Basilica of Saint Francis

Ravenna is a city on the East coast of Italy, a couple of hours south of Venice: it's known as the Capital of Mosaics, a form of art that developed while the city was capital of the Roman Empire and later on during the Byzantine era. The 8 UNESCO heritage sites should be enough to convince you to go visit, but in case they aren't here's 5 reasons why you should: 1. It's CHEAPER than bigger cities like Venice, Florence or Rome, but that doesn't mean it's not as beautiful 2. Staying in a smaller city doesn't mean you won't be able to visit anything else: in fact Ravenna is very WELL CONNECTED by the railway system to multiple major destinations 3. Are you a SEA or MOUNTAIN person? Don't worry, Ravenna has both: 20 minutes east are its beaches, famous for their beach volleyball tournaments, while in the opposite direction you will find the Apennines! 4. Like anywhere else in Italy FOOD isn't the issue: lasagna, cappelletti, "bolognese" sauce, etc. are originally of Emilia Romagna, the region where Ravenna is found 5. Is Italy not enough for you? Apart from being close to Bologna's AIRPORT, Ravenna has also FERRIES that will take you to the Balkans region in no time!