lavender

We have a week in Bologna and considering day trips.

Will probably only do 2 as we'd like to relax into the "feel" of Bologna itself.

Considering Parma and Ravenna-

We have visited Monreale in Sicily and seen the amazing mosaics there.

How does Ravenna compare to Monreale?

If the spectacle is similar to Monreale, just wondered whether we could spend our time better elsewhere. ( We will also be daytripping during our week in Verona as well- and have previously stayed in Florence)

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

thursdaysd

Tough choice. I might give the edge to Monreale, but there are more buildings with mosaics in Ravenna. I've been to Ravenna twice, Both times I've based in Ferrara and day tripped to Ravenna.Really like Ferrara, too.

flanneruk

Monreale is one cathedral. And, like the mosaic-ed churches in Palermo, from one briefish period, when one dynasty (mostly one monarch), at a time of relative peace and political stability on the island, commissioned and beautified churches for one version of one religion, using an extraordinary range of craftsmen.

Ravenna has a much wider range of decorated churches, built and added to under a much more challenging and unstable period of political and religious change.

The Norman kings harnessed at Monreale and Palermo the skills of Christians from both the Latin and Orthodox traditions, as well as their Muslim subjects, for what still look and feel mainstream Roman Catholic churches.

Ravenna's dozen or so major ecclesiastical buildings date from a longer period of time and reflect the cultures of very different rulers, differing Christian sects and the constantly fluctuating role of Ravenna in the crumbling Roman empire.

Norman Sicily was a cultural marvel - but it was still a backwater in world history. Ravenna between the fifth and eighth century didn't just produce amazing mosaics: their complex history epitomises the huge shift of power at that time within what had been a world run from Rome, and the consequences of that shift are with us today.

sandralist

Artistically, Ravenna's are much more beautiful.

lavender

Thanks for sharing-

TDudette

We saw both and I'd give a slight edge to Montreale <u>and</u> the ones in Palermo I'm having a senior moment about naming.

OTOH, Ravenna is a lovely city and, as others have mentioned above, there is quite a variety. Watch siesta closings. We trained there from our Bologna base but missed Parma (darn it). With a week in Bologna, you might be able to see Parma also? Others can help here. Have a great trip!

yestravel

Ravenna knocked me out. Thought the mosaics stunning. Loved Monreale, but it didn't have the impact that Ravenna did.

bobthenavigator

Great history lesson, Flanner.
It is always helpful to put art treasures into historic perspective.

immimi

The Pantocrator in Monreale is awe-inspiring but the mosaics in the Bapistry in Ravenna are exquisite
and intimate.

Loved walking through history in Ravenna.

Fra_Diavolo

The mosaics in Ravenna are considered by some to be the first stage in the development of medieval art. In the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia you can see the style change from classical to Byzantine.

suec1

Have been to Ravenna twice - loved it! The depiction of the 3 kings is so special! It is nice to walk thru the town to the different locations. I hope to get to Monreale in 2016 - I'll check back in after that for a comment on the comparison

mama_mia

The church of San Vitale (Ravenna) itself is wonderful and lovely example of an octagonal, central plan church (rather than being in the shape of a cross). The clerestory windows make it lighter inside than many churches.

If you choose Ravenna, read up on the mosaic program of San Vitale and the significance and meaning of the mosaics. The opposing mosaics of Justinian and his empress Theodora are particularly interesting. Some interpretations say they represent the emperor's presence in Ravenna (he never visited) and show a processional into the church, with Justinian maintaining the balance between the military/state and the clergy.

The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is like an exquisite jewel box.

In Monreale, in addition to the wonderful mosaics, you should note the bronze doors (signed and dated in the 12th century) and the cloisters.

cmstraf

Ravenna and Monreale are both amazing. I would definitely go to Ravenna and choose Ferrara over Parma--closer, more picturesque and better museum with lovely white exterior.

Leely2

I loved them both, and like you saw Monreale first. For reasons mentioned above (especially flanner's and sandra's), I would not skip Ravenna. Also Ravenna itself is rather pretty and laid-back.

lavender

You've really got me thinking now- looks like we shouldn't miss Ravenna after all.

And just when i thought that Parma/Modena would be our other day trip, I'm now drawn to Ferrara, especially since I discovered that we can see a flag throwing ceremony there the week before Il Palio.

sandralist

lavender,

With a week in Bologna, I don't think you would have any difficulty visiting every town mentioned without "cheating" your experience of settling into Bologna, especially if you have an apartment in Bologna and especially if you are only interested in some aspects of each of the other towns.

To a large extent, it depends on what is your wish list for Bologna. If you have a long list of cultural and artistic sights to see, you definitely "need" about 3 days of solid sightseeing to see the treasures of Bologna (athough it doesn't need to be 3 days in a row). If you are not so much into art and architecture exploration, but instead are thinking of some light sightseeing amid the food stores and the cafe life of Bologna, that is something you will experience even if you go out of town for the day. Bologna tends to keep hopping until 10pm (and the markets open early).

So depending on where you are staying, and what your personal rhythm is, and whether you are willing to plop down some money for taxis fairly frequently, you can loop around the Emilia-Romagna and see a variety of towns fairly easily. However, if you do decide to visit Ravenna, that is very much an all-day sightseeing affair, with a long-ish train ride, so you have to set aside a day for that. For Ferrara, you can go for a half-day unless you want an extensive tour of the castle + other sights, or bicycling around for the day.

I would also suggest a half-day for Modena from Bologna, rather than doing it in combination with Parma. Go to the morning market (buy some food for your apartment!), see the lovely cathedral, go to lunch at Hosteria Giusti, go back to Bologna for the rest of the day.

On a separate day go to Parma, especially if you want to see the theater and other sights that are only open in the morning. However, if you mainly just want to see the town and the extraordinary cathedral, go to Parma after lunch (or in time for lunch if you prefer) and then do some afternoon sightseeing. Pick up food and wine at Salumeria Garibaldi on your way back to the train station.

sandralist

PS: The great thing about "day trips" is that you don't have to take them if you don't feel like it -- or you can take others if you prefer to smaller or bigger towns. None of the day trips in the vicinity of the Bologna require advance reservations or guided tours. Just familiarize yourself with the train schedules. With the exception of Ravenna, most of the train stations require a bit of hoofing it to get to the center of town. I am a fan of paying 5 euros for a taxi ride.

cmstraf

The last time we went to Ravenna, we rented a car for the day since the previous time, we had been on a very slow feeling train. Also one of the most beautiful churches is just outside the periphery of town. It's an easy drive, though you could also take a taxi after taking the train.

lavender

Great suggestions, thanks guys.

We are staying in an apartment in Bologna for a week and while I do like to plan an itinerary before we travel, it is almost always done knowing we are not tied to it.

Planning ahead of time at the destination, is time I don't have to spend researching on the spot.

That's why this forum is so helpful.