In autumn, Ravenna transforms: urban parks, historical gardens, and monumental cloisters are tinged with warm hues that interact beautifully with the city's artistic heritage.
Among parks, gardens, and cloisters, the fall foliage reveals unexpected views, and Ravenna – a Unesco World Heritage site – becomes even more poetic: greens fade into bright, intense yellows, fiery oranges, and earthy browns.
The leaves become tiles that form colourful mosaics to stroll across at a leisurely pace, to capture with your eyes or your camera. Autumn foliage becomes an opportunity to discover the city from a new perspective.
Technical note
Flat urban route, accessible and suitable for all ages. Comfortable shoes are recommended.
Tip
Even better if experienced in the morning or late afternoon, for the best photographic light.
The itinerary begins from Parco Teodorico, right in front of the Mausoleum of Theodoric.
The contrast between the white structure of the monument and the golden treetops creates a particularly charming scene in autumn.
Among people jogging, walking, chatting, and families spending time in the children's play area, Parco Teodorico is a large, refreshing oasis.
Not far away, the Rocca Brancaleone fortress, enclosed by its walls and towers, holds a space suspended in time.
Here, autumn creates an intimate and magical atmosphere: the leaves turn a deep yellow. The rustling of the wind brushing the treetops and the crunch of leaves underfoot, together with the beauty of the former trencadis fountain "Gironi Danteschi" and the charming painted decorations of the playground rides, make the Rocca a must-stop for fun for the whole family.
The Public Gardens surround Loggetta Lombardesca, housing the MAR - Ravenna Art Museum. The trees create a natural frame becoming particularly charming in autumn.
The changing leaves accompany the daily life of residents and visitors alike: some read on the bench, others enjoy a coffee, some stroll, others run and some play.
From the park, you reach via di Roma. Walking along it toward the heart of the city becomes an artistic itinerary. In order, you encounter:
Arriving in front of the Liceo Classico, you come across a majestic ginkgo biloba tree, one of the most photographed in autumn. Its fan-shaped leaves, drifting down in delicate spirals, create a luminous carpet along the sidewalk.
A few steps away, in Piazza San Francesco, in the heart of the Zone of Silence, another ginkgo biloba dialogues with other trees in the cloister of the Oriani Library.
Its yellow leaves create a contrast with the facade of the Basilica of San Francesco and the treetop of the big oak planted by Giosuè Carducci, rising above the Quadrarco of Braccioforte.
Tip
This is an ideal area for a relaxed walk during the quieter hours.
The cloisters of the Classense Library offer a more intimate space. Trees and architecture interact with the main cloister and the central well.
Inside, you can visit Sala del Refettorio and Aula Magna.
The itinerary ends in the Rasponi Garden, a secret garden with carefully tended trees and medicinal plants, where one can carve out a moment of rest: the ideal stop to conclude the itinerary with a peaceful break in the heart of the city.
Here, the foliage reveals unexpected details: the plants turn colour, and behind them, beyond the wall, the great dome of the Ravenna Cathedral and its cylindrical bell tower rise into view. In their shadow, just beyond the wall, stands the Neonian Baptistery.
