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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 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.
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.
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The Capitoline Museums occupy the two palaces that face each other across Michelangelo's piazza on the Capitoline Hill, at Piazza del Campidoglio 1.
The Galleria Borghese is a state museum of the Italian Ministry of Culture, housed in the villa that Cardinal Scipione Borghese built for himself in the park now called Villa Borghese.
The Gallerie dell'Accademia holds the state collection of Venetian painting from the fourteenth century to the early nineteenth, standing on the Dorsoduro bank of the Grand Canal at the foot of the Accademia bridge.
The Pinacoteca di Brera is Milan's principal public gallery of paintings, on the upper floor of Palazzo Brera in the streets north of the Duomo.
The Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze is a state museum on Via Ricasoli, ten minutes' walk north of the Duomo, and it exists in its present form because of one statue.
Ca' Rezzonico is a palazzo on the Grand Canal in Venice, now operating as the Museum of Eighteenth Century Art. The building itself represents Venetian Baroque residential architecture, constructed across the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Galleria Doria Pamphilj is a private art gallery housed within Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, a historic noble palace on Via del Corso in central Rome. The palace remains the residence of the Doria Pamphilj family, one of Italy's oldest aristocratic houses.
The Bargello National Museum occupies the Palazzo del Bargello, a medieval fortress palace in central Florence. Built from 1255, it served as the city podesta residence and later as a prison and police headquarters.
The Vatican Museums are a group of art and Christian museums located within Vatican City. They display works from the immense collection amassed by the Catholic Church and the papacy over centuries.
The Medici Chapels, known locally as Cappelle Medicee, constitute a significant mausoleum complex in Florence.
Museo Correr is a museum located in Venice, Italy. It occupies part of the Procuratie Nuove in Piazza San Marco, facing the Basilica di San Marco.
The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is the storehouse and the explanation of the buildings standing outside its own door.
The Royal Palace of Milan, known locally as Palazzo Reale, stands as a major historic palace in the centre of Milan.
The Brera Astronomical Observatory, known locally as Museo Astronomico di Brera, is a historic astronomical institution located in the Brera district of Milan.
The Museo del Novecento occupies the Palazzo dell'Arengario at Piazza Duomo 8, the civic building on the south side of the cathedral square, and shows more than three hundred works selected from the four thousand-odd pieces of twentieth- and twenty-first-century…
Ca' Pesaro is a Baroque palazzo situated on the Grand Canal in Venice's Santa Croce district. Constructed for the noble Pesaro family, the building was designed by architect Baldassare Longhena, with completion by Antonio Gaspari after Longhena's death.
The Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Roma is Italy's national gallery dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Located in Rome, it occupies a neoclassical building within the Villa Borghese park complex.
The Vasari Corridor is an elevated enclosed passageway in Florence, Italy. Giorgio Vasari designed it in 1565 for Cosimo I de' Medici.
The Uffizi Gallery is a world-renowned art museum in Florence, housed in a historic building originally constructed as offices for Florentine magistrates. The name derives from the Italian word for offices.
Gallerie d'Italia is a museum complex in central Milan housed in historic palace buildings. It forms part of the Intesa Sanpaolo cultural project. The institution occupies the Palazzo Beltrami and adjacent structures facing Piazza della Scala.
MAXXI is Italy's first national museum dedicated to contemporary art and architecture. The acronym stands for Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo, meaning National Museum of 21st Century Arts.
Museo Poldi Pezzoli is a historic house museum in central Milan. It originated as the private residence and collection of Gian Giacomo Poldi Pezzoli, a 19th-century Milanese nobleman who bequeathed his home and artworks to the public.
The National Archaeological Museum of Florence, locally known as Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze, stands as one of Italy's principal archaeological institutions. Housed in the Palazzo della Crocetta, the museum preserves extensive collections spanning Etruscan, Roman, Greek, and Egyptian civilizations.
Museo Galileo occupies a historic position near the Arno River in Florence, housed in the Palazzo Castellani. The institution operates under its full designation Museo Galileo - Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza.
The Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia is Rome's principal museum dedicated to Etruscan civilization and art. It occupies a Renaissance villa originally built for Pope Julius III in the mid-sixteenth century.
The Bagatti Valsecchi Museum is a historic house museum in central Milan.
Ca' d'Oro is one of the great late Gothic palaces on the Grand Canal, and since 1927 it has been a state gallery rather than a house.
The Brancacci Chapel, known locally as Cappella Brancacci, is a chapel within the church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence.
Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano is a natural history museum in Milan, locally known as Museo di Storia Naturale. It stands as one of Italy's most important institutions of its kind, with collections spanning multiple scientific disciplines.
Museo Horne is a museum in Florence, Italy, housed in a historic building. It is named after its founder, Herbert Percy Horne, an English art collector and historian who established the institution.
The Officina di Santa Maria Novella is a historic pharmacy and perfume workshop in Florence, operating since the 17th century. Founded by Dominican friars, it represents one of the oldest apothecary establishments in continuous operation.
Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea is a contemporary art exhibition space in Milan, Italy. Known locally by the same name, it serves as a venue for modern and contemporary artistic presentations.
La Specola is the zoological museum of the Università di Firenze, housed in a historic building in Florence. Its name derives from the astronomical observatory once located here.
The Archaeological Museum of Milan, locally named Civico museo archeologico di Milano, preserves and presents archaeological collections relevant to the city's ancient history. Housed within a historic monastic complex, the institution serves as a municipal museum under civic administration.
Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Milano is a municipal art museum in Milan, Italy. It occupies the Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte, a neoclassical palace dating to the late eighteenth century.
Museo Teatrale alla Scala is a museum dedicated to the history of opera, ballet, and theatrical performance at Milan's world-renowned Teatro alla Scala.
Palazzo Davanzati is a historic palace in Florence, Italy, that now functions as a museum dedicated to medieval and Renaissance domestic life.
Casa Manzoni is the historic residence of Alessandro Manzoni, one of Italy's most celebrated 19th-century novelists and poets. Located in central Milan, this house museum preserves the domestic environment where the author of The Betrothed lived and worked.
The Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Venezia is a national archaeological museum housed within the Procuratie Nuove in Piazza San Marco. It holds collections of Greek and Roman antiquities, sculptures, bronzes, gems, and coins.
The Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, locally named Museo Salvatore Ferragamo, is a fashion museum in Florence dedicated to the life and work of the renowned Italian shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo.
Villa Necchi Campiglio is a historic house museum in Milan, Italy. Built between 1932 and 1935, it was designed by architect Piero Portaluppi for the Necchi Campiglio family, industrialists in the sewing machine sector.
The Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia "Leonardo da Vinci" is Italy's largest science and technology museum. Housed in a former Olivetan monastery, the institution honors Leonardo da Vinci's legacy as both artist and inventor.
The Murano Glass Museum, known locally as Museo del Vetro, is a museum dedicated to the art and history of glassmaking on the island of Murano in the Venetian Lagoon.
Armani/Silos is a fashion museum in Milan dedicated to the work of Italian designer Giorgio Armani. Opened in 2015, it occupies a former industrial building in the Tortona district that was originally constructed in 1950 as a granary.
The House of Dante, or Casa di Dante, stands in Florence as a museum dedicated to the life and work of Dante Alighieri, the medieval poet whose Divine Comedy shaped Italian literature.
The Scuola Grande di San Rocco is a historic confraternity building in Venice, founded in 1478 and dedicated to Saint Roch, patron saint of plague victims.
Museo Stibbert is a museum in Florence, Italy. It was founded by Frederick Stibbert, a British-born collector who inherited substantial wealth and dedicated his life to amassing art, armour, and decorative objects from across the world.
The Museum of the Risorgimento in Milan documents Italy's unification movement from 1796 to 1870.
The Pinacoteca Ambrosiana is a historic art gallery and library in central Milan, founded in the early seventeenth century by Cardinal Federico Borromeo. It houses the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, one of Italy's oldest public libraries, alongside its picture gallery.
The Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia is a natural history museum located in the Fondaco dei Turchi building along the Grand Canal. The museum is part of the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia network.
Fondazione Querini Stampalia is a cultural institution in Venice, Italy, combining a historic house museum, art gallery, library, and architectural garden. It occupies a palazzo in the Castello district, near Santa Maria Formosa.
Museo provinciale di Torcello, known locally as Museo di Torcello, is a museum situated on the island of Torcello in the Venetian Lagoon.
The Pazzi Chapel, locally known as Cappella de' Pazzi, stands as a significant Renaissance religious structure in Florence. Commissioned by the Pazzi family, prominent Florentine bankers, this chapel represents a key architectural work of the early Renaissance period.
Palazzo Grassi is a historic palace on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. The building dates to the 18th century and represents a significant example of Venetian classical architecture.
Palazzo Grimani di Santa Maria Formosa is a Renaissance palace in Venice's Castello district. The building belonged to the Grimani family, prominent Venetian patricians who later became cardinals and doges.
The Jewish Museum of Florence, known locally as Museo Ebraico di Firenze, is a cultural institution located in the city of Florence, Tuscany.
The Museo di Roma is a museum dedicated to the history and culture of Rome. Located in the city center, it occupies a historic building that contributes to its significance as a cultural institution.
The Rondanini Pietà is a late unfinished marble sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti, housed in the Sforza Castle complex in Milan. The work depicts the Virgin Mary supporting the body of Christ after the Crucifixion.
Centrale Montemartini is a museum in Rome housed in a former thermoelectric power plant. The industrial building, with its preserved machinery and turbines, serves as an exhibition space for classical sculpture from the Capitoline Museums collection.
The Cloister of the Scalzo, known locally as Chiostro dello Scalzo, is a Renaissance cloister in Florence, Italy. It was originally attached to a confraternity and is celebrated for its remarkable fresco cycle by Andrea del Sarto.
The Diocesan Museum of Milan is an ecclesiastical museum operated by the Archdiocese of Milan. It occupies a historic site near the Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio in the Portinari Chapel area.
The Museum of the Ara Pacis houses the Ara Pacis Augustae, an ancient Roman altar dedicated to Pax, the goddess of peace.
The Botanical Garden of Florence, locally named Giardino dei Semplici, is a historic botanical garden in Florence, Tuscany. Established in the sixteenth century, it was originally created for the cultivation of medicinal plants, known as semplici.
The Lace Museum stands on Piazza Galuppi, the single square of Burano, in the historic palace of the Podestà of Torcello.
Museo Bardini, locally known as Museo Stefano Bardini, is a museum in Florence housed in a historic building that once belonged to the antiquarian and collector Stefano Bardini.
The Museo d'Arte e Scienza is a museum located in Milan, Italy. Its local name is Museo d'arte e scienza. The institution occupies a position within the city's cultural landscape as a point of interest for visitors.
Palazzo dell'Arte Bernocchi, locally known as Triennale Design Museum, stands as a significant cultural institution in Milan dedicated to Italian design excellence. Housed within a distinctive architectural setting, the museum occupies a prominent position in the city's cultural landscape.
Palazzo Morando is a historic palace in Milan housing a costume and fashion museum.
The Egyptian Museum of Milan, known locally as Museo Egizio, is a visitor-relevant point of interest located within the city of Milan.
The Museo Storico Navale is Venice's naval history museum, situated in the Castello district near the Venetian Arsenal. It occupies a historic building that reflects the city's longstanding maritime tradition.
The Applied Arts Collection of Milan, known locally as the Museo delle Arti Decorative, is a museum dedicated to decorative and applied arts within the city.
Museo di Palazzo Mocenigo is a museum housed in a historic Venetian palace on the Grand Canal. The palace belonged to the Mocenigo family, one of Venice's most prominent patrician families, which produced several doges.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
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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