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Ravenna: Mosaics on the Monday After

Ravenna's early Christian and Byzantine mosaics sit in a flat centre 15 minutes from Russi by regional train, and the timed-ticket system and Monday closures shape the day.

DurationDay trip
TransitTrenitalia regional train, about 15 min from Russi
DepartsRussi

After the Maratona del Lamone: Ravenna

The Route: Russi → Ravenna → Russi Logistics: Trenitalia regional train, about 15 minutes each way. One short line, one flat city. Marathon Month: April Duration: Day trip

Russi ──(about 15 mins Trenitalia regional)──> Ravenna ──(about 15 mins, check timetable)──> Russi

The Maratona del Lamone finishes in Piazza Farini on a Sunday morning in April, and Ravenna is 15 kilometres away along the same railway. The regional train takes about 15 minutes. Check the timetable on trenitalia.com for the Monday, because regional services on this line are not frequent and a missed connection costs real time on tired legs.

April in Ravenna suits the plan. The five central mosaic sites are open from 9:00 to 19:00 in April, against 10:00 to 17:00 in winter, and the city is flat and compact enough to walk on stiff calves. The catch is the ticket system. Central monuments are sold on timed-entry combination tickets only, and a February 2026 guide to the sites says time-slot reservations are currently essential, so reserve at ravennamosaici.it before the day. A two-site pass (San Vitale and Sant'Apollinare Nuovo) costs about €10.50, a four-site pass adds the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia and the Neonian Baptistery for about €12.50, and a five-site pass with the Archbishop's Chapel and Museum costs about €14.50. Prices change, so use these as a guide only.

The mosaics

Start at the Basilica di San Vitale and the adjoining Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. The two buildings stand close together on flat paving, and the mausoleum's interior is tiny, dark and covered in blue and gold tesserae, so visits are brief and queues move in slots. The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo is a short walk across the centre and holds a long procession of saints in its nave. The Neonian Baptistery and the Archbishop's Chapel are nearby.

Monday closures. Some sites outside the centre are restricted on Mondays. The Mausoleum of Theodoric, at the edge of town, is open Monday to Thursday from 8:30 to 13:00 and costs about €5. The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, a short bus or taxi ride south of the centre, opens Monday to Saturday from 8:30 to 19:30 for about €5. The National Museum is closed on Mondays. Check each site's current hours before building the day around it.

Terrain matters more than distance here. The central circuit is level and paved, and the walk between the two main groups of monuments is under a kilometre. The Classe basilica needs a vehicle, which is not a bad thing on Monday legs.

Food

Romagna's regional food is easy to find near the centre. Piadina stands and trattorie cluster around the central squares. Ask local staff for the current favourite, as opening days change in April and several restaurants close one weekday.

Getting back

Trains run back to Russi in about 15 minutes. Check the last departure for the Monday before dinner, and book a taxi as a fallback for the last leg to Piazza Farini if a late train is cancelled.