This week we visited Ravenna, known for its stunning 5th and 6th Century mosaics. Close to the Adriatic coast, Ravenna is about 90 minutes by train south-east of Bologna. In this small city, which has a a population of only around 170,000, there are eight UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Christian monuments containing beautifully-preserved mosaics, these sites are testament to Ravenna’s long and glorious history. The city was once the western capital of the Roman Empire and, later, the capital of the Byzantine Empire in Europe.

Today much of Ravenna’s lovely historic centre is a pedestrian-only zone and most of the UNESCO monuments are within an easy stroll. It’s said Cole Porter spent his honeymoon in Ravenna in the 1920s and was inspired by the 800 golden mosaic stars in The Mausoleum of Galla Placida to write his famous song Night and Day.

It’s not hard to see why. We found a lot to like about Ravenna, but it was those beautiful mosaics that stayed with us long after we were back on the train and on our way home again.