Following the path of an ancient Mt. Etna lava flow, Sicily’s Alcantara River carved intricate ravines and underground passages through the volcanic rock. The resulting Alcantara Gorges (Gole dell'Alcantara) are part of the Alcantara River Park, popular with travelers drawn to the beautiful rock formations and the refreshing river water, especially in summer.
Perched high above Chianti wine country, Brolio Castle (Castello di Brolio) is one of the most impressive defensive castles that once guarded Gaiole in Chianti, a sleepy hilltown with an important medieval past. The castle has been owned since the 12th century by the Ricasoli family, which has a long and prestigious history of winemaking.
Milan’s historic Ambrosiana Museum and Library (Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana) was founded in 1618 by Cardinal Federico Borromeo. The cardinal donated more than 30,000 books, 15,000 manuscripts, and 12,000 pieces of artwork by famous artists such as Caravaggio, Raphael, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci.
The UNESCO World Heritage–listed Murgia Materana Park is one of the most important attractions in the region of Basilicata. Located near the Sassi di Matera, the park is famous for its prehistoric sites, rupestrian churches, and varied wildlife—and is a fascinating testament to the historic relationship between humans and nature.
Genoa’s Palazzi dei Rolli are a group of 42 residences, built between the 16th and 18th centuries, that were listed on the city’s register. When notable guests came to visit Genoa on a state visit, a lottery was used to determine which palace would host the guest. Today, these palaces—out of 163 total homes—are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Piazza Trieste e Trento is the square to see and be seen in Naples. It’s where the most fashionable Neapolitans and visitors linger over an espresso in the landmark Caffé Gambrinus after perusing the stores along Via Toledo and Via Chiaia, two of the city's main shopping thoroughfares that end in this bustling piazza.
The only trullo built on two levels in the UNESCO-listed village of Alberobello, the Trullo Sovrano is one of the most striking examples of the unique stone dwellings with conical roofs. Learn what it might have been like to live in one as you explore the re-created period living area, kitchen, and bedroom inside.
A photogenic back street, Via Margutta is a blissful stretch of calm between Rome’s bustling Piazza del Popolo and Piazza di Spagna. This narrow, ivy-covered lane is lined with boutique hotels, stylish restaurants, art galleries, and antique shops. Known as the street of artists, and once home to director Federico Fellini, it’s where Gregory Peck’s character lived in the 1953 movie Roman Holiday.
You can hardly turn over a spade of soil in any Italian city without uncovering centuries of history, and Naples is no exception. Beneath the teeming modern center, Naples Underground (Napoli Sotterranea) takes you through the remains of the ancient city’s infrastructure covering almost two millennia.
Catania is best known for its Sicilian baroque architecture, but one of the most important attractions in the city actually dates from centuries earlier: the formidable 13th-century Ursino Castle (Castello di Ursino). Built by Emperor Frederick II, it now houses an impressive collection of art and artifacts in the Museo Civico (Civic Museum).
The Neapolis Archaeological Park outside of Syracuse is home to important Greek and Roman ruins, but the most unusual sight is an ancient limestone cave known as the Ear of Dionysius. Its unique tapered shape produces acoustics so precise that the tyrant Dionysius is said to have imprisoned enemies here to better eavesdrop on them.
Italy is known for its fashion and design: Some of the world’s most recognized luxury clothing and home decor labels are proudly “made in Italy.” If you love elegant Italian style, head to the Castel Romano Designer Outlet to shop for famous designer brands with significant discounts, such as Valentino and Versace. Popular with bargain hunters, the open-air shopping center has more than 150 stores offering up to 70 percent off retail prices.
The Cathedral complex is among Siena’s top attractions, and it includes both the Duomo and adjacent Baptistery of San Giovanni (Battistero di San Giovanni). Echoing the Cathedral’s Gothic architecture, the stripped-down facade of the baptistery belies its sumptuous interiors, decorated by some of the 15th century's most important artists.
In most Italian cities—and even some outside of Italy—you’ll find a Via Cavour, named for Camillo Benso di Cavour: a key architect of Italian unification and the modern Italian state. Florence is no exception, and its Via Cavour runs from just north of the Florence Duomo (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore) past the San Marco Museum to Piazza della Libertà. The street is a practical route linking the Duomo and the northern areas of Florence, featuring a mix of shops, cafés, and historic architecture.
The heart of Siena is Piazza del Campo, and the heart of this famous square is Fonte Gaia (Gaia Fountain). Dating from the 15th century, the fountain is lined with replicas of the original bas-relief panels by Jacopo della Quercia, considered a precursor to Michelangelo, and is one of the top attractions in this Tuscan town.
Best known for its Cornaro Chapel—home to Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s sculptural masterpiece, The Ecstasy of St. Teresa—the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria (Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vittoria) has one of the most ornate marble interiors in Rome. Designed by baroque architect Carlo Maderno, the 17th-century church is adorned with white and gold stucco angels, cherubs, and other details you can take in from the pews.
The soaring square dome and spire of the Mole Antonelliana is Turin’s most recognizable landmark and home to the National Cinema Museum, where the vast collection of silver-screen memorabilia draws film buffs from around the world. Take the glass elevator to the top of the dome for sweeping views across the city.
Palazzo Davanzati is a mansion-turned-museum in the heart of Florence, offering a glimpse at what life was like in medieval Italy. Built in the 14th century, the palace contains more than 10 rooms beautifully and carefully decorated with period furniture and frescoes, as well as a courtyard and original stone and wood staircases. Daily guided tours are included within the admission price.
The ancient city of Nora was once among the most powerful settlements on Sardinia. Founded by the Phoenicians, this coastal capital later became an important Punic and Roman metropolis. Inside the ruins, you can visit a Roman theater and baths and see mosaic fragments and other archaeological artefacts.
Tucked in a quiet alleyway just steps from Rome’s Piazza Navona, the Church of Santa Maria della Pace (Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pace) is small, but brimming with artistic treasures. This mixed Renaissance and baroque gem includes a large Raphael fresco of four sibyls, a Baldassarre Peruzzi fresco of the Madonna and child, and the classically inspired Bramante Cloister. As such, it’s one of Rome’s prettiest churches, though it’s not on every tourist itinerary.
One of the most important baroque churches in Sicily, Church of the Gesù was built by the Jesuits in the late 16th century and is a treasure trove of lavish frescoes, stone carvings, and marble reliefs. Fans of the baroque style will enjoy visiting what many consider to be among the city’s finest churches.
Secreted away within the fortress-like complex of the Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati (Basilica dei Santi Quattro Coronati) is a basilica, a convent, the cardinal’s palace, and a cloister. While dating from the fourth or fifth century, it burned in 1084. Among its highlights are the 13th-century cosmatesque stonework in the cloister and the monastery’s Gothic hall with its secular frescoes. This basilica near the Colosseum is a must for historical art and architecture buffs.
Rome’s Jewish community dates back more than 2,000 years, and the Jewish Museum of Rome (Museo Ebraico di Roma) records this rich history. Housed in the Great Synagogue of Rome (Tempio Maggiore di Roma), the museum’s seven rooms display precious artifacts, such as textiles, silver, and tombstones moved from the catacombs beneath the city, as well as sections dedicated to the 3-century ghetto period and Roman Jewish life after World War II.
This tiny bay, named for the 10th-century abbey that sits at the water’s edge, is one of the most picturesque nooks on the Ligurian coast. Accessible only by boat or a steep trail, San Fruttuoso is famed for its crystalline water, dramatic cliffs, and relaxed atmosphere that seems worlds away from crowded Portofino.
Built in 1866, Milan’s Monumental Cemetery (Cimitero Monumentale) is the 2nd-largest cemetery in the city and the final resting place of wealthy folks and families including the Brunis, Bernocchis, and Camparis. The vast cemetery is an open-air museum featuring Italian sculptures, elaborate obelisks, and massive tombs commemorating the dead.
The National Roman Museum (Museo Nazionale Romano) has so many treasures that it needs not one, but four museums to display them. Each one is distinct. Palazzo Massimo alle Terme is most famous for its collection of Roman coins, the Baths of Diocletian (Terme di Diocleziano) for its Renaissance cloisters designed by Michelangelo, Palazzo Altemps for its ancient sculptures, and the Crypta Balbi for its archaeological artifacts and ongoing excavations.
Of the many historic churches in Naples, San Domenico Maggiore is one of the finest, with a Gothic exterior and baroque flourishes inside. In addition to the fortresslike facade and soaring interior, visitors can admire 14th-century frescoes by Pietro Cavallini in the Brancaccio Chapel and the ornate Treasure Chamber.
With a hilltop vantage point overlooking Brunelleschi’s Dome and the city beyond, the Bardini Garden is home to one of the most beautiful green spaces in central Florence. Tree-lined gravel paths, pretty fountains, and lots of flower varieties make the garden well worth visiting any time of year. For the best photo ops, head to the grand baroque staircase and a wisteria pergola that blooms in the spring.
The Barberini Palace (Palazzo Barberini) is one of the most beautiful palaces in Rome, designed by the city’s renowned Renaissance architects, Carlo Maderno, Francesco Borromini, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Now home to the National Gallery of Ancient Art, the palazzo contains an important collection of paintings from the 13th to 18th centuries. Worth a visit for its architecture alone, the building features a soaring marble facade with three tiers of arches facing a semi-enclosed courtyard.
The extravagant 19th-century Miramare Castle (Castello di Miramare) is set on the Grignano promontory above the Gulf of Trieste and has beautiful interiors and 54 acres of grounds and botanical gardens. Home to the Habsburg family until the 20th century, this sumptuous noble residence offers a fascinating glimpse into royal life.
