Passengers traveling by ferry to Ravenna, arrive in the northern province of Emilia Romagna, a diverse region of seaside towns and incredible gastronomy!
Ravenna city, in Emilia-Romagna Regione of northeastern Italy, is on a low-lying plain near the confluence of the Ronco and Montone rivers, 6 miles (10 km) inland from the Adriatic Sea, with which it is connected by a canal. Ravenna was important in history as the capital of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD and later (6th–8th century) of Ostrogothic and Byzantine Italy.
In ancient times the Adriatic lay nearer Ravenna, which rested on coastal lagoons that later silted up. The earliest inhabitants of Ravenna were probably Italic peoples who moved southward from Aquileia about 1400 BC. According to tradition, it was occupied by the Etruscans and later by the Gauls. It came under Roman control in 191 BC and soon became important because it possessed one of the few good port sites on the northeastern coast of Italy. The Roman emperor Augustus built the port of Classis, about 3 miles (5 km) from the city, and by the 1st century BC Ravenna had become the base for Rome’s naval fleet in the Adriatic Sea.
It is most famous for its fabulous early Christian and Byzantine mosaics, which date back to the time when Ravenna was the capital of the Western Empire, then under Ostrogoth and Byzantine rule. The town's greatest mosaics have been given UNESCO World Heritage status.
Organize your ferry to Ravenna in advance, with all the details arranged. You don't want any last moment surprises and you can achieve ideal holidays with a great organization.
Ravenna ferry connections
Below are some of the most popular itineraries from / to the port of Ravenna:
- Ferry from Bari to Ravenna: The Bari Ravenna ferry route connects northern and southern Italy. The ferry crossing is available 3 days per week with a duration of 26 hours
- Ferry from Brindisi to Ravenna: The Brindisi Ravenna ferry route connects northern and southern Italy. The ferry crossing is available 4 days per week with a duration of 21 hours
- Ferry from Catania to Ravenna: The Catania Ravenna ferry route connects Italy with Sicily. The ferry crossing is available 3 days per week with a duration of 44 hours
- Ferry from Ravenna to Porec: This route runs once a week and is available from April until October. Passengers make the crossing in one high-speed catamaran ferry, which takes 2 hours and 15 minutes
Ferry port Ravenna
The port of Ravenna is the main port of Emilia-Romagna. The docks are mainly on a canal that connects the town center of Ravenna (which is inland), to the sea which is 12 km away. The offshore breakwaters are in the little towns of Porto Corsini and Marina di Ravenna. It hosts shipyards, multipurpose terminals, bulk cargo terminals and a containerized cargo terminal. There are also a big passenger and cruise lines terminal and the biggest marinas of the Adriatic Sea. There are regular ferry lines to Catania, Brindisi, Igoumenitsa.
Bologna International Airport to Ravenna Port
Upon arrival at Bologna International Airport, you can get to the Ravenna Port easily by train, bus and taxi. See below your alternatives in further detail:
Train
The city center of Bologna is very close to the airport. Get the line 40 bus and get off at the train station Bologna Centrale and board on the train to Ravenna. More specific information at Bologna Airport Trains.
Bus
Take the bus straight to Ravenna. Detailed information on Bologna Airport Bus.
Taxi
The most comfortable way of getting transferred in exchange of a little higher cost. Book one in Bologna Airport Taxis.
Ravenna City Center to Ravenna Port
From the City Center of Ravenna, you can get to the Ravenna port by taking advantage of the following public transportation means.
Bus
There is a public bus service between Ravenna city center and Ravenna port (Porto Corsini). The buses start from the Ravenna train station in the center of the city. Please visit Ravenna Buses for further details.
Taxi
Taxis are always a safe choice. Visit Ravenna Taxis or call +39 054433888.
Visit Ravenna
There are plenty of reasons why you should visit Ravenna. Ravenna isn’t always a choice for an Italian city break so Portia is sharing some reasons why it should be on your travel radar. If authentic (and not too touristy!) Italian cities, great food, history, culture and art are what you look for on a weekend. With mosaics, mausoleums and basilicas at every turn, the Italian town of Ravenna is positively ingrained with history and culture. From world heritage sites to feasting on fresh seafood, there are so many reasons to visit Ravenna.
Beaches in Ravenna
Ravenna’s beach is one of the best places in the city. If you are planning to journey out to this gem of Northern Italy, then you should definitely pack your beach gear because you will be getting a lot of sun as you relax on one of the sandy spots along the 36 km stretch of the Adriatic coast.
If you are arriving on a cruise ship, you will most likely dock on the Ravenna cruise port which is located at the Porto Corsini waterfront or at the harbor in Marina di Ravenna.
Ravenna beach is located right next to Ravenna port and from there you will be able to explore freely along the huge stretch of soft sand which comprises 9 lidos.
- Marina Romea
- Marina di Ravenna
- Casalborsetti
- Porto Corsini
- Punta Marina Terme
- Lido Adriano
- Lido di Dante
- Lido di Classe
- Lido di Savio
Sightseeing & Things to Do in Ravenna
The best thing about Ravenna is that you can set your own pace in this picturesque town. Spend your days wandering around late Roman and Byzantine architecture, take a trip to the seaside or take a day excursion to the surrounding areas.
There are plenty of things to do in Ravenna whether you are on a city break or a longer Italian holiday.
Here’s a list of our top picks Ravenna, to inspire you to consider visiting this charming Italian town:
- Neonian Baptistery: A good place to begin, both geographically and historically is this early fifth-century brick baptistery in the heart of the city. The octagonal building is one of the oldest in Ravenna, and it is considered to be the finest and most complete example of early Christian baptistery surviving today
- San Vitale: Step into the octagonal church, built in the first half of the 6th century, and behold one of the most important examples of early Christian Byzantine art and architecture in Western Europe
- Mausoleum of Galla Placidia: Over the door, Christ appears as the Good Shepherd, surrounded by mosaic sheep. Look for the apostles and for symbols of the four evangelists - the lion, eagle, ox, and angel. The marble sarcophagi are thought to be those of Galla Placidia, her husband and son, all of whom died in the fifth century. The UNESCO citation calls this "the earliest and best preserved of all mosaic monuments, and at the same time one of the most artistically perfect"
- Sant'Apollinare Nuovo: The walk across town to Sant'Apollinare Nuovo not only gives you time to rest your eyes, but to skip to the 6th century, when Theodoric had this basilica built as his cathedral. The walls of the long single nave are decorated with mosaics showing ships in the nearby Roman port of Classis on the left, and on the right Ravenna, with its churches and Theodoric's palace
- Basilica di San Francesco: About halfway between the Neonian Baptistery and Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, the Franciscan church of San Francesco is easy to spot for its tall 10th-century Romanesque tower. It's worth a stop for several reasons, not the least of which is the spooky flooded crypt. Look also for the 16th-century stone columns carved by Tullio Lombardo and in the left aisle for frescoes by the early 14th-century painter Pietro da Rimini
- Museo Nazionale (National Museum): Adjoining San Vitale and a pleasant interlude between gazing at mosaics overhead, the museum housed in the elegant cloisters of the former Benedictine Monastery has excellent collections of carved ivories, textiles from the Coptic to Renaissance periods, icons, and ancient weapons. Several of the museum's treasures relate to the UNESCO sites, including the cartoon (original drawing) for the mosaic of Sant'Apollinare in Classe
