15 Best Places to Visit in Italy

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Italy is a genuine gem of the Mediterranean, offering visitors pizza, pasta, the treasures of ancient Rome, the beautiful cities of Naples’ Bay, the towering heights of Vesuvius and Etna, the picture-perfect canals of Venice, and some of the planet’s most intriguing museums and galleries. In order to assist future tourists to “The Boot” plan the most productive trip possible, we examine the country’s most famous attractions below. These are the top tourist destinations in Italy. Enjoy..

1. Rome

View towards the Colosseum with archeological areas at sunset in Rome, Italy

The Vatican, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the majestic Platine Hill, the flowing Tiber River, the magnificent gardens of the Villa Borghese, the iconic masterpieces of Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Rafael, and Bernini, and so much more can all be found in Rome, known as “The Eternal City.” The Italian capital, Rome, is a popular destination for tourists of all stripes, from history aficionados to newlyweds, since it is a world-class destination. Visit the historic Centro Storico and the lively outdoor pizzerias of Piazza Navona, get lost in the winding lanes of Trastevere, or marvel at the 2,000-year-old cobblestones of the Via Appia Antica that lead out of town.

2. Cinque Terre

Picturesque coastal village of Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy.

The five UNESCO-recognized towns of Cinque Terre are situated along a rocky stretch of coastline that drops down into craggy cliffs and gorges before meeting the waves of the Ligurian Sea. The picturesque villages of Manarola, Riomaggiore, and Vernazza attract thousands of tourists every year to this stretch of the Italian Riviera. Each of these places is well-known for the picturesque rows of old houses that are painted in a palette of pastel colours and seem to jut out of the rocks of the shore. Meanwhile, in Monterosso, visitors hop between the city’s new town and the beach, where they soak in the sun while enjoying local specialties like pesto pasta and focaccia.

3. Florence

Panorama of Florence and Saint Mary of the Flower in Florence, Italy

If you’re a cultural vulture, the capital of Tuscany is like a candy store. At the height of Italy’s strength in the 15th century, the city acted as a crucible for the European Renaissance to take root. Therefore, museums like the Museo Galileo document the achievements of the era’s forward-thinking scientists, while museums like the Uffuzi showcase the works of artists like Caravaggio, Botticelli, and Albrecht Durer. The Duomo in the Old Town is among the most magnificent in all of Italy, and the Galleria dell’Accademia is home to the renowned Michelangelo sculpture, “David.” Florence’s vibrant summer nightlife and jewellery shopping on the picturesque Ponte Vecchio are two of the city’s biggest draws.

4. Bergamo

Medieval Upper Bergamo - beautiful town in north Italy

Travelers sometimes skip this Lombardy gem on their way to more popular destinations like the lakes of Como and Garda or the ornate avenues of Milan, despite the fact that it is crowned by one lovely old town section (the Citta Alta). Criminal! Tourists who have more time may explore the Upper Town’s walled district, where they can enjoy the region’s many earthy pizzerias, the Piazza Vecchia (with its bubbling Contarini fountain and towering Campanone tower), and the picturesque Cittadella, which is characterised by its arcaded pathways. San Vigilio, a picturesque town perched high above the city and accessible by funicular train, is worth the trip for its breathtaking panoramas of the Italian Alps and its exquisite restaurants.

5. Lecce

Ancient Roman Amphitheatre in Lecce, Puglia region, southern Italy

Lecce, a city with a blend of Baroque and antique architecture, can be found in the midst of Italy’s heel, among the rolling, vineyard-clad valleys of Apulia. In the morning, tourists may investigate the amphitheater’s ruins from the second century, and in the afternoon, they can peek behind the beautiful façade of churches like San Giovanni Battista, the Church of the Holy Cross, and the Lecce Cathedral, which is crowned by a bell tower. Sun-drenched piazzas abound in the city as well, transitioning from little gelaterias to inviting wine bars selling the renowned wines of the Apulian region.

6. Sicily

A popular vacation spot for Italians, this teardrop-shaped island in the Mediterranean has been a tourist hotspot for generations. The island is ideal for those in need of a peaceful getaway thanks to its stunning coastline, which includes sandy beaches and rocky coves like San Vito and Cala Rossa. While history enthusiasts explore the stunning temple remains of Agrigento, foodies flock to the intriguing Moorish-inspired couscous dishes and top-notch seafood. The towns of Sicily are also worth seeing; some, like Catania, are hidden from view by Etna and the Cosa Nostra, while others, like Palermo, bask in the sun and have beautiful Byzantine and Sicilian Baroque architecture. You should definitely check this out!

7. Naples

Panoramic view of Naples, Campania, Italy

Rough-around-the-edges Naples has all the allure of a real, local Campanian town. It’s hardly a surprise that the narrow alleyways of one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities would hide centuries’ worth of history and culture. Spaccanapoli is a dark sliver that runs through the middle of the city, replete with swinging laundry lines and fascinating Renaissance church gargoyles, while in the Quartieri Spagnoli, pizzerias fill the air with the aroma of fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, and other classic Italian ingredients. Then, just outside the city limits, the big bucket-list legends of Pompeii and Herculaneum rise under the watchful eye of Vesuvius, the vast and brooding caldera of the south.

8. Italian Lake District

Traditional village of Colonno in Lake Como district, Italy

The mountainous backdrop of Lake Garda and Lake Como make this wealthy and sophisticated corner of northern Italy well worth a visit. Located just to the north of Milan, this area is dotted with picture-perfect villages like Menaggio on Lake Como, which slopes gracefully down to the lake’s glistening waters, and Riva del Garda, which is on the shores of Lake Garda and has an oddly Austrian vibe with winding, small streets. Undiscovered Iseo can be found between these two well-traveled lakes; it is an L-shaped treasure with the tranquil town of Lovere and the hiking trails of Bossico, and it is tucked away in a valley under the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park’s must-see peaks. You can look forward to pleasant weather, delicious dishes influenced by the cuisines of Switzerland and Austria, and stunning mountain views that rival those of the Aosta Valley.

9. Milan

Milan appears to strike the ideal mix between old and modern since it is home to both business suits (it is the location of Italy’s stock market) and fashionable people (it hosts possibly the largest fashion week in all of Europe). At its centre stands a magnificent Duomo with Gothic flying buttresses, while the church of Saint Mary of the Graces draws visitors with the promise of da Vinci’s famous Last Supper and the rises of Saint Ambrose provide a master class in Lombard Romanesque. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, with more Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton stores than you can shake a saffron-flavored risotto alla Milanese at, can be found not far from these stunning basilicas.

10. Bologna

Top view on the old city of Bologna, Italy

Learned Bologna is home to more than 100,000 students, and its numerous neighbourhoods, especially the ornate Centro Historico and the bar-heavy University Quarter, nonetheless pulsate with an obvious youthfulness and vibrancy owing to the town’s claim to having one of the oldest colleges in all of Europe. On the other hand, that’s not the point. Piazza Maggiore, surrounded by basilicas, is one of the town’s most famous landmarks, and it is home to the Fountain of Neptune and the precariously tilting Tower of the Asinelli. Bologna is known as the “culinary capital of Italy,” and its trattorias serve up gallons of red meat smothered in sauce and thick red wines.

11. Siena

Siena is a maze of red-brick palazzos and winding lanes, and it is perhaps Italy’s most beautiful mediaeval city. The city’s circular Piazza del Campo is where the annual Palio di Siena takes place, and the Loggia della Mercanzia’s arches and façade serve as a picturesque setting for the area’s innumerable outdoor cafes and gelaterias. In the upper parts of Siena, the streets give way to the gleaming white marble of the Duomo, while the towering Renaissance Palazzo Pubblico conceals treasures from the city’s past mediaeval heyday.

12. Venice

Since antiquity, Venice has been universally recognised as one of Italy’s most recognisable landmarks. Despite its current status as a popular tourist destination, the city was actually a prominent participant in the 15th-century Italian power wars, competing with Florence and other large cities for control of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean. The Doge’s Palace and other buildings in and around Piazza San Marco, such as the red-brick Campanile and the bell tower of St. Mark, are reminders of Venice’s Golden Age. The Grand Canal’s meandering path and the Rialto Bridge, inspiration for artists like Shakespeare and Monet, are also nearby, as are the sandy beaches of Lido and Murano’s famed glass factories.

13. Sardinia

Cala Corsara Beach, Maddalena Archipelago, Sardinia, Italy.

Sardinia has both idyllic beaches and towering mountains, and is especially well-known for the beautiful, turquoise-coloured waters of its coastal waters, which lap against the rough cliffs and caves of the coast at the point where the Tyrrhenian Sea and the broader Mediterranean meet. Beautiful hiking paths may be found inland, winding through mountainous settlements like Ozieri and Fonni and up and around Gennargentu (which is covered with snow in the winter). Meanwhile, Cagliari is home to bobbing billionaire yachts and terraced lines of colourful Renaissance villas and palazzos; the beaches of Villasimius and Chia; remote Tuerredda; and UNESCO-attested Cala Goloritze are to die for.

14. Turin

Although it is not Italy’s most popular destination, Turin’s central location in the stunning Piedmont region gives it a lot of clout. The city is centred on the Mole Antonelliana, a masonry structure that was formerly home to the Italian royal family (the highest of its kind in Europe). Most visitors, however, go to the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist to see the Turin Shroud (when it is on display) or to the quaint and fascinating alleyways of the historic Quadrilatero Romano (perfect for sampling that Piedmont cuisine). Turin, on the other hand, serves as an excellent jumping-off point for seeing the western part of the Italian Alps, where attractions range from the expansive Barolo vineyards to the ski slopes of the Aosta Valley.

15. Pisa

The city’s Romanesque and Baroque architecture is a patchwork, but most tourists go straight for the Leaning Tower when they arrive at this former mediaeval military force on the coast of the Ligurian Sea. Despite its most well-known landmark, Pisa is home to a lot more. The Piazza dei Miracoli, with its colonnaded façade of the Cathedral of Pisa, and the Piazza dei Cavalieri, the former political centre of the Pisan state, are both located here. Visitors may explore the region’s renowned mineral springs, buy Tuscan goods in the hospitable stores of the Corso Italia, and take in the picturesque views of the stuccoed and painted villas along the Arno as it meanders towards the Mediterranean.

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