The best city hikes and walks in Pineta Di San Vitale

Recognized as part of the World Heritage in 1996, built around 520 as the burial place of the Ostrogothic king outside the city, distant from other monuments, made of brick and studded inside with incredible mosaics, a few hundred meters from the sea then present in the area: building material white Istrian stone with unfinished shells inside, perhaps due to the king's imminent death, surmounted by an imposing 300-ton dome with a clearly visible ornamental pincer frieze outside, erected at the time by rolling and cracked probably by error during construction, although legends circulate about the origin of the crack; in the upper cell, the very famous red porphyry basin, a symbol of imperial power, made around the 2nd or 3rd century for thermal use and later rethought as an open sarcophagus because it was protected by the imposing dome: 1500 years have passed since his death

Port scale built at the end of the 18th century concurrently with the construction of the Candiano canal, once much smaller and narrower, which reached beyond the railway tracks to the current Aldo Moro square of the station; the current trapezoidal shape was conceived in the early 20th century to allow the entry of ever larger ships: currently, the right bank of the Candiano has been redeveloped with a 2 km pedestrian and cycle path rich in greenery, benches and play areas, which reaches the swing bridge, while unfortunately the left bank features buildings such as the former fertilizer factory, the feed mill and the dilapidated Consorzio Agrario in a total state of abandonment 😓

Built at the beginning of the 6th century AD at the behest of the Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great, it was initially conceived as the Arian church of the royal palace. After the Byzantine reconquest, it was reconsecrated to Catholic worship and dedicated to Saint Apollinaris. It is called "Nuovo" (New) to distinguish it from the older Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, which already existed outside the city: it was therefore the "new" church compared to the previous one. The interior is famous for the large mosaics in the naves: on one side the processions of martyrs, on the other those of virgins, among the most extensive mosaic testimonies of the late antique world. It is part of the eight early Christian monuments of Ravenna inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

It is the square overlooked by the Cathedral of Ravenna, the city's religious center since the early Christian era. The area took on its current configuration between the 18th and 19th centuries, when the spaces around the episcopal buildings were reorganized. In the center of the square stands the Column of the Virgin Mary, a devotional element erected as a sign of protection for the city. At the top is a statue of the Madonna, a religious and historical reference symbol for the community of Ravenna.

The Basilica of San Vitale was built in the 6th century AD during the reign of Emperor Justinian, it is one of the greatest examples of Byzantine architecture and art in Western Europe. The interior is famous for its golden and luminous mosaics, among the most important in the Byzantine world, depicting Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora with their retinue. The structure has an octagonal plan, a symbol of perfection and the link between earth and sky. It is part of the eight early Christian monuments of Ravenna inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It was begun under Ostrogothic rule and completed after the Byzantine reconquest of the city, thus reflecting the transition between two very different political and cultural worlds. The interior is built with a typical Byzantine technique that creates an effect of "expanded space", where walls and surfaces almost completely dissolve into the mosaics. The apse is one of the most important points: here Justinian is represented not as a simple emperor, but as a representative of sacred power, together with Bishop Maximian. The basilica is also connected to the nearby Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, sharing the same historical period and the same artistic language, although with different functions.

The Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio was built in the 18th century in the Baroque style. The building has an octagonal plan and features a richly decorated interior, with stuccoes and frescoes typical of the era. The church is linked to the Confraternity of Suffrage, which was involved in charitable works and prayers for the souls of the deceased. Today it is one of the most important examples of the city's Baroque architecture.

Ravenna is a city with one of the richest UNESCO heritages in Europe: it has 8 recognized sites, a very high number compared to many entire countries. For comparison, Norway has only 8 in total, and several European states have even fewer. The city is especially famous for its early Christian and Byzantine mosaics, preserved in monuments such as the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. It was the capital of the Western Roman Empire and then an important Byzantine center, a role that has left a unique artistic legacy. It is also linked to the figure of Dante Alighieri, who spent the last years of his life there and is buried in the city.

Dante's Tomb is located in the historic center of Ravenna, next to the Basilica of San Francesco. It is the monument that houses the remains of Dante Alighieri, transferred to Ravenna in 1321 after his death. The current tomb is a small neoclassical temple built in the 18th century by the architect Camillo Morigia. Outside, there is a simple commemorative area with a votive lamp powered by oil donated each year by the city of Florence. The place is one of the main sites linked to the memory of the poet of the Divine Comedy.