The best things to do in Italy

What are the best things to do in Italy? From browsing Renaissance art to visiting beaches, the variety is huge. Discover which Italian mountain ranges are best for hiking and what cities to see with our pick of 25 top things to do in Italy year-round.

The information in this article is inspired by The Rough Guide to Italy, your essential guide for visiting Italy.

1. Wandering the centro storico in Rome - one of the best things to do in Italy

Rome has so much to see you can just aimlessly wander around and be constantly surprised. Also, Colosseum and the Forum Romanum both make a perfect option for a day trip from Rome: look out for ancient statues and iconic Baroque fountains.

When you need to take a breath or find yourself a bustling piazza, there are plenty to choose from. And if you like a more structured plan for your day, think about taking a Colosseum tour with local guides.

Immerse yourself in the magical atmosphere of Rome with our tailor-made weekend tour of Eternal Rome.

Where to stay in Rome

• For couples: Passepartout
• For families: Roma Central Guest House

Find more accommodation options to stay in Rome, or read our guide to the best places to stay in Rome.

2. See the 'white city' of Lecce in Puglia

The white city of Lecce in Puglia might be off the tourist track, but it's an exuberant place you should make time for on a tour of Italy. Visiting the Baroque architecture and opulent churches in particular is the best thing to do in Italy.

Taking in Lecce is also the best excuse to explore the entire incredible southeastern region of Puglia. A favourite holiday destination with Italians, Puglia is also one of Rough Guides' most beautiful places in Italy.

Where to stay in Lecce

• For design and details: Palazzo Lecce
• For price and quality: BaroccoSuite

Find more accommodation options in Lecce.

3. Admire Ancient Greek ruins on Sicily

Sicily is proud of its Ancient Greek roots and has some magnificent ruins to prove it. Pay homage to the history at Siracusa and Taormina theatres, they're glorious monuments in their own right and as an added bonus both still stage Greek dramas.

One of the best things to do in Italy to be really amazed by Sicily's Greek heritage is to discover Agrigento, considered to be one of the best archaeological sites outside Greece. Scruffy Agrigento, sited on a ridge high above the coast, is rarely visited for the town itself. The interest instead focuses on the substantial remains of Pindar’s “most beautiful city of mortals”, a couple of kilometres below.

Where to stay in Agrigento

• For a farm stay: Agriturismo Passo dei Briganti
• For stunning views: Le Terrazze di Pirandello

Find more accommodation options in Agrigento.

Also, while in Sicily, don't miss the opportunity to visit Palermo, a city full of entertaining sights and attractions.

4. Drinking local wine is one of the best things to do in Italy

When in Italy make a point of drinking in local wine bars known as enoteca. They're authentic and by far the best places to try the country's incredible variety of regional wines, not to mention excellent antipasti.

One of the best things to do in Italy for wine tasting is visit to Barolo, which gives the name of Italian wine. It’s a small village with peach- and ochre-washed houses set among extensive vineyards. A steady stream of wealthy gastronomes and wine connoisseurs come here for the Enoteca Regionale del Barolo and the WiMu Wine Museum housed in a turreted castle on Piazza Falletti.

For a more quirky take on the wine industry, there’s the original Museo dei Cavatappi, or Corkscrew Museum, at Piazza Castello.

Where to stay in Barolo

• For wine tasting and culinary treats: Casa Svizzera
• For price and quality: Agricola Domus

Find more accommodation options in Barolo.

5. Head to Urbino in Le Marche

Make time for the remarkable provincial city of Urbino in Le Marche. Once described as the 'ideal city' and known as a Renaissance art capital, it was originally created by Federico da Montefeltro in the 15th century. Walled, austere and mostly built of pale, golden brick, Urbino is a jumble of Renaissance and medieval houses, churches and palazzi atop a hill, dominated by its stellar attraction, the Palazzo Ducale.

The lengthy and complex history of the Renaissance is endlessly fascinating and occasionally bewildering. Sort out fact from fiction and get under the skin of Urbino on a private walking tour of the city with local guides.

Where to stay in Urbino:

• For B&B: Villa Paradiso
• For central location: Albergo Italia

Find more accommodation options to stay in Urbino.

6. Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna, Emilia Romagna

Ravenna was Europe's capital 1500 years ago and a tour here is one of the best things to do in Italy to see Byzantine mosaics. Unmissable examples are to be found at Sant'Apollinare Basilica and also in San Vitale. Ravenna holds a set of mosaics generally acknowledged to be the crowning achievement of Byzantine art. No fewer than eight of the city's buildings have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites.

They date from a strange interlude in the city’s history during the late Roman–an early Byzantine period when this otherwise unremarkable provincial centre briefly became one of the most important cities in all of Europe.

Where to stay in Ravenna

• For comfort: Casa Masoli
• For couples: Martins Residence de Luxe

Find more accommodation options to stay in Ravenna.

7. The Amalfi Coast, Campania

Go southwest in Italy to Campania and see the Amalfi Coast. It is spectacularly beautiful and if you are looking for a beach holiday, visiting the Amalfi Coast is among the mandatory things to do in Italy. In fact, our readers voted it to be one of the most beautiful places in Europe.

The Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana) lays claim to being Europe’s most beautiful stretch of coast, its corniche road winding around the towering cliffs that slip almost sheer into the sea. By car or bus, it’s an incredible ride (though it can get mighty congested in summer), with some of the most spectacular stretches between Salerno and Amalfi.

If you're considering a more unusual destination, the Campania region also has your interests covered. Read our guide to Ischia, an island not overcrowded but filled with its own unique charm.

Choose your accommodation option from a huge variety of hotels on the Amalfi Coast.

8. Walk across Piazza San Marco in Venice

Piazza San Marco is always crowded but it's the most famous square in Venice, one of Europe’s great urban spaces and a cultural icon you simply cannot afford to miss in Italy. Home to St Mark's Basilica and the legendary Campanile, the square is so famous it's mostly just known as La Piazza. Once you've visited Venice, you may want to avoid tourists for a while, so try some of the lesser-known places to see in Italy instead.

And of course, among the best things to do in Italy while in Venice is to take a ride on the gondola. A gondola is no longer a form of transport but rather an adjunct to the tourist industry. But however much the gondola’s image has become tarnished, it is an astonishingly graceful craft, perfectly designed for negotiating the tortuous and shallow waterways.

Enjoy a weekend getaway in the most romantic of cities with our tailor-made trip to Venice.

Where to stay in Venice

• For a perfect honeymoon: Carnival Palace
• For convenient location: Bianca Cappello House

Find more accommodation options to stay in Venice.

9. Gaze on the frescoes at Duomo of Orvieto

Duomo of Orvieto in Umbria is one of Italy's finest cathedrals and you'll find it between Florence and Rome.

It was miraculous that the Duomo was built at all. Medieval Orvieto was so violent that at times the population thought about giving up on it altogether. Yet though construction dragged on for three centuries and exhausted 33 architects, 152 sculptors, 68 painters and 90 mosaicists, the final product is a surprisingly unified example of the transitional Romanesque-Gothic style.

Discover the stunning Luca Signorelli frescoes and much more on an in-depth cathedral tour in Orvieto.

Where to stay in Orvieto

• For the perfect location: La Magnolia
• For a charming atmosphere: Agriturismo Podere Pescara

Find more accommodation options to stay in Orvieto.

10. See the Duomo of Florence in Tuscany

The most iconic Duomo in Italy dominates Florence and every step to the top is worth it for the spectacular views of the city and beyond.

It was sometime in the seventh century when the seat of the Bishop of Florence was transferred from San Lorenzo to the ancient church that stood on the site of the Duomo. In the thirteenth century, it was decided that a new cathedral was required, to better reflect the wealth of the city and to put the Pisans and Sienese in their place.

To avoid queues to see Duomo, book a guided tour and then discover more unforgettable Tuscany experiences.

Where to stay in Florence

• For elegance: Residenza Della Signoria
• For budget stays: Hotel Nizza

Find more accommodation options to stay in Florence.

11. Try the real Neapolitan pizza

Indulging in pizza is one of the best things to do in Italy. Naples lays claim to the original and best, something that's hard to argue within the city's legendary pizzeria. No one would argue that eating different kinds of pizza is the best thing to do in Italy.

The flavour of Naples dominates the whole of Campania. It’s the true home of the pizza, rapidly baked in searingly hot wood-fired ovens and running with olive oil, as well as fantastic street food, served in numerous outlets known as friggitorie – sample delicacies such as fried pizzas (pizzette or panzarotti), heavenly crocchè (potato croquettes), arancini (rice balls) and fiorilli (courgette flowers in batter).

Where to stay in Naples

• For comfort stays: Maschio Angioino Suite
• For central location: Napoli Centro Suite e Spa

Find more accommodation options in Naples.

Taste the most wonderful and freshly made Italy food in Naples and enjoy the most beautiful views of the Amalfi Coast with our gastronomic tailor-made tour to Tuscany and Amalfi Coast.

12. Find a quiet spot on the Italian Lakes

Go north in Italy for the country's most famous lakes and one of its most stunning regions. The Italian Lakes are a little slice of paradise. Generations of travellers from the north, descending wearily from the chilly Alpine passes, have come into this Mediterranean vision of figs and palms, bougainvillaea and lemon blossom, and been lost for words.

Elegant ribbons of blue water stretch out ahead, folded into the sun-baked foothills; after the rigours of the high Alps, the abundance of fine food and wine must have been a revelation. Warming, awe-inspiring and graced with natural beauty, the lakes are still a place to draw breath and wonder.

Experience the picturesque lakes of Northern Italy, including Lake Garda, Como, Lugano and Maggiore with our tailor-made tour of the enchanting Italian Lakes.

13. Hike the island of Elba in Tuscany

Find the mountainous island of Elba in Tuscany and visit beautiful beaches, great hiking and rich history. It has exceptionally clear water, fine white sand beaches, and a lush, wooded interior, superb for walking. Almost everyone, including a surge of package tourists in July and August, comes for the beach resorts, so the inland villages remain largely quiet even in high season.

Elba’s principal town, Portoferraio, makes it an easy and worthwhile day-trip destination from the mainland. If you head straight off to the beaches and resorts, however, you’ll hardly see it. The long, unattractive, modern quayside used by the island ferries is well away from the town’s atmospheric old quarter, with its stepped alleys and ancient churches.

Where to stay in Portoferraio

• For outdoor activities: Residenza Sant’Anna Del Volterraio
• For budget stays: Villa Gaia

Find more accommodation options to stay in Portoferraio

14. Escape to Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo

The majestic Abruzzo mountains are set in Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Italy’s third-largest national park. Untamed and refreshingly wild, they are among the best things to do in Italy for hiking trips and an excellent place to spot wildlife.

The central village, Pescassèroli, is the main hub for visitors, surrounded by campsites, holiday apartments and hotels. The best way to strike out from here is to hike. Take advantage of the comprehensive information service, and get your boots on as quickly as you can: the wild beauty of the Apennine range is only really appreciated as you get further away from the tourist villages.

Where to stay near the Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo

• For lake view: Art Hotel
• For B&B: B&B Gocciaverde

Find more accommodation options to stay near Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo.

15. Browse the Uffizi in Florence

Attracting well over two million visitors a year, the Galleria degli Uffizi is the finest picture gallery in Italy, housed in what was once government offices (Uffizi) built by Vasari for Cosimo I in 1560. After Vasari’s death, work on the building was continued by Buontalenti, who was asked by Francesco I to glaze the upper storey so that it could house his art collection.

Each of the succeeding Medici added to the family’s trove of art treasures. The collection was preserved for public inspection by the last member of the family, Anna Maria Lodovica, whose will specified that it should be left to the people of Florence and never be allowed to leave the city.

Embrace the awe-inspiring art and astonishing architecture with our tailor-made trip to Florence.

16. Explore Agriturismi on a farm stay

One of the best things to do in Italy to discover the countryside in some spectacular locations and to support local Agriturismi is to try a farm stay.

The agriturismo scheme, which allows the owners of country estates, vineyards and farms to rent out converted barns and farm buildings to tourists, has boomed in recent years. Usually, these comprise a self-contained flat or building, though a few places just rent rooms on a bed-and-breakfast basis.

While some rooms are still annexed to working farms or vineyards, many are smart, self-contained rural holiday properties. Attractions may include home-grown food, swimming pools and a range of outdoor activities. Many agriturismi have a minimum stay requirement of one week in busy periods.

17. Compare Pompeii and Herculaneum

Visit Pompeii first and then go on to see Herculaneum. Both settlements were destroyed by Vesuvius in 79AD and today they are considered to be Italy's best-preserved archaeological sites.

The site of Herculaneum was discovered in 1709 when a well-digger accidentally struck the stage of the buried theatre. Excavations were undertaken throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, during which period much of the marble and bronze from the site was carted off to Naples to decorate the city’s palaces.

The other Roman town to be destroyed by Vesuvius – Pompeii – was a much larger affair than Herculaneum. The site covers a wide area, and seeing it properly takes half a day at the very least. Unlike Herculaneum, there’s little shade, and the distances involved are quite large: breaks along the way: flat, comfortable shoes are a must.

Where to stay near Pompeii and Herculaneum

• For location: Hotel del Sole
• For families: Relais Country House

Find more accommodation options to stay near Pompeii and Herculaneum.

18. Find Italy's best beaches in Sardinia

Italy has incredible beaches ranging from glamorous lidos and chic coves to deserted island beaches with nothing but sand and sea. Most experts agree the loveliest are on Sardinia.

The north coast is lined with beaches, the most alluring of them lying around the port and resort of Stintino, on Sardinia’s northwestern tip. Until recently nothing more than a remote jumble of fishermen’s cottages jammed between two narrow harbours, Stintino remains a small, laidback village for most of the year, but is transformed into a busy holiday centre in the tourist season.

Explore the raw beauty of Sardinia with our tailor-made driving tour of Sardinia.

Where to stay in Stintino

• For families: Hotel Cala Reale
• For price and quality: Park Hotel Asinara

Find more accommodation options to stay in Stintino

20. See The Last Supper and Milan Cathedral

Milan boasts plenty of attractions, but the best thing to do in Italy here is to visit Santa Maria delle Grazie. This unassuming convent in the historic centre is home to Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper.

Leonardo’s The Last Supper is one of the world’s great paintings and most resonant images. Henry James likened the painting to an “illustrious invalid” that people visited with “leave-taking sighs and almost death-bed or tip-toe precautions”. It’s hard, when you visit the fragile painting, not to feel that it’s the last time you’ll see it.

Another must-see attraction in Milan is the huge Duomo, made in a variety of styles from Gothic to Neoclassical. From the outside at least, it looks incredible, remarkable not only for its size but also for its strange combination of Baroque and Gothic.

Where to stay in Milan

• For stylish stays: Hotel Fenice
• For luxury: Moscova Luxury B&B

Find more accommodation options to stay in Milan.

21. Visit Giotto’s frescoes in Padua

Head to Padua and visit Cappella degli Scrovegni, the small chapel containing Giotto's world-famous frescoes. The Cappella degli Scrovegni was commissioned in 1303 by Enrico Scrovegni in atonement for his father’s usury, which was so vicious that he was denied a Christian burial.

Giotto covered the walls with illustrations of the life of Mary, the life of Jesus and the story of the Passion, and the finished fresco cycle is one of the high points in the development of European art. It is a marvellous demonstration of Giotto’s innovative attention to the inner nature of his subjects.

Where to stay in Padua

• For location: Hotel Casa Del Pellegrino
• For price and quality: Hotel Patavium

Find more accommodation options to stay in Padua.

22. Go hiking in the Dolomites

The Dolomites are hiking territory and whether you take short walks or long-distance trails, dramatic views are guaranteed every step of the way.

This section of the Italian Alps offers some exhilarating hiking, often subject to snow, ice and scorching sun on the same day. There are plenty of opportunities for day walks in the stunning scenery that is within average capabilities, and routes are well established and well signposted.

Alternatively, consider tackling one of the longer trails known as alte vie (literally “high ways”), almost all of which run north–south, including the most popular pair: the Alta Via 1, perhaps the easiest route; and the tougher Alta Via 2. Along the way, there are plenty of mountain huts for meals and overnight accommodation.

Where to stay near the Dolomites

• For the spa: Hotel Chalet Olympia
• For boutique stays: Dolomeet Boutique Hotel

Find more accommodation options to stay near the Dolomites.

23. Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi, Umbria

The Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi is one of Italy’s greatest churches, the burial place of St. Francis and home to astonishing frescoes by Giotto and Simone Martini. Pilgrims and art lovers alike usually make straight for the Basilica di San Francesco, justifiably famed as Umbria’s single greatest glory, and one of the most overwhelming collections of art outside a gallery anywhere in the world.

It’s not as grandiose as some religious shrines, though it still strikes you as being a long way from the embodiment of Franciscan principles. If you don’t mind compromised ideals, the two churches making up the basilica – one built on top of the other – are a treat.

Where to stay in Assisi

• For charming aesthetic: Hotel Sorella Luna
• For price and quality: Hotel Il Palazzo

Find more accommodation options to stay in Assisi.

24. Do the Vatican Museums in Rome

The Vatican is an autonomous state in Rome and also the world's smallest country, yet it has the largest art collection on earth. As its name suggests, the Vatican Museums complex actually holds a series of museums on very diverse subjects – displays of classical statuary, Renaissance painting, Etruscan relics, and Egyptian artefacts.

One of the best things in Italy you shouldn’t miss here are the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. Above all, decide how long you want to spend here, and what you want to see before you start. You could spend anything from an hour to a whole day here, and it’s easy to collapse from museum fatigue before you’ve even got to your target.

Soak up the sights and delights of Ancient Rome, with this week-long tailor-made trip to Vatican City and Assisi.

Where to stay near the Vatican

• For convenient location: San Pietro Grand Suite
• For couples: SM Vatican Relais B&B

25. Take a picture of the Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower (Torre Pendente) has always tilted. Begun in 1173, it started to subside when it had reached just three of its eight storeys, but it leaned in the opposite direction to the present one. Odd-shaped stones were inserted to correct this deficiency, whereupon the tower lurched the other way.

The ascent to the bell chamber takes you up a narrow spiral staircase of 294 steps, at a fairly disorientating five-degree angle. It’s not for the claustrophobic or those afraid of heights, but you might think the steep admission fee is worth it for the privilege of getting inside one of the world’s most famous and uncanny buildings.

Where to stay in Pisa

• For B&B: B&B Cristina e Stefano
• For modern stays: Harmony House Prestige

Find more accommodation options to stay in Pisa.

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