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Visiting the province: a short guide
Mosaics, Ravenna's gold worldwide
Thanks to the skills achieved in the city in the field of mosaic art, eight of Ravenna's monuments have been declared world heritage sites: the Basilica of San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Baptisteries, Sant'Apollinare Nuovo and in Classe, the Archbishop's Chapel and the Mausoleum of Theodoric. Together they narrate the splendour of one thousand six hundred years of history. Other monuments well worth visiting are the ancient Domus buildings, that of the Stone Carpets and that of the Triclinium, the Dante area and the Loggetta Lombardesca, home to the City Art Museum.
Besides its great artistic heritage, the Byzantine city offers visitors nine very hospitable seaside resorts: Casalborsetti, Marina Romea, Porto Corsini, Marina di Ravenna, Punta Marina Terme, Lido of Adriano, Lido di Dante, Lido di Classe and Lido di Savio with altogether thirty-five kilometres of wide golden beaches.
Another not-to-be-missed destination is Cervia, with its appealing seafaring atmosphere and a treasure dating back to thousands of years – salt. The route along the "road of the white gold" passes through the Salt Stores, the Salt Civilisation Museum, the Tower of San Michele, the Homes of the Salt-Pan Workers and the Salt Pans themselves. Here once stood the old city, demolished in the 17th century and rebuilt by the side of the sea. |
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From the Salt-Pan visitors' centre, excursions and walks begin along historical, botanical and bird-watching routes. Today, Cervia is a modern holiday town, with nine kilometres of sandy beach, that also incorporates Milano Marittima, Pinarella and Tagliata.
Behind the coastline is a plain rich in art gems: Bagnacavallo, Lugo, Russi and Bagnara di Romagna. A stop off at Faenza is a must, to admire the Cathedral, the Palazzo del Podestà, Palazzo Manfredi, Palazzo Milzetti, the Masini Theatre and, naturally, The International Ceramics Museum.
Further inland, towards the hills, is the village of Brisighella, dominated by three rocky peaks and crossed by the charming Via degli Asini; Riolo Terme with its mighty 15th-century Fortress and, at the centre of the Senio valley, Casola Valsenio where visitors will find a singular "factory" of aromatic, medicinal and cosmetic herbs: the Garden of Medicinal Herbs.
At meal times, before deciding between land and sea, the two hearts of local gastronomy, start according to tradition with piadina caramelised figs and squacquerone cheese (the best variety is that made with the "sweet" salt of Cervia), or piadina with radicchio and "bruciatini". |
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