Getting to Ravenna

Finding Ravenna

Ravenna isn't hard to reach — it's just not signposted the way Florence or Venice are. Most visitors arrive via Bologna or one of the Adriatic airports, and the train connections are excellent once you know what you're looking for. We've made the journey from the UK several times by different routes, so here's what we actually know.

Best airports Routes we've used Onward to Ravenna Practical tips

A note on how we travel: We fly from regional airports in the southwest of England — Bournemouth and Bristol — which aren't always the most obvious choices for most visitors. Below you'll find the airports we'd recommend to everyone first, followed by the specific routes we've personally used, which each come with a bonus Italian city stop built in.

For most visitors

The best airports for Ravenna

If you have access to a larger airport or flexibility on routing, these are the options we'd point most visitors toward.

Best option
Bologna Guglielmo Marconi
BLQ · ~1 hour from Ravenna
Why it winsClosest major airport to Ravenna. Direct bus from the airport to Bologna Centrale, then a 1.5 hour regional train to Ravenna. Simple, fast, well connected.
UK routesRyanair and easyJet from multiple UK airports including London Stansted, Gatwick, Manchester, Edinburgh
To RavennaAirport shuttle to Bologna Centrale (~30 mins), then train to Ravenna (~1.5 hrs)

If you're coming specifically to Ravenna and the region, this is the one. Bologna airport is modern, easy to navigate, and you can be in Ravenna in under two hours of landing.

Second best
Rimini Federico Fellini
RMI · ~40 minutes from Ravenna
Why it worksThe closest airport to Ravenna by distance. Fewer UK routes than Bologna but worth checking — if the flight works, this is the quickest door-to-door option.
UK routesRyanair seasonal routes from some UK airports — check availability for your travel dates
To RavennaTrain from Rimini to Ravenna (~40 mins) or taxi (~35 mins direct)

Less consistent UK coverage than Bologna but worth a search. When the route works, it's the easiest journey of all — and you arrive in a city worth exploring in its own right.

Venice Marco Polo
VCE · ~2.5 hours from Ravenna
Best forCombining Venice with Ravenna. Excellent UK connections, beautiful city stopover, then train south along the Adriatic.
UK routesVery well served — easyJet, Ryanair, British Airways from London and regional airports
To RavennaBus/people mover to Mestre station, then train to Ravenna via Ferrara (~2.5 hrs)

This is the route we've done from Bournemouth. Venice adds time but also adds Venice — which is rarely a hardship.

Milan Linate / Malpensa
LIN / MXP · ~3 hours from Ravenna
Best forCombining Milan with Ravenna. Linate is smaller and more central. Malpensa has more routes but is further out.
UK routesExcellent coverage on both — easyJet, Ryanair, BA from multiple UK airports
To RavennaTrain Milano Centrale → Bologna (fast train ~1hr), Bologna → Ravenna (~1.5hrs)

We flew into Linate from Bristol. A night or two in Milan first makes the longer journey entirely worthwhile.

Routes we've used

Three ways we've done it

Every route below is one we've personally travelled. None of them are the obvious choice — Bologna direct would be easier for most people — but they all work, and they each come with a bonus stop built in.

We've done this
Bournemouth → Venice → Ravenna

The scenic route — arrive in one of the world's great cities, then take the train south along the Adriatic.

1Fly Bournemouth to Venice Marco Polo — Ryanair operate this route seasonally. Short flight, straightforward airport.
2Bus or people mover to Venice Mestre station — don't pay for the water taxi unless you want the experience. Mestre is quick and cheap.
3Train Mestre → Ravenna — typically 2.5 to 3 hours via Ferrara or Bologna depending on the service. Book via Trenitalia.
We've done this
Bristol → Milan Linate → Ravenna

The city-hop — land in Milan, cross Italy by rail, arrive in Ravenna via the Po Valley.

1Fly Bristol to Milan Linate — a compact city airport, much easier than Malpensa. easyJet operate this route.
2Metro or bus to Milano Centrale station — central, efficient, about 30 minutes from Linate.
3Train Milano Centrale → Bologna → Ravenna — fast train to Bologna (~1hr), regional train to Ravenna (~1.5hrs). Book both on Trenitalia.
We've done this
Bristol → Verona → Ravenna

The Romeo & Juliet route — a lesser-known airport, a beautiful city stopover, and a direct line south.

1Fly Bristol to Verona Villafranca — a small, uncrowded airport with easy connections. Ryanair and others operate this.
2Bus to Verona Porta Nuova station — straightforward, around 15 minutes. Verona itself is very much worth an overnight stop.
3Train Verona → Bologna → Ravenna — fast train to Bologna, then regional to Ravenna. Around 2.5 hours total.
Into Ravenna

Onward travel into the city

Once you're in Italy, getting to Ravenna is straightforward. The city sits on the Bologna–Rimini regional rail line, which means it's well connected in both directions.

By train — the best option
  • Book via Trenitalia (trenitalia.com) — easy to use in English, book in advance for better prices
  • From Bologna: regional train to Ravenna, ~1.5 hours, runs frequently throughout the day
  • From Rimini: regional train to Ravenna, ~40 minutes, very regular service
  • From Venice Mestre: train via Ferrara to Ravenna, ~2.5 hours
  • Ravenna station is central — most hotels and the historic centre are walkable
  • Luggage-friendly carriages — no stairs, easy boarding
By car — if you want flexibility
  • Ravenna is well served by the A14 motorway running along the Adriatic coast
  • From Bologna: ~1 hour via A14
  • From Rimini: ~45 minutes via A14 north
  • Parking in central Ravenna requires a ZTL permit — check with your accommodation before driving in
  • A car becomes very useful for day trips to wineries, the Po Delta, and smaller villages
  • Car hire available at Bologna, Rimini and Venice airports — book ahead for best rates
From experience

Things worth knowing

A handful of things we wished someone had told us before our first trip.

Practical tips from people who've done it
Book trains early Italian regional trains don't always require booking, but fast trains (Frecciarossa etc.) do. Booking ahead on Trenitalia saves money and guarantees a seat. The app works well.
Validate your ticket On regional trains, you must validate (stamp) your paper ticket before boarding at the yellow machines on the platform. E-tickets are fine as-is. Inspectors do check.
Summer vs shoulder season July and August are busy and hot. Late May, June, and September are our preferred times — warm, manageable, and the city feels more genuinely Italian than touristic.
ZTL zones in Ravenna The historic centre has a ZTL (limited traffic zone). If you're driving, confirm with your hotel whether you need a permit. Fines are automated and follow you home.
The Bologna connection Bologna is the hub for everything. If a connection doesn't work directly, it will work via Bologna. When in doubt, route through Bologna.
Give yourself time Ravenna rewards a slow pace. Two full days is a minimum to see the mosaics properly. Three or four days lets you breathe, eat well, and actually feel like you've been somewhere.

Once you've found Ravenna, Sarah will take care of the rest. From guided mosaic tours to day trips across the region and fully arranged holiday packages — everything is designed to make your time here as good as it can possibly be.

See all tours → Bespoke packages
Or skip all of this

Let Sarah handle the whole thing.

Flights, transfers, accommodation, tours — Sarah can arrange it all personally, so you arrive in Ravenna with nothing to worry about except enjoying it.

See bespoke packages →