Country guide
Italy holds 62 World Heritage Sites, more than any other country, spread across 301,340 km2 of land that runs from the Alps down into the middle of the Mediterr...
Photograph · Timothy A. Gonsalves · CC BY-SA 4.0
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Italy holds 62 World Heritage Sites, more than any other country, spread across 301,340 km2 of land that runs from the Alps down into the middle of the Mediterranean. The distances between its cities are short and the differences between them are not: Venice has no roads, Naples sits under a volcano on a bay, Florence fits inside a walkable Renaissance grid, and Milan keeps its art indoors and works for a living. Rome is the capital and the obvious first trip; the argument is always about what comes second. Nearly 800 islands hang off the coast, and Sicily and Sardinia are each large enough to be a trip of their own.
Checked 2026-08-25
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Bert Kaufmann from Roermond, Netherlands · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photograph · Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photograph · Wikibusters · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
145 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
Villa medicea di Castello
Villa Castello, or Villa medicea di Castello, is a Medici villa on the outskirts of Florence. The property combines Renaissance architecture with a formally designed garden and belongs to the network of rural residences created for the Medici family.
The Loggia dei Lanzi is an open-air sculpture gallery located on the southeast corner of Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Built between 1376 and 1382, this Gothic-style loggia was originally designed to host public ceremonies of the Florentine Republic.
Basilica di Santa Maria del Santo Spirito
Santo Spirito is a major basilica in Florence's Oltrarno district, formally named Basilica di Santa Maria del Santo Spirito. The church stands as one of the most significant Renaissance religious structures in the city, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi.
Basilica di Santa Maria del Carmine
Santa Maria del Carmine is a Carmelite church in Florence's Oltrarno district. The basilica dates to the thirteenth century and was rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1771 destroyed much of its interior.
Basilica della Santissima Annunziata
The Basilica della Santissima Annunziata is a major Renaissance church in Florence and the centre of the piazza that bears its name.
Villa dei Quintili
The Villa dei Quintili is a large Roman aristocratic estate on the Via Appia southeast of Rome. The Quintilii brothers, wealthy consuls in 151 CE, owned the residence before Emperor Commodus seized it and had them executed.
Torre dell'orologio
St Mark's Clocktower, or Torre dell'Orologio, is a Renaissance landmark on the north side of Piazza San Marco. Its astronomical clock displays the hours, moon phases and zodiac signs, while two bronze figures strike the bell above.
Palazzo Colonna is a historic palace in Rome, Italy, belonging to the Colonna family, one of the oldest and most prominent noble families in the city.
Ponte di Rialto
The Ponte di Rialto is the oldest of the four bridges that cross the Grand Canal inside Venice, and until the Accademia bridge was built in 1854 it was the only one.
Ponte dei Sospiri
The Bridge of Sighs, or Ponte dei Sospiri, is an enclosed limestone bridge in Venice’s San Marco district. It crosses the Rio di Palazzo and links the Doge’s Palace with the New Prison.
Circo Massimo
Circus Maximus, known locally as Circo Massimo, is an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium and mass entertainment venue situated in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills in Rome.
Piazza San Marco is the principal public square of Venice, and to Venetians it is simply la Piazza.
Ostia Antica
Ostia Antica is a large archaeological site located near Rome, preserving the remains of the ancient port city of Ostia.
Piazza Navona is a long oval-ended square in the historic centre of Rome, and its shape is not a design decision of the Baroque period but the footprint of a Roman building.
Catacombe di San Sebastiano
The Catacombs of San Sebastiano are an ancient underground cemetery complex beside the Appian Way. The site takes its name from Saint Sebastian, the Christian martyr traditionally associated with burial here.
Cimitero Monumentale
Cimitero Monumentale is Milan’s monumental cemetery and an open-air collection of sculpture, architecture and memorial art. Founded in 1866, it remains an active burial ground while welcoming visitors interested in Italian artistic heritage.
Ara Pacis Augustae
The Ara Pacis Augustae is an ancient Roman altar dedicated to Pax, the goddess of peace.
Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti
The Spanish Steps are the staircase that carries Piazza di Spagna up the slope of the Pincio hill to the church of Santissima Trinità dei Monti standing above it.
Mausoleo di Augusto
The Mausoleum of Augustus is a large circular tomb built as the final resting place of Emperor Augustus, the first Roman emperor.
Piazza di Spagna is a prominent public square in Rome's historic centre, named after the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See.
Palazzo Farnese is a monumental High Renaissance palace on Piazza Farnese in Rome’s historic centre. The Farnese family commissioned the building, and Antonio da Sangallo the Younger began its design before Michelangelo contributed important later elements.
Abbazia di Chiaravalle
Chiaravalle Abbey, known locally as Abbazia di Chiaravalle, is a Cistercian monastery located in the southern periphery of Milan. Founded in 1135, it represents an important example of Lombard Gothic and Romanesque architecture.
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Passione
Santa Maria della Passione is a historic Catholic church in central Milan, also known locally as Chiesa di Santa Maria della Passione. It belongs to the city’s rich ecclesiastical landscape and offers a quieter alternative to Milan’s busiest monumental churches.
Teatro di Marcello
The Theatre of Marcellus is an ancient open-air theatre in Rome, Italy. Its local name is Teatro di Marcello. Construction began under Julius Caesar and was completed by Augustus in 13 BC, dedicated to his nephew Marcus Claudius Marcellus.
Palazzo Belgioioso
Palazzo Belgioioso stands as a distinguished neoclassical palace in central Milan, constructed in the late eighteenth century to designs by Giuseppe Piermarini. The building exemplifies the refined architectural transition from Baroque grandeur to Enlightenment restraint.
Ten to fourteen days can combine Milan, Venice, Florence, and Rome by high-speed train. Give Venice more than a transfer night and Rome several separate sightseeing days; rural Tuscany needs different transport planning from the rail-linked cities.
Italy is in the Schengen Area, but visa and passport requirements vary by nationality and route. Use Italy's official visa portal to confirm the applicable rule before travel rather than relying on another Schengen trip.
High-speed trains connect Milan, Venice, Florence, and Rome, with regional rail and coaches serving smaller places. Drivers must check ZTL restrictions before entering historic centres because access controls are local and can generate fines.
April to June and September to October broadly suit the north-to-Rome rail route. Lagoon conditions in Venice, summer heat in Rome, and seasonal rural services in Tuscany should be checked independently.
Italy uses the euro (EUR). Carry a modest cash reserve for small purchases while using cards where accepted, and verify the euro amount at the terminal instead of accepting an unexamined conversion.
Italy routes emergency calls through 112. Travellers encounter a 230 V supply and Type C, F, or L receptacles. No tap-water assessment is recorded for Italy; obtain current local advice at the destination.
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