Maskay guide

Where to stay in Ravenna to visit its mosaics and UNESCO monuments on foot?

A boutique hotel with a terrace and wellness facilities near the basilica, and a simpler central base for walking between mosaics.

Maskay editorial team Updated

Ravenna brings together one of Europe’s most remarkable sequences of early Christian art. Eight fifth- and sixth-century monuments make up the UNESCO listing: San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo and other spaces where mosaics connect Christian imagery with Graeco-Roman traditions and Eastern influences. Ravenna became the capital of the Western Roman Empire in 402, then an Ostrogothic and Byzantine centre. To see this heritage at a measured pace, it helps to stay in the historic core and group the monuments by distance instead of making repeated journeys from the outskirts.

Hotel Palazzo Bezzi, on Via di Roma, is beside Sant’Apollinare Nuovo and a few minutes from MAR. It is a four-star superior boutique hotel with a regional breakfast, 24-hour reception, winter garden, bar, panoramic terrace and wellness area; affiliated parking is about 200 metres away. Hotel Centrale Byron is on a pedestrianised street in the centre and offers a simpler three-star stay, with buffet breakfast and walking access to San Vitale, Galla Placidia, Piazza del Popolo and Dante’s tomb. The first makes rest and the terrace part of the trip; the second keeps the focus on a practical base and time on foot.

A sensible route can begin at Sant’Apollinare Nuovo and continue to the Neonian Baptistery and San Vitale, with a stop at Piazza del Popolo before heading towards Dante’s tomb or the Galla Placidia complex. The buildings do not all stand on the same street, and visitors should allow time for the interiors rather than only photographing façades: each monument in the UNESCO group has its own opening hours and ticket conditions. Palazzo Bezzi is close to the start of that sequence and to the station; Centrale Byron makes it easy to return to the shopping district and restaurants. Both are walkable from the station, although luggage over cobbles and pedestrian streets may make a taxi or local transport worthwhile.

Palazzo Bezzi guests often value cleanliness, breakfast, service and proximity to the monuments; its terrace and spa add appeal, but check hours and possible extra charges. At Centrale Byron, friendliness, breakfast and location recur, while other travellers describe basic rooms, occasional noise or differences in climate control. The scores consulted were 4.7/5 from 973 reviews for Palazzo Bezzi and 4.2/5 from 438 for Centrale Byron; these are guest ratings, not hotel categories. Palazzo Bezzi is listed as four-star superior and Centrale Byron as three-star. For a heritage-focused stay, decide between more facilities inside the hotel and a practical urban base, and review car access before booking.

Bottom line

Choose Palazzo Bezzi for its terrace, breakfast and wellness facilities close to Sant’Apollinare Nuovo; choose Centrale Byron for a simpler base in the pedestrianised centre.

Editorial selection

Options to compare

These options relate to the question. Read each profile and check current details before deciding.

01
Four-star superior boutique hotel in Ravenna’s historic centre

Hotel Palazzo Bezzi

Via di Roma, 45, 48121 Ravenna RA, Italia

4.7 /5 973 reviews

Hotel Palazzo Bezzi occupies a town house on Via di Roma, a few steps from the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo and MAR, the city art museum. In Ravenna, where many visits revolve around fifth- and sixth-century mosaics, this position makes it possible to start early and return to the hotel between

Why it made the selection

Panoramic terrace, wellness area and breakfast featuring products from Emilia-Romagna

Hours: Reception is open 24 hours; affiliated parking is 200 metres away. Ask about current spa and terrace hours. Verified: October 11, 2026
View Maskay profile → Official website ↗
02
Three-star hotel in Ravenna’s pedestrianised historic centre

Hotel Centrale Byron

Via IV Novembre, 14, 48121 Ravenna RA, Italia

4.2 /5 438 reviews

Hotel Centrale Byron has an address in Ravenna’s pedestrianised old town, between the city’s shopping streets and its early Christian monuments. The official website presents it as a three-star, family-atmosphere hotel a few minutes’ walk from San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. It is a

Why it made the selection

Family-run accommodation, buffet breakfast and walkable access to the mosaics and central monuments

Hours: The official site announced reopening after maintenance on 20 March 2026. Confirm availability and car access before travelling. Verified: October 11, 2026
View Maskay profile → Official website ↗
Verification

Sources & references

Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.

  1. Official website of Hotel Palazzo Bezzi ↗ Primary source Hotel Palazzo Bezzi · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  2. Official website of Hotel Palazzo Bezzi ↗ Primary source Hotel Palazzo Bezzi · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  3. Official website of Hotel Palazzo Bezzi ↗ Primary source Hotel Palazzo Bezzi · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  4. Official website of Hotel Palazzo Bezzi ↗ Primary source UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  5. Official website of Hotel Palazzo Bezzi ↗ Primary source Ravenna Turismo · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  6. Official website of Hotel Centrale Byron ↗ Primary source Hotel Centrale Byron · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  7. Official website of Hotel Centrale Byron ↗ Primary source Hotel Centrale Byron · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  8. Official website of Hotel Centrale Byron ↗ Primary source Hotel Centrale Byron · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  9. Official website of Hotel Centrale Byron ↗ Primary source UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  10. Official website ↗ Primary source UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  11. Official website ↗ Primary source Ravenna Turismo · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  12. Official website ↗ Primary source Ravenna Turismo · Accessed October 11, 2026

    Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.

  13. Hotel Palazzo Bezzi, Via di Roma 45 ↗ Secondary source Google Hotels · Accessed October 11, 2026

    4,7/5 en 973 reseñas y cuatro estrellas, consultado el 11/10/2026.

  14. Hotel Centrale Byron, Via IV Novembre 14 ↗ Secondary source Wanderlog con datos de Google · Accessed October 11, 2026

    4,2/5 en 438 reseñas de Google; se elogian ubicación, personal y limpieza, con observaciones sobre habitaciones, ruido y aire acondicionado; consultado el 11/10/2026.

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