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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 · Steffen Schmitz · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Wikibusters · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
100 places match
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Typical visit duration
The Pantheon stands on Piazza della Rotonda in the middle of old Rome, and it is two things at once: a Roman temple and a working Catholic church.
The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral of Florence and the church the whole of Piazza del Duomo is arranged around.
St Mark's Basilica is the cathedral church of the Patriarchate of Venice and stands at the eastern end of Piazza San Marco, attached to the Doge's Palace.
The Archbasilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral church of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope.
The Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls is one of Rome's four major papal basilicas. Located in the Ostiense district, it stands on the traditional site where Saint Paul was buried after his martyrdom.
Santa Maria della Salute is a votive church standing at the mouth of the Grand Canal, raised by the Venetian Republic as a prayer and a thanksgiving for the city's deliverance from the plague of the seventeenth century.
The Baptistery of San Giovanni stands free in Piazza San Giovanni, directly in front of the cathedral facade, and it is the older of the two buildings by several centuries.
The Church of the Gesù, known locally as Chiesa del Gesù, stands as the mother church of the Society of Jesus in Rome.
The Basilica di San Lorenzo stands on its own square a short walk north-west of the Duomo, and the Opera Medicea Laurenziana, the body that runs it, describes it as the oldest cathedral in Florence: the first building raised for…
Santa Maria della Vittoria is a Roman Catholic titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy. The church was begun in 1608 and completed in 1620.
San Luigi dei Francesi is the national church of France in Rome, serving the French community since the sixteenth century.
Santa Maria in Trastevere is a basilica in Rome's Trastevere district, one of the oldest churches in the city dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is the Franciscan church of San Polo, and Venetians shorten its name to the Frari.
San Giorgio Maggiore is a Benedictine basilica standing alone on its own island in the lagoon, directly across the water from the Piazzetta di San Marco.
The Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo is a Dominican church in Venice's Castello district. Commonly called San Zanipolo in Venetian dialect, it stands as one of the city's largest churches.
Santa Prassede, known locally as Basilica di Santa Prassede, is a basilica church in Rome. It stands as a historic religious building within the urban fabric of the city.
San Pietro in Vincoli is a basilica in Rome, officially named Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli. The church stands on the Oppian Hill near the Colosseum.
The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio is a historic church in Milan and one of the most ancient in the city. Founded by Saint Ambrose in 379 AD, it was rebuilt in the Romanesque style during the eleventh and twelfth centuries.
The Basilica of Santa Maria Novella is a major Dominican church in Florence, situated opposite the city's main railway station, which shares its name.
Santa Maria sopra Minerva is a basilica church in Rome, Italy. Its local name is Basilica di Santa Maria sopra Minerva. The church stands near the Pantheon in the historic centre of Rome.
The Basilica di San Pietro di Castello is a historic church in Venice, located on the eastern end of the main island group in the Castello sestiere.
San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, known in English as Saint Charles at the Four Fountains, is a Baroque church in Rome designed by Francesco Borromini.
The Basilica di Santa Trinita is a Roman Catholic church located in central Florence, Italy. It stands as a significant religious and architectural landmark in the historic centre of the city.
San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore is a historic church complex in central Milan, originally constructed as part of a Benedictine convent. The building dates to the sixteenth century and occupies a significant place in Milanese religious architecture.
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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