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Live Virtual Tour: Ravenna, Italy's Hidden Gems with Silvia Giogoli

Live Virtual Tour: Ravenna, Italy's Hidden Gems with Silvia Giogoli


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

The charming town of Ravenna, Italy is heralded as the capital of mosaic art and the last capital city of the Western Roman Empire. Our live virtual walking tour broadcasts live from its historic center where we will hit a few tourist highlights as well as several local favorites. Located halfway between Florence and Venice, Ravenna has many treasures for travelers to explore and is best when experienced in the company of our local guide. During our time together we'll enjoy 360º views of its can't miss highlights and hidden gems. camera-led.

During our camera-led walking tour, we will enjoy a view of the exquisite architecture of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (built as Imperial Grave in the 5th century A.D.) and the Basilica of San Vitale, a breathtaking masterpiece of Byzantine Art. Participants will experience the narrative timeline of the city's history and how its geographic landscape has changed over the past 2,000 years. A stop in the central market will introduce travelers to the local food with an overview of the Romagna's delicacies like hand-made pasta, cheeses, and conducts from the heart of the Food Valley.

From there we will enjoy the main square Piazza del Popolo, a piece of interesting evidence from the Venetian domination during the XV century, with the Town Hall and its fancy Cafée where locals enjoy a relaxing classic breakfast – with croissant, cappuccino, and the newspaper. Our time together will conclude at the Tomb of Dante Alighieri's – Father of the Italian Language – and the nearby buildings he had erected during his final years spent in Ravenna.

Led by a licensed tour guide, this live virtual walking tour will bring travelers a taste of the cities best attractions and deeper cultural heritage. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased understanding of Ravenna's best features and tips and tricks to use while planning future in-person travels.

Please note: Our live virtual tour will not be able to go inside the UNESCO buildings, due to copyright restrictions and local regulations. We will experience their exteriors and the local life of the city.

Silvia Giogoli was born and raise in Ravenna, where she has been working as licensed tour guide since 2000. In 2001 she obtained the license as Tour Leader and Environmental and Hiking Guide. She attended the Academy of Fine Arts where she obtained a specialization in the art of mosaic. Since she started work as tour guide she always tried to create special itineraries to combine art and food to experience the deep the culture of her region. She started cooking in her grandmother's kitchen when she was a child and her passion for food has always accompanied her though life. Over time she has refined her techniques in the creation of traditional dishes often combined with gourmet seasonings. Her specialties are mainly handmade pasta and desserts.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 5 reviews
40%
(2)
20%
(1)
0%
(0)
20%
(1)
20%
(1)
A
A. (Arlington, US)
Next best thing to visiting Ravenna is a Live Tour

Sylvia is a charming and informed guide. Technically, the live tour was well done without dead spots. It was wonderful to see the sites of Ravenna

M
Milly (Stockton, US)
Delightful guide

There were a few connectivity problems but they were more than erased by the delightful enthusiasm that Silvia exuded when talking about her city.

M
Michael Thomas (West Lebanon, US)
Surprised by my enthusiasm...

I signed up for this program only an hour before and didn't even have time to read the description, let alone the three little words prefacing the title of the talk, “Live Virtual Tour.” Because I so deeply appreciated my single visit to Ravenna in 2017 and love mosaics and their history I knew I wanted to see this “talk” on Ravenna. I had an appointment immediately before the start of LVT and thus arrived a few minutes after the tour had started. I quickly realized that our guide, Silvia Giogoli, was doing the walking tour live, without a net, if you will. As she was speaking about the architecture of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, suddenly out of what seemed nowhere she holds a postcard before the camera's lens of the interior ceiling of the edifice that we cannot enter. I found myself enchanted by the freshness of the tour. I guess I had expected a kind of powerpoint talk with pictures and descriptions of buildings and history. Perhaps somewhat overcooked descriptions even if learned. Instead we have postcards appearing before the camera for our inspection as we make our way through the city. Not so different from what happens on any number of walking tours. It was enchanting. Yes, sometimes the signal strength wasn't there to convey clearly what Silvia Giogoli was saying, but I felt I was a member of her group. We were enjoying a beautiful evening in Ravenna with people in the group thinking about dinner as we strolled about. Now, admittedly, I am not at all sure if I hadn't been immersed in Ravenna on another occasion I would have appreciated the walk quite as much. It was almost painful not to be allowed to enter the UNESCO churches because of copyright issues, Yet I do imagine that those watching and planning a trip to Ravenna would have caught a sense of what a walk through Ravenna would be like on just such a warm summer evening. "Oh, yes, here’s Dante’s Tomb, you remember, where Dante was supposedly buried, we saw it on that Context walk. And wasn't there a great place to eat not far from here...?" When I return to Ravenna I would love to go on any tour with Silvia Giogoli. Perhaps especially on one that looks at the mosaics themselves and how these treasures were made. This was indeed one of the more enjoyable talks I've seen on Context Learning. Perhaps especially because for a moment you may have forgotten you were sitting in a living room in Des Moines or L.A. listening to a talk, but instead were being shown an amazing town, Ravenna, “my city” says Silvia Giogoli several times with quiet pride.

M
Muriel Verdibello (Millbrook, US)
Lovely street views

The street views and vignettes were inspiring. I definitely plan to visit Ravenna when we get back to Italy. That said, the production was hard to watch. It had a 'live, as you go' vibe, but too many closeups, panting, and glitches. The guide seemed very knowledgeable, perhaps she could use a partner for filming. Thanks for the chance to see Ravenna.

A
Albert M. Gordon (Gaithersburg, US)
Disappointed

This was a waste of time. I couldn't understand her for most of the time. She needed to have better images of the mosaics that she talked about. They were the main reason for the trip. I needed to look p Ravenna on the computer to find out where it was a there should have been a map shown. We have skipped Ravenna on our several trips to Italy and I still don't know what I missed.

Customer Reviews

Based on 5 reviews
40%
(2)
20%
(1)
0%
(0)
20%
(1)
20%
(1)
A
A. (Arlington, US)
Next best thing to visiting Ravenna is a Live Tour

Sylvia is a charming and informed guide. Technically, the live tour was well done without dead spots. It was wonderful to see the sites of Ravenna

M
Milly (Stockton, US)
Delightful guide

There were a few connectivity problems but they were more than erased by the delightful enthusiasm that Silvia exuded when talking about her city.

M
Michael Thomas (West Lebanon, US)
Surprised by my enthusiasm...

I signed up for this program only an hour before and didn't even have time to read the description, let alone the three little words prefacing the title of the talk, “Live Virtual Tour.” Because I so deeply appreciated my single visit to Ravenna in 2017 and love mosaics and their history I knew I wanted to see this “talk” on Ravenna. I had an appointment immediately before the start of LVT and thus arrived a few minutes after the tour had started. I quickly realized that our guide, Silvia Giogoli, was doing the walking tour live, without a net, if you will. As she was speaking about the architecture of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, suddenly out of what seemed nowhere she holds a postcard before the camera's lens of the interior ceiling of the edifice that we cannot enter. I found myself enchanted by the freshness of the tour. I guess I had expected a kind of powerpoint talk with pictures and descriptions of buildings and history. Perhaps somewhat overcooked descriptions even if learned. Instead we have postcards appearing before the camera for our inspection as we make our way through the city. Not so different from what happens on any number of walking tours. It was enchanting. Yes, sometimes the signal strength wasn't there to convey clearly what Silvia Giogoli was saying, but I felt I was a member of her group. We were enjoying a beautiful evening in Ravenna with people in the group thinking about dinner as we strolled about. Now, admittedly, I am not at all sure if I hadn't been immersed in Ravenna on another occasion I would have appreciated the walk quite as much. It was almost painful not to be allowed to enter the UNESCO churches because of copyright issues, Yet I do imagine that those watching and planning a trip to Ravenna would have caught a sense of what a walk through Ravenna would be like on just such a warm summer evening. "Oh, yes, here’s Dante’s Tomb, you remember, where Dante was supposedly buried, we saw it on that Context walk. And wasn't there a great place to eat not far from here...?" When I return to Ravenna I would love to go on any tour with Silvia Giogoli. Perhaps especially on one that looks at the mosaics themselves and how these treasures were made. This was indeed one of the more enjoyable talks I've seen on Context Learning. Perhaps especially because for a moment you may have forgotten you were sitting in a living room in Des Moines or L.A. listening to a talk, but instead were being shown an amazing town, Ravenna, “my city” says Silvia Giogoli several times with quiet pride.

M
Muriel Verdibello (Millbrook, US)
Lovely street views

The street views and vignettes were inspiring. I definitely plan to visit Ravenna when we get back to Italy. That said, the production was hard to watch. It had a 'live, as you go' vibe, but too many closeups, panting, and glitches. The guide seemed very knowledgeable, perhaps she could use a partner for filming. Thanks for the chance to see Ravenna.

A
Albert M. Gordon (Gaithersburg, US)
Disappointed

This was a waste of time. I couldn't understand her for most of the time. She needed to have better images of the mosaics that she talked about. They were the main reason for the trip. I needed to look p Ravenna on the computer to find out where it was a there should have been a map shown. We have skipped Ravenna on our several trips to Italy and I still don't know what I missed.