Whenever there is a discussion about holidays or vacations, Italy is a particular destination that makes it to the top of everyone’s list. It is reasonable because of its breathtaking beauty and amazing list of amazing things to do in Italy.
Italy is famous for its delicious pizza (trust me, totally worth the hype), Vespa, Ferrari, Gelato, opera, pasta and architectural beauty like the Colosseum, leaning tower of Pisa etc. But there is more to Italy than just these mainstream places.
Here I am spilling the top 10 places to visit in Italy for your Italy bucket list (and I still recommend the best thing is pizza again).
Quick travel tips for your trip to Italy
- Remember to bring light clothing for yourself.
- You might not find charging points everywhere, so keep a backup such as a power bank, otherwise, you will regret not taking pictures of these great spots.
- If you can, try travelling by public transport; it saves a lot of money and the buses are amazingly beautiful and convenient.
25 Exciting Things to do in Italy in 2023
Rome
If we are talking about the best places in Italy, it is definitely going to start with Rome, the capital of Italy. It is impossible to not be aware of the great ancient Rome and the mighty Colosseum.
Rome is a beautiful city, and placing it at the top of the list is totally worth it. There are multiple places you can visit in Rome, such as the great Roman Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain, and many more.
Things to do in Rome: Explore the Colosseum, Throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, Ascend to the palatine hill, Enjoy a Gelato ice cream, and Visit Vatican City and Patheon.
How much time is ideal to explore Rome: To travel across Rome, you need to have at least an ideal time of 2-3 days. Because if you’re planning to travel, you should cover all the great places here.
Florence
Florence has always been hailed for its beauty, and it’s totally worth it. It is indeed one of the best places in Italy to explore. It is filled with sights that will take your breath away.
Florence is home to the best Italian architecture, so it is understandable how immensely pleasing the place would be. There are several art galleries and the Duomo, which help you peak at the beauty of Florence.
Things to do in Florence: Climb the Duomo, Florence Cathedral, Giotto’s Campanile, Plazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, and Uffizi Gallery.
How much time is ideal to explore Florence: The ideal time to spend here is 2-3 days.
Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi coast is another of the most talked about places in Italy. It is largely known for its coastal beauty and crystal clear, turquoise water. The Amalfi coast has several towns near it, so visiting this place is totally worth it.
It is one of the best destinations to spend summers in Italy. There are a lot of fun things to do here, and the vibe of the place is great. Driving along the coast is one of the best experiences here.
Things to do on the Amalfi coast: Travel along the Amalfi Coast, Take a boat ride to Capri Island, Explore nearby places and towns and Try authentic cafes and pizza places.
How much time is ideal to explore Amalfi Coast: 1- 2 days is an ideal time here. Also, make sure you hire a car for yourself as it is more convenient.
Capri Island
Capri island is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. You can take a boat from the Amalfi coast and enter this majestic island. There are several fun things to do here, such as trekking around the island and walking through some of the best gardens.
You will also find some great luxurious resorts to have a peaceful stay in and try mouth-watering seafood.
How much time is ideal to explore Capri Island: An overnight stay will be great, and we suggest that you roam around and explore by yourself.
Tuscany
This is one of the most beautiful places in Italy, surrounded by majestic hills and scenic vineyards. If you want to have a solo trip and want to search for peace and solace, this place is the best option.
Quiet and far from the hustle and bustle, this is indeed a great place to explore. You can explore places like San Miniota. You can also hike through the Cortana hills. You can also visit hilltops like San Gimignano, Pienza Montalcino, and many more.
How much time is ideal to explore Tuscany: A day trip to Tuscany will be great and enough to explore the places nearby.
Siena
If you are planning a trip to Tuscany, this is an absolutely stunning place to stay. The vibe of the place is very similar to that of Florence. One of the reasons it is called the “architectural wonder of Italy”.
Personally, I liked the place as it is less crowded and equally beautiful as Florence. There are many places to explore, and the cafes are just great. So if you are someone who enjoys underrated places like me, add this one to your list.
Things to do in Siena: You can visit the famous cathedral, Santa Maria Assunta. You can also take a walk in the beautiful public square, Piazza del Campo.
How much time is ideal to explore Siena: Spending an evening will be more than enough to explore the whole place.
Venice
Venice is one of those places that has at least once been on everyone’s bucket list. The city is famous for its unique streets, which you can roam with the help of boats.
I can understand the hype as the place totally lived up to your expectations. There is so much to explore in this place, and the experience you have in Venice is just exclusive to this place.
Things to do in Venice: My favourite was to take the gondola ride and take a walk across Rialto Bridge. You can visit places like the Doge’s palace and the Basilica of St. Mark.
How much time is ideal to explore Venice: This place deserves your attention for a day or two. And trust me, you will enjoy staying here because the hotels are just awesome.
Milan
Milan is the most underappreciated place in Italy for its beauty. Though all of us are well aware of the city of fashion, Milan has a lot more to explore. First of all, it has a lot of architectural beauty to flaunt.
I really like Milan, and it is an absolutely great place to do the shopping and collect some fashion tips. The whole town looks classy and elite.
Things to do in Milan: You can start by visiting the gorgeous IIduomo, the beautiful opera house La Scala, and also have a look at the monastery that has the famous work of Leonardo da Vinci—The Last Supper.
How much time is ideal to explore Milan: A whole day will be just fine to explore the town and have fun there because shopping takes a lot of time.
Pisa
To visit Italy and not see the great English Tower of Pisa feels like a crime. Well, Pisa is one of the seven wonders of the world and you will understand why once you see it.
I would not say that you should make an exclusive plan to visit this place because, to be honest, there is not a lot you can do. But if you are visiting any nearby place, this will be totally worth it.
Things to do in Pisa: There is nothing much around the area, to be honest, except for the leaning tower of Pisa and have a nice view of things around the town.
How much time is ideal to explore Pisa: A few hours will be fine if you are not going to dig up the history.
Bologna
Bologna is famous for being the home of some of the richest people in Europe. You can see it in this sophisticated town. It is so well maintained and the architecture here is great.
It is the origin of the famous Bologna sauce. You can see a lot of luxury cars here. It is also home to a luxury bike, the Ducati. It is one of the important towns in Italy and totally worth watching.
Things to do in Bologna: Visit the famous Ducati museum, walk to the beautiful Piazza Maggiore and Piazza del Nettuno, visit the famous San Petronio and explore the twin leaning towers.
How much time is ideal to explore Bologna: A day is enough to explore the town and have some delicious food around the city.
The Cinque Tree
The Cinque tree is literally one of the best places you can visit. It is such a beautiful and calming place that you can enjoy on a perfect summer holiday. Cinque tree is more of a fun experience place than just sightseeing.
The cinque tree is known for the cluster of villages around it. The Mediterranean sea looks really gorgeous and pleases the eyes. You can try a lot of water sports here or even book a yacht if you want a luxury experience.
You can also go hiking around the trail and experience its coastal beauty. You can take the train and see the beautiful view enjoying the delicious pizza Vernazza. Corniglia and Manorala are a few of the places to check out here.
Lecce
There are high chances you must have not heard about this place but trust me it is worth exploring. One of the underrated places in Italy Lecce is amazing to have some holiday time in the less crowded area.
It has places to visit such as La Basilique Santa Croce, The Basilica of the Holy Cross, The historic center, The dome of Lecce, Sant’Oronzo Square, Faggiano Museum.
Lecce is located in the base of Italian boot in the Puglia Region. You should definitely give it a try if you are a fan of museums and churches. The sculptures are inspired by gothic styles that are interesting to see.
Verona
Are you a fan of Shakespeare or some classic English novels? Then this is a must-visit place in Italy for you. You would feel like been transferred to a Shakespeare-themed town as it has a lot related to the author.
Verona is known to be the place where the tragic Romeo and Juliet story happened and there are multiple monuments made to honour the author and the love birds as well. The vibe of the place is just magical and it is one of the less explored places in Italy.
So in case you are planning to visit Verona Here are the things you should definitely do. Like Juliette’s house The piazza Bra The basilica of San Zeno Maggiore, The Castelvecchio
Genoa
Are you a history person? Do you debate about who found America first? Well guys this is your place. It is one of the most famous and oldest ports in Italy. And by old, we mean so old that even Christopher Columbus came here.
Genoa is also one of the less visited places by tourists but this is something you shouldn’t miss at all. It is full of beautiful monuments and buildings which you can explore. And if you are travelling with your partner then this place is super gorgeous.
So here are the places you must check in Genoa, The port of Genoa, The historical centre with the piazza de Ferrar, Stroll along the Lungomare, Go to Boccadasse
Naples
You are not an Italy fan if you haven’t heard about this place. One of the famous places to visit in Italy, Naples is amazingly beautiful and blessed with some of the best man-crafted monuments. You will have a ton of places to see on your list.
It is the oldest house of Pizza and you will find the most delicious pizza here. Being one of the oldest cities in Italy. it has a lot of museums and churches to explore and is a delight to someone who loves history and art.
So here are the places you must check out in Naples. the historic centre and its Duomo, The Piazza del Plebiscito, The Vigiliano Park, the archaeological museum
Turin
Turin is a place for those who love cinematography and chocolates. It is not a famous place to visit in Italy but in case you are planning a long trip or wanna explore different places add this one to your list.
Turin is the city of chocolates. You can find different Italian flavours that are unforgettable throughout life. And if you are lucky then you might get a chance to be a part of the chocolate festival too.
Places that you must check out in Turin are, The Egyptian museum, The automobile museum, The Palazzo Reale
Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands
Lake Maggiore is one of the biggest three lakes in Italy along with lake Como and lake Garda. So guys, if you are near Milan then you must visit Lake Maggiore because it is very beautiful. It is such a scintillating quiet place and you can spend a great time here.
It is just one and a half hours from Milan by car and if you are not travelling by private vehicle you will find many travel buses coming to lake Maggiore. It is surrounded by beautiful flora and fauna and is an exotic location to visit if you love nature.
Here are the places you can visit in Lake Maggiore in the span of a day, The Isola Madre, The Isola Bella, and The Isola Superieure.
Lake Como
Lake Como is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Italy. Like it is famous all over the world for the amazing experience and places to visit. Lake Como is known for its luxurious aesthetic villas and lush green gardens.
Lake Como’s beauty is so mesmerizing that even a lot of top Hollywood directors have included this place in their movies like star wars.
So the places that you can check out while visiting lake Como are, Como City, Tremezzo, and Villa Carlotta, Bellagio and Villa Melzi, Varenne and the villa Monastero, Varenne and Villa Monastero
Garda lake
Lake Garda is one of the largest lakes in Italy. It is visited by tons of tourists every year and it is a nice place to explore. So if you are near Milan you can reach here in one and a half hours.
There are various castles and towns you can explore around this place. You will also find some great villas and resort with amazing gardens. The food here is really delicious so an authentic Italian dish is a must try.
In Leake Garda, you can explore the SirMoine town which is very exotic and beautiful. There are many archaeological sites and medieval castles to visit. Scaliger Castle and the Palazzo dei Capitani are also great places to visit in Malcesine.
The Dolomites
Are you a nature person or like some adventure while travelling? Then this is a place you should definitely visit. Dolomites boasts of being off of the UNESCO world heritage site known for 18 mountain peaks present there.
You can do things like hiking or walking down the mountain trail. Spending some time watching the sunrise and sunset is something every tourist should experience here. The mountains really look magnificent.
Also, you can explore villages like Lago di Carezza, Cortina, and many more around the place. The best way to visit will be to drive your private car as there are many beautiful spots you wanna stop.
Gargano National Park
Gargano is one of the biggest national parks in Italy and is extensively beautiful. The coast around looks mesmerizing and the vibe is calming around the place. It is full of white limestone carved beautifully by the elements which makes it look more amazing.
Things you can do here are take a stroll around the coast or go out for some hiking along with the exotic fauna around here. Also, the small town of Viesta is a must-visit here.
Sicily
Sicily is one of the famous places to visit in Italy. It is popular for its beauty and tons of things to explore during your visit. If you want to relax and bask in the beachy sunlight or want to do some adventure and go out to some archaeological sites, this place is best for both.
Sicily is also known for delicious Italian cuisine, especially pizza. So if you are planning to visit Sicily you should definitely check out, Catania, Syracuse and the island of Ortigia, Baroque towns, Cefalu.
Maranello
If you are a fan of supercars then Maranello is just the right place for you. Maranello is known for being the birthplace of all time OG supercar Ferrari. And that is why it has a whole dedicated museum to it. The Ferrari museum is actually the highlight of Maranello and is an interesting place to visit.
Apart from the museum you can also visit their factory and see how these supercars are made from scratch. You can also get luxury cars like Lamborghini and Ferrari on rent and drive them around the town.
Valley of the Temples
The Valley of Temples or also famous as the Velle Dei Templi is situated in Agrigento, Sicily. So in case you are visiting Sicily mark this place as a must-visit for you. In case you love archaeology or historical things this place will charm you.
This place is an outstanding example of how great ancient greek architecture was. The temples that you see here are old as the 5th century and are Doric temples. You will find some of the legendary masterpieces depicting various gods of ancient greek.
This place has several temples such as the Temple of the Dioscuri, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Temple of Concordia, the Temple of Heracles, and the Temple of Aesculapius.
Climb Mount Vesuvius
Mount Vesuvius is an active Volcano, but no need to worry, CLimbing is totally safe and convenient. Mount Vesuvius is situated in Naples. So if you are planning to be in Naples do try this trail.
It is the perfect spot if you want a healthy hike and a look at the beautiful view. The trail to be climbed is approx 4 km. It might sound a lot right now but trust me once you start climbing the amazing view will completely distract you from the sight.
Conclusion
Italy is a beautiful country and has a long list of exciting things that one can enjoy and still find the list never-ending. My time in Italy has been amazing and I look forward to visiting it again.
If you have been to Italy and have a unique suggestion, please share it in the suggestions below.
