Orange Umbrella Tours - Ravenna

Welcome to Ravenna, a city that served as the final capital of the Western Roman Empire and later as a shining jewel of the Byzantine Exarchate. As we begin our journey with Orange Umbrella Tours, I want you to take a moment to…

As we gather our group under the iconic orange umbrella, let us consider why Ravenna was chosen as a capital. In the early fifth century, the Emperor Honorius moved his court here from Milan, largely because Ravenna was…

Moving deeper into the urban fabric, we approach the area that has served as the social hub of the city for centuries. Walking through these streets, you can feel the transition from the ecclesiastical zones to the commercial…

As we progress, we must talk about the period when Ravenna was the seat of the Byzantine Exarch—the personal representative of the Emperor in Constantinople. This was a time of immense diplomatic and military tension. …

One of the most complex chapters in Ravenna’s history is the reign of the Ostrogothic King Theodoric. For a brief but intense period, the city was the capital of a Gothic kingdom that sought to preserve Roman traditions while…

As we circle back toward the center, we must acknowledge the literary shadow that looms over Ravenna: Dante Alighieri. The 'Father of the Italian Language' spent his final years here after being exiled from his beloved Florence. …

Our tour eventually brings us to the realization that Ravenna is a global treasure. In 1996, eight of its early Christian monuments were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. …

Our introductory walk with Orange Umbrella Tours draws to a close here, but your exploration of Ravenna is only just beginning. We have traversed the centuries from the fall of Rome to the rise of the Byzantine Empire, and from…