenna vacation on your own, listening to the audio content of our app on your smartphone. It will be like having at your side a tour guide who will tell you the history, points of interest and curiosities of the city. Once organized, take your first step into town as your audio guide tells you surprising facts and curiosities about its streets. Look up at monuments and increase your understanding. Benefit from an audio guide without an expiry date plus no tickets to collect or meeting place. Listen to the audio guide online, or offline. The audio content is professionally created by a group of top authors and interpreted by TV and radio professionals. The smartphone is yours and you will therefore not have contact with unsanitary devices provided by third parties. There is no need to book or to be present at a specific time or date. The Audioguide can be downloaded and used immediately, it never expires, and any date/time indicated here is not binding!

Connect with the history and architecture of Ravenna through a private self-guided audio tour. Set out independently at a convenient time and get access to maps and audio content. Learn about the stories behind landmarks like the Basilica of San Vitale and Piazza del Popolo. Complete the experience with a visit to the tomb of renowned poet Dante Alighieri.

We will visit together the majestic monuments of Ravenna, admiring the glittering mosaic tiles, of incomparable beauty. Art, history and culture, during an exclusive private tour. We will start the tour in front of the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, where we will look for some “surprises” in the splendid wall mosaics, in a blaze of glittering golden tiles. After a stop in the Dante area, we will visit the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, a small jewel of the fifth century, then the Basilica of San Vitale, built in the sixth century, where we can compare the artistic evolution that has taken place over the course of a century. It will then be a pleasant walk through the streets of the city center, during which we will peek at the windows of the mosaic workshops that still make their works according to the ancient technique. My name is Serena Zecchini, Ravenna Tour Guide since 2013, graduated with honors from the Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.

The mosaics of Ravenna—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—are one of Emilia Romagna’s most popular attractions. But travelers who visit without a guide risk missing out on crucial cultural and historical context. Listen to in-depth explanations during this private walking tour, which includes stops at San Vitale, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, and Sant'Apollinare In Classe basilicas, and more, all in just two hours.