How far in advance do you need to make dining reservations? If you already said, sorry.

LoveItaly, I hope you do go to the doctor tomorrow if your finger's not better!

Hi Maire, I will I promise! What a mess, lol. I bled so much last night, it sort of panicked me if the truth be known. The cut is like a U shape..ouch. Thank you for your thoughts, they are so appreciated. Thankfully my finger has stopped hurting..that is a good sign I think. And I do tend to heal quickly. Again, thank you! P.S. All of you starting with your thread and than with our dear Neo's thread here has caused me to spend today wishing I was in Ravenna!!

You're welcome, and good luck. Keep us posted.

We just walked in without a reservation. However, it was a bloody hot afternoon and maybe sensible people were too hot to be hungry that day ;)

You mean sensible people don't eat when it's hot? Thank goodness I'm nonsensical.

Yeah, me too ;)

I don't recall ever making reservations in Revenna be it lunch or dinner. But if there is a restaurant you really want to go to than it would be best to do so as you do not want to be dissapointed.

LoveItaly,

You are posting...is your finger better???

Hi Traviata! My finger is healing..guess I am a good doctor. The pain is gone, I can still see the cut but no bleeding etc. I tend to heal quickly so all is well. Thank you for asking! As I told Maire on another thread, I haven't even picked up one of those newly sharpened knives since the accident however. They scare the holy heck out of me, LOL. Take care!

LoveItaly,

Good news...now we can continue to ask you questions and not feel guilty!!!

There's nothing I can add to the very good information given above, except to wonder whether the museum mentioned is the Museo Archivescovado? (I wanted to see that, but didn't.)

If you'd like to read a description of our day trip to Ravenna in 2005, it's on Day 2 of my trip report (with discussion following)--

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34594217

Another thing--I firmly believe that a visit to any site which figured heavily in the Christendom of late antiquity can be enhanced greatly by a bit of reading in the works of Peter Brown. I don't mean really dense study, just getting a copy of <i>The Cult of the Saints</i> or <i>The Rise of Western Christendom</i> from the library and browsing around in it for a bit.

Have a wonderful time in Italy!

LoveItaly, I hope your injured finger gets better soon!

Thanks smalti, it is..thank goodness!

BTW, thanks for the info on the two books, I will add that to my library list as I have never read either one.

Now I am going to read your trip report..I know I read it before but it will be fun to read again!

I did so enjoy reading your thread again Smalti. I would encourage anyone who is going to Ravenna to read it! And had the thought today, the Piazza Del Popolo in Ravenna would be a perfect place for a Fodor's GTG!
Thanks to Neo and all of you my mind was in Ravenna all day today!

Thanks for the compliment, LoveItaly! I for one would <b>love</b> a GTG in Ravenna!

Hi smalti..wouldn't that be fun? Can't you imagine a group of Fodorites relaxing and enjoying the Piazza Del Popolo?

BTW, one of the most &quot;interesting&quot; invitations I have ever received was in Ravenna. We were having morning coffee early one morning down by the harbor..sort of at a funky cafe. My DH went inside for some reason. At the next table was a group of fellows..they seemed happy and relaxed. When my DH came back to our table, long story short, they started talking to him. They were from Israel, their cargo ship was docked at Ravenna. They were heading to the USSR as they were delivering cargo to the USSR. What type of cargo I have no idea. They invited us to join them on their trip as they were going to return to Ravenna on their way home. One of the fellows was the captain. They said they had a couple of empty cabins etc and that we would have a great sea journey and so forth.

Now of course we graciously declined their invitation. They moved their table over to ours. We spent the most delightful 90 minutes or so visiting with them. What a fun and interesting group of gentlemen..and they were gentlemen. I will always remember that morning.

That sounds like a charming memory, LoveItaly! And no doubt that voyage would have been a great adventure, but perhaps a little <b>too</b> much of an adventure.

Hi smalti, &quot;a little too much of an adventure&quot;..yes I do believe that is what we thought, LOL. A happy and special memory though.

Re: Peter Brown

Actually, Neopolitan, if you were to look into one of his books before heading to Ravenna, then the best one (that I'm familiar with) is probably <i>The World of Late Antiquity</i>. In it, he describes Late-Empire social and cultural changes, and also the great religious changes: first the Empire's conversion to Chrisitanity, and also some of the divisions and controversies within the early Church.

Again, have a wonderful time in Italy, and enjoy the glorious mosaics in Ravenna!

You should definitely make time for the church at Classe. It's a 5-minute train ride away, and really spectacular.