Ravenna cultural calendar is anchored by the internationally renowned Ravenna Festival, a classical music and opera event that transforms the city basilicas into concert venues each June and July. Beyond this flagship event, the city hosts film festivals, maritime celebrations, antique markets, and seasonal food sagre. Most events take place between May and October, with winter focused on Christmas traditions. See our best time to visit guide for more details. See our travel tips guide for more details. For a complete overview, see our Ravenna travel guide.
Ravenna Events and Festivals: Spring and Summer
Ravenna Festival (mid-June to early July)
Founded in 1990 by Cristina Mazzavillani Muti, the Ravenna Festival is one of Italy premier classical music events. Performances span opera, symphony concerts, chamber music, jazz, ballet, and sacred music, staged inside UNESCO basilicas, at Teatro Alighieri, and at the 15th-century Rocca Brancaleone fortress. International orchestras and soloists perform alongside emerging artists. Tickets 15 to 80 euros. Full programme announced in March at ravennafestival.org. Accommodation books out weeks in advance; reserve by April.
Mosaico di Notte (June to September)
Night-time guided tours of UNESCO monuments with special lighting effects. Tours run Monday through Friday, starting at 21:00. Each evening covers different monuments. Tickets 20 euros per person, book in advance through Ravenna tourism office (turismo.ra.it or Piazza San Francesco 7). Tours in Italian with English audio guides available.
Festa del Mare (mid-July)
Marina di Ravenna maritime festival with three days of seafood stalls, boat parades, sailing regattas, sandcastle competitions for children, and beach concerts. Climaxes with large fireworks display over the sea on Saturday night. Free entry; pay for food and drinks. Free shuttle bus from Ravenna station to Marina di Ravenna runs extended hours.
Ravenna Bella di Sera (July and August)
Series of evening events in historic centre: open-air cinema, street musicians, late-night museum openings, and guided walks. Tourist office publishes weekly calendar. Most events free. Shops stay open until midnight on Thursdays.
Antiques Market (third weekend of each month)
Large antiques and collectibles market fills Piazza del Popolo and surrounding streets on third Saturday and Sunday monthly (except August). Stalls sell vintage furniture, books, jewellery, coins, and local crafts. Prices from a few euros to several hundred. Free to browse.
Ravenna Events and Festivals: Autumn and Winter
Ravenna Nightmare Film Fest (late October to early November)
International horror, fantasy, and science fiction film festival in its third decade. Screenings at Palazzo del Cinema on Largo Firenze. Programme includes feature films, shorts, retrospectives, and Q&A sessions. Single tickets roughly 6 euros; festival passes available. English subtitles on most international films.
Festa di San Vitale (April 28)
Feast day of Ravenna patron saint, celebrated with morning mass at Basilica of San Vitale and a small street fair with local food stalls (piadina, passatelli, cappelletti). Free to attend. Not a major tourist event but offers a taste of local religious tradition.
Christmas Market (late November to late December)
Piazza del Popolo transforms into a Christmas village with roughly 30 wooden stalls selling artisanal gifts, local food products, and vin brule (mulled wine). Ice skating rink in Piazza Kennedy. Smaller and less touristy than northern European equivalents but authentic. Open daily 10:00 to 20:00. Free entry.
Sagra del Cappelletto (various dates in autumn)
Cappelletti are the signature stuffed pasta of Romagna, filled with ricotta, Parmesan, and nutmeg, served in meat broth. Several towns around Ravenna host sagre (food festivals) dedicated to this dish in October and November. Check with tourist office for exact dates. Full meal roughly 20 to 25 euros.
