From north heading south

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Left the north of Italy and headed south to Ravenna, a tiny town famous for its beautiful mosaics.

We visited the 'Battistero Degli Ariani'. It's dome is covered with a mosaic depicting the baptism of Christ and it is spectacular!

The tomb of Dante the 'father of the Italian language' is also here in Ravenna. Each year, the Florentines try to take Dante's bones back to Florence (Dante's birthplace) but have not yet been successful.

We also went to the main church and it was sad to see the floor had sunk by 2.2 meters. The floor is underwater and there are goldfish swimming in the water. Another floor has been built, new walls erected and restoration work to raise the cathedral's roof is ongoing.

Left Ravella for San Marino (old town), a beautiful township high on a mountain. The view from San Marino over the town centre below and the Adriatic Sea is spectacular. We went to the 3 towers, saw the changing of the guard and visited the Basilica of Saint Marinus.

The basilica is one of the most beautiful cathedrals we have seen so far. Highly decorative but simple, elegant and captivating ... can a basilica be any more beautiful?

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