Visit Italy: The essentials

1. Rome: the capital

 

We start well on this guide of things to do in Italy with the capital, Rome, which attracts millions of tourists each year but which, contrary to what one might believe, is only the third city visited in Italy in terms of number of tourists behind Florence and Venice.

 

Rome is a magnificent city which also has the advantage of being very easy to explore on foot. It has a concentration of ancient monuments, beautiful squares and museums.

 

Things to see first during your trip to Rome:

  • The Coliseum
  • The Roman forum
  • The pantheon
  • Trevi Fountain
  • Piazza Navona

 

If you are passing through Rome, be sure to take a trip to the Vatican City, which has many places to visit.

  • Saint Peter's Square
  • Saint Peter's Basilica, the largest basilica in the world
  • The Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo's major work: The Last Judgment
  • And all the Vatican Museums

2. Florence: artistic city

 

Florence, undoubtedly the most beautiful city in Tuscany, brings together an innumerable number of museums and palaces of Renaissance art which gives it a very rich cultural heritage. It houses half of the works of art preserved throughout Italy.

 

And you are not mistaken: it is the most visited city in Italy. So, will you be one of the 15 million tourists taking a tour of Italy this year?

 

The must-sees of Florence:

  • The Duomo and its piazza with a magnificent view
  • The Uffizi Gallery and its famous paintings galore
  • The San Miniato al Monte basilica with its panorama of Florence
  • A word of advice: go there for sunset Piazza della Signoria: a real open-air museum
  • Cupola del Brunelleschi: after a climb of 400 steps, view of Florence at 360 degrees.
  • Remember to book your tickets in advance to avoid the queue.

And don’t forget to take a trip to the Tuscan countryside, renowned for being the most beautiful in the country!

3. Pisa: leaning city

 

When we think of Pisa, the first image that comes to mind is that of its leaning tower, the symbol of the city.

 

But there's not only that to see and you can take advantage of half a day or a day to visit many other places:

  • The Piazza dei Miracoli, the tourist center of the city where all the tourist buses flow. And for good reason, it concentrates all the famous monuments of the city:
  • The Tower of Pisa, the visit of which will still cost you €20 (better to be warned, the price may be surprising)
  • Notre-Dame de l’Assomption Cathedral
  • The Baptistery of Saint John of Pisa
  • The Camisanto Monumentale cemetery
  • Piazza dei Cavalieri: small, typical Italian square with fewer tourists
  • Borgo Stretto: shopping mecca and ideal place to eat or drink with its many restaurants

4. Venice: romantic city

 

Venice is the second most visited city in Italy. It’s the ideal place for a weekend or a romantic getaway with its many canals and gondola rides, you couldn’t be more romantic.

 

It is in February that the city attracts a considerable crowd from all over the world to celebrate and participate in the very famous Venice Carnival.

 

Places of interest to visit in Venice:

  • Saint Mark's Square: heart of the city and domain of pigeons
  • Saint Mark's Basilica and its golden mosaics
  • The Doge's Palace
  • The Bridge of Sighs: the most famous bridge in Venice
  • The islands of Murano (world center of glassmaking) and Burano with its typical colorful houses

5. Lecce: Baroque city

 

Much less known than the previous cities, it is nevertheless worth a visit during your trip to Italy.

 

Lecce, located at the foot of the boot, facing Greece, is a city under Baroque influence. Churches and museums everywhere, all built in the same style.

 

To see in Lecce, in the Puglia region:

  • The Basilica of Santa Croce
  • The historic center
  • The duomo of Lecce
  • Piazza sant’oronzo
  • Museo faggiano lecce

6. Verona: Shakespirian city

 

Verona is the city of love and the tragic destiny of Romeo and Juliet. Everyone has already heard of it but do you know everything you can visit there?

 

The list of things to see in Verona is here:

  • Juliette’s house: the opportunity to admire the famous balcony and take a photo there with your other half
  • Piazza Bra where the Verona Arena is located
  • Piazza delle Erbe with its market and its bars and restaurant terraces
  • The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore, the oldest church in Verona Castelvecchio, a 14th century fortified castle transformed into a museum