7 Best Places to Visit in Italy

Rome, the capital city and best place to visit in Italy, offers a mixture of ancient history and awe-inspiring art. The banks of the Tiber River swell with 3,000 years of history featured in hidden catacombs, Roman ruins, and the massive domes of magnificent basilicas.

Rome is layered with grand museums, rich with churches, lively with piazzas, and inviting with restaurants that serve delicious Roman cuisine. Iconic attractions overflow in a city full of sidewalk cafes and boutique shops, encouraging you to experience the top things to do in Rome.

From Medieval streets to Byzantine mosaics, Renaissance frescos to elegant aperitivo, Rome immerses you in the wonders of Italian history, art, and culture as you explore the best places to visit in Rome.

Highlights: The Colosseum • The Roman Forum • Vatican City • The Pantheon • Piazza Navona • Trevi Fountain • The Spanish Steps

Recommended length of stay: 2-3 days

Learn more: Rome Tours • Rome Travel Guide

Florence is a preserved masterpiece of the Renaissance era and emblematic of the art and architecture for which greater Italy is known.

Boutique shops reflect the larger beauty of the fashion industry, while seasonal food and local wines support a great pride in traditional cuisine, which you can savor while tasting the best dishes to try in Florence. The mixture of rolling hills, distinctive skyline, and cobbled streets provide a rich combination of colors, nearly matching the treasure chest of art displayed across the city.

The wonderful assortment of palaces, churches, and museums only bring to light the spectacle of preserved traditions found in the artisan workshops that showcase techniques passed down through generations.

Highlights: Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore • The Uffizi Gallery • The Accademia Gallery • Piazza Michelangelo • The Basilica of San Lorenzo • The Ponte Vecchio

Recommended length of stay: 2-3 days

Learn more: Rome to Florence Tours

Tuscany is a region of living history that captures the spirit of Italy’s famous cucina povera, traditional food, with the endless allure of medieval towns scattered across iconic hills, lush valleys, surprising coastline, and steep mountains.

From Etruscan tombs to Renaissance masters, contemporary street art to the Slow Food movement, the charm of Tuscany is highlighted in the distinct character of the Renaissance, an artistic and philosophical revolution that shook the world.

Each corner of the landscape provides another chance to discover a new hilltop village or a rich dish with flavors that have been perfected over the centuries. Home to exceptional regional cuisine paired with famous Italian wines, you can visit the best cities to explore the food of Tuscany on luxury Italy food and wine tours.

Highlights: The Leaning Tower of Pisa • The Uccellina Mountains • La Verna • Cortona tour • Wine tasting • Truffle hunting • Hiking

Recommended length of stay: 3-4 days

Learn more: Tuscany Tours • Tuscany Travel Guide

Venice is a hidden gem wrapped inside recognizable highlights, from gondolas to iconic palaces. The city embodies the grace and elegance of the height of the Renaissance. Marbled palaces and charming waterways lead to scattered islands brimming with artisan culture.

Each of the six neighborhoods has its own distinctive character amid prestigious art museums and piazzas erupting with life. Gondolas whisper of aristocratic legacies. Prosecco and local cuisine influenced by historic spice routes inform the grandeur of Venetian feats.

The artful lifestyle of Venice defies the norm and remains charming in its originality, encouraging you to experience the top things to do in Venice, from a gondola ride to an architecture tour. With these romantic activities in mind, explore our guide to planning a gondola ride in Venice for more helpful tips.

Highlights: St. Mark’s Basilica • The Doge’s Palace • Rialto Bridge • The Bridge of Sighs • Scuola Grande di San Rocco • Murano • Cannaregio

Recommended length of stay: 1-2 days

Learn more: Venice Tours • Venice Travel Guide

Steep cliffs, terraced homes, lush woodland, and endless Mediterranean panoramas showcase the Amalfi Coast's beauty.

The stretch of nearly 30 miles twists and curves along the edge of the Tyrrhenian Sea, where vineyards cling to the steep mountains and Arab-Norman architecture points to the coastline’s alluring history.

Hiking trails, charming towns, pebbled shorelines, and fragrant lemon groves will immerse you in the enchanting ambiance of the historic route that has captured the hearts of ancient and contemporary travelers enjoying the top things to do on the Amalfi Coast.

Highlights: Amalfi Cathedral • Bagni Regina Giovanna • Ravello • Grotta dello Smeraldo • Vallone delle Ferriere • Villa Cimbrone Gardens • Villa Rufolo • Museo della Carta

Recommended length of stay: 2-3 days

Learn more: Amalfi Coast Tours • Amalfi Coast Travel Guide

The wonders of Cinque Terre stem from the old-world charm that comes from the collection of five villages that themselves act as art.

Instead of the typical draw of important artwork, historic churches, grand museum galleries, or sophisticated palaces, Cinque Terre reflects nature’s beauty and local charm, which is featured in scenic paths winding along steep cliffs and colorful homes terraced among vineyards, citrus orchards, and towering basil plants.

The towns absorb you with 2,000 years of history strengthened by preserved fishing villages. As you begin to plan your stay in Cinque Terre, consider our helpful insight on how to spend 2, 5, or 7 days in Cinque Terre.

Highlights: Vernazza • Manarola • Monterosso al Mare • Riomaggiore • Cinque Terre National Park • Blue Path Trail • Chiesa di San Pietro

Recommended length of stay: 2-3 days

Learn more: Cinque Terre Tours

Italy’s Lake District plunges you into lush nature known to renew mind and body, from the sparkling waters of Lake Como to the alpine waterways of Lake Maggiore.

The slopes of the Italian Alps bring together fascinating villages shielded in time and near-ancient monasteries connected to regal castles. The history supports intriguing museums and charming character from glassy waters that reflect towns circling the five major lakes.

Villas, gardens, and lakeside promenades reveal the endlessly romantic ambiance, while ancient Roman roads and silk boutiques bring the landscape’s poetic side to light.

Highlights: Bellagio • Sirmione • Isola Bella • Sacro Monte di San Francesco

Recommended length of stay: 2-3 days

Learn more: Lake Como Tours

From ruins in Rome to Venetian waterways, Tuscan wine estates to famous landmarks in Florence, the top places to go in Italy boast so much to see and do. The best places to visit in Italy will give you a remarkable vision of the country, encouraging you to experience the top things to do in Italy on your custom Italy tours.

As you start to map out your journey, consider the best time to visit Italy and explore our Italy travel guide for more tips and insight for a dream trip.