A guide to Ravenna's traffic system for getting around by car.

Visiting Ravenna means navigating a historic city center made up of narrow streets and pedestrian areas designed to protect its artistic and architectural treasures. If your goal is to reach the Basilica of San Vitale or the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, using a car requires careful planning: in this article you’ll find all the useful information about getting around Ravenna.

Ravenna’s ZTL: watch out for access gates

The heart of the city is a limited traffic zone monitored by active cameras. It’s essential to know the ZTL hours in Ravenna: unlike in other cities, access here is prohibited to unauthorized vehicles every day, 24 hours a day. There are, however, exceptions for those staying in hotels within the center, as they can register the guest’s license plate in the “whitelist” system.

Special attention should be paid to the ZTL in Via di Roma and the areas around Piazza del Popolo: the access gates are clearly marked, but getting distracted between one monument and another can be costly. The light signals (green for open access, red for restricted access) will be your best ally.

The parking challenge: where to park in Ravenna

Once you understand that the city center is off-limits, the next question is: where can you find free parking in Ravenna or spots that don’t force you to spend a fortune or walk for miles?

The city offers several integrated solutions.

• Around the perimeter of the ZTL, you’ll find numerous paid parking spaces marked by blue lines. They’re convenient, but hourly rates can add up if you plan to stay for a long time.
• Park-and-ride lots are the best choice if you’re looking for free parking in Ravenna. Areas such as the Pala de André parking lot or the one in Via Travaglini allow you to leave your car at no cost and reach the center by shuttle or urban bus lines.
• Piazzale Aldo Moro, located behind the train station, is one of the most strategic areas. Although part of it is paid, the surrounding streets offer some of the few free parking spots in central Ravenna, just a short walk from Sant’Apollinare Nuovo.

A golden tip: if you visit the city in the late afternoon, remember that many blue-line parking spaces become free after 6:30 pm or 7:00 pm (always check the local parking meter).

Getting around beyond Ravenna’s center: the seaside and Classe

Ravenna’s road network also extends toward the sea. If you head to the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe, about 5 km from the center, you’ll find large free parking areas right in front of the site. For the Ravenna beaches, traffic management changes significantly in summer with the introduction of the “Navetto Mare,” a free bus service that connects major park-and-ride areas to the beaches, helping to reduce congestion along the seafront.

If you need a rental vehicle to move easily around the city and its surroundings, you may want to consider contacting a car rental service in central Ravenna.