Country guide

Italy

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.

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Rome
Photograph · Bert Kaufmann from Roermond, Netherlands · CC BY-SA 2.0

Rome 6,547 places
Milan
Photograph · Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0

Milan 3,061 places
Florence
Photograph · Wikibusters · CC BY-SA 4.0

Florence 1,724 places
Venice
Photograph · Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0

Venice 1,356 places

Practical information

Language spoken: Italian; National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code: +39; International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency: Euro (EUR); Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number: 112; Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type: Type C, F and L · 230 V; Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water: Not recorded; No verified nationwide visitor statement was recorded

Planning a visit

January: seasonal closure recorded
February: seasonal closure recorded
March: seasonal closure recorded
April: seasonal closure recorded
May: seasonal closure recorded
June: seasonal closure recorded
July: seasonal closure recorded
August: seasonal closure recorded — this month
September: seasonal closure recorded
October: seasonal closure recorded
November: seasonal closure recorded
December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

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Common questions

How long should a first trip to Italy be?

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.

What entry documents are needed for Italy?

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.

What is the best way to travel around Italy?

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.

When is a practical time to visit Italy?

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.

What money and payment basics apply in Italy?

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.

What practical safety details should I save for Italy?

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.

🇮🇹Italy

Cities

Practical information

Planning a visit

Top things to see

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Teatro dell'Opera di Roma

Pietà (Michelangelo)

Trajan's Column

Capitoline Wolf

Teatro dal Verme

equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius

Moses

Horses of Saint Mark

Teatro Carcano

Teatro Valle

Teatro Argentina

Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs

Teatro Lirico

French Academy in Rome

Colonna dell'abbondanza

Perseus with the Head of Medusa

Rape of the Sabine Women

Piraeus Lion

Piccolo Teatro

Angels Unawares

Column of the Immaculate Conception

Madama Lucrezia

Pasquino Group

Abbot Luigi

Equestrian Monument of Cosimo I

Madonnina

Porcellino

Fontana della Pigna

equestrian statue of Napoleon III

Monument to Cesare Beccaria

Monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi

Monument to Indro Montanelli

Statue of Francesco Hayez

Boboli obelisk

Saint George

Teatro Capranica

Teatro degli Arcimboldi

Auditorium Conciliazione

Heracles and Nessus

Hercules and Cacus

L.O.V.E.

Marble Foot

Teatro Nazionale

Grande disco

Monument to Giuseppe Giacosa

Monument to Luciano Manara

Statua a Giovanbattista Piatti

Teatro Filodrammatici

Column of Santa Felicita

Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker

Rape of Polyxena

Scior Carera

Silvano Toti Globe Theatre

Statue of Giovanni delle Bande Nere

Teatro Ambra Jovinelli

Teatro Brancaccio

Teatro Eliseo

Teatro Manzoni

Teatro Quirino

Goethe monument in Rome

Il Gobbo di Rialto

Magazzini del sale

Mithraeum at the Baths of Mithra

Monument to General Manfredo Fanti

Ponte delle Sirenette

Teatro Goldoni

Teatro Sistina

Teatro Leonardo da Vinci

Columns in Florence

Istituto Svizzero di Roma

Monument to Bonaventura Cavalieri

Monument to Carlo Goldoni

Monument to Cola di Rienzo

Monument to Gabrio Piola

Italy