The 8 Most Beautiful Cities in Italy for Tourists
I have decided to prepare an article with a list of the most beautiful cities in Italy, thanks to the opportunity I had to live there for a year and add to the trips I made. Rome, Venice, and Florence are some of those chosen, but here I tell you in detail the top 8 of the most touristic cities in Italy.
It is no coincidence that everyone calls it “beautiful Italy,” an impressive and mega-diverse country with cities full of history, streets that exude art, idyllic beaches, and excellent gastronomy.
All this has influenced the country to become the fourth most visited country in the world, with 60.5 million tourists visiting Italian cities every year. In addition, Italy is the country with the largest number of places declared World Heritage by UNESCO in the world, with 58 in total.
So, if you have ever asked yourself: What are the most beautiful places to visit in Italy? Here we go on a journey through all of them.
The Most Beautiful Cities in Italy
Although Italy is made up of 139 cities, I have done my homework. So without further ado, I will tell you the most popular Italian cities that you should visit at least once in your life.
1. Venice: The Most Beautiful City in Italy
If I had to choose a single city in the world, I would choose Venice, without a doubt, one of the most famous places in Italy. Elegant, magical, unique, romantic, and extremely beautiful. An antique jewel that retains its shine despite its wrinkles. It is an open-air museum with so many wonders together that they overwhelm those who visit it and trap them forever.
Venice carries almost as much history behind it as water in its canals. In its historic center, declared a World Heritage Site, one of the city’s jewels stands out, the wonderful Piazza San Marcos, a place that Napoleon himself defined as the “Most Beautiful Hall in Europe.” All this has made Venice one of the most touristic cities in Italy.
The city of Canals is built on an archipelago of 118 small islands on the Adriatic Sea, almost all of them linked to each other by 455 bridges. It’s a marvel wherever you look at it.
Among the main tourist attractions of the city are celebrating the famous Venice Carnival held every year for 10 days, riding a gondola through the narrow canals of Venice, enjoying a cappuccino in Piazza San Marco, crossing the Rialto Bridge, getting lost at night through the most romantic corners of the city. Pure romanticism…
There are cities in the world that should be visited more than once. And, without a doubt, Venice is one of them.
2. Rome: The City with the Most History in Italy
Rome is another of the cities that deserves the title of the most beautiful and popular city in Italy. It is the capital of the country and a paradise for those who prefer art and culture. In addition, it contains the highest concentration of historical and architectural assets in the world.
The Eternal City is full of architectural jewels with more than 3,000 years of history, making it one of the most visited cities in the world, with an average of 15 million tourists a year.
Another reason that baptizes Rome as one of the most beautiful cities in Italy is the famous Roman Colosseum, one of the 7 wonders of the modern world and an icon of the country, through which more than 7 million tourists pass annually. I recommend you buy the ticket in advance here.
Stroll through the picturesque Trastevere district, throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, put your hand in the Bocca della Verita, dine in Piazza Navona, go down the stairs of Piazza di Spagna, stroll through the Roman Forum or enter the Agrippa’s pantheon are some of the things to do in Rome that you cannot miss.
I recommend you read our article on the best places to see in Rome so that you don’t miss anything. And if you are looking for accommodation, I recommend our post on the best areas and hotels to stay in Rome.
3. Florence: The Most Wonderful Town in Italy
They say that whoever visits Florence suffers from Stendhal syndrome or, in other words, palpitations and a rapid pulse due to an overdose of beauty.
There is no doubt that the capital of Tuscany is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy and in the world, full of art in each of its streets and squares. Florence is an open-air museum, the cradle of art and the Renaissance. Great artists, such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Caravaggio, used her as an “inspiring muse” to create their masterpieces.
Marvel at the buildings of the Piazza del Duomo, walk among the sculptures of the Piazza della Signoria, shop at the jewelers on the Ponte Vecchio, experience the overwhelming emotion before Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia Gallery, admire the works of art in the Medici Chapel, take a leisurely stroll through the Giardino di Boboli, or enjoy the spectacular views of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo. These are some of the best things to do in this idyllic Italian city.
4. Alberobello: The Most Picturesque City in Italy and One of the Most Beautiful
Alberobello is another of the most beautiful cities in Italy and one of the most picturesque. It is located in the province of Bari and is recognized for its famous Trulli, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996.
Trulli are traditional dry stone huts with gray cone-shaped roofs, typical of Puglia.
Alberobello is the only city in the region that preserves a historic center full of Trulli, about 1000 distributed in its 15 streets. Many of them are charmingly decorated souvenir shops but focused entirely on tourism.
If you want to know the most authentic part of this peculiar Italian town, you will have to go to the Rione Aia Piccola neighborhood, where about 1,300 people live in 400 Trulli.
5. The Vatican: The Smallest Italian City
This city-state is an independent country located in the middle of Rome. It is the seat of the Pope and one of the most famous cities in Italy, regardless of your religious beliefs. It represents the geographical heart of Christianity and the Catholic religion.
Vatican City has an area of 0.44 km² (44 hectares) and a population of approximately 800 inhabitants, making it the smallest sovereign state in the world.
This holy city holds immense historical and artistic significance. It was visited by artists of Leonardo da Vinci’s stature, who painted the Sistine Chapel, undoubtedly one of the Vatican’s most prized treasures. The architectural and historical-artistic complex that comprises this city has earned it the prestigious designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Vatican, in addition to being one of the most beautiful places to visit in Italian due to its history and architecture, is one of the most important sources of religious and spiritual tourism in the country. This treasure brings together millions of faithful every year, who renew their faith with papal masses.
Among the main attractions of the Vatican are the Plaza and St. Peter’s Basilica, which are free to enter, and the Museums and the Sistine Chapel, where you can buy tickets in advance here.
6. Pisa: The City with the Most Famous Tower in Italy
I have included Pisa in our ranking of the most beautiful cities in Italy mainly because of its iconic leaning tower, which, thanks to this deviation, has become world famous. Today, this monument represents a symbol of the country and the main attraction of the city that attracts millions of tourists every year.
The Tower of Pisa is located in the majestic Piazza dei Miracoli, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
But this small city in Tuscany is home to many more places that you can visit, such as the Church of Santa Maria della Spina, the banks of the Arno River, the Piazza del Vetovaglie, and the Borgo Stretto… monuments that are often overshadowed by the Tower of Pisa, but that are worth the visit.
7. Milan: The Capital of Italian Fashion
If there is any city in Italy that stands out for its style, it is Milan, considered one of the world fashion capitals, at the level of New York, London, or Paris.
But that is not why I have included it in our ranking of the most beautiful cities in Italy, but because of its history, its beautiful architecture, and its various Romanesque-style monuments that have made it the capital of Lombard Romanesque.
Another reason why I include Milan in our list of must-visit cities in Italy is because of its great cultural offering, with a variety of world-class museums, churches, and art galleries that house emblematic works of art.
Here you will find the Pinacoteca di Brera, one of the largest museums in Europe, founded in 1809 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Santa Maria delle Grazie convent, which houses the mural “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci, and the majestic Milan Cathedral, one of the largest churches in the world, 157 meters long and with the capacity to hold 40,000 people inside.
In addition to the above, other things to do in Milan are to visit the Vittorio Emanuele Gallery or the “Milan Show,” which houses the boutiques of the most prestigious clothing brands, stroll along the emblematic Via Montenapoleone, visit the Sforzesco castle or the Due Navigli neighborhood.
If you are looking for a cosmopolitan Italian city with good gastronomy, culture, and art, open to luxury and fashion, this is the perfect place for all fashion lovers. And if you don’t know it yet, take advantage of it, as flights to Milan are usually cheap and can serve as a gateway to the country to visit other places.
8. Verona: The City of Romeo and Juliet
It is inevitable to think about Verona and not relate it to the intense and dramatic love story of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare chose this Italian city as the setting for his famous novel, in which the Montagues and the Capulets were eternal rivals. History that made it famous worldwide.
Without a doubt, Verona has skillfully capitalized on its association with this famous tale. Throughout the city, you’ll discover numerous spots dedicated to the characters from this fictional story. One notable example is a 14th-century residence with a charming balcony overlooking a courtyard, widely recognized as ‘Juliet’s House,’ and it is open to the public.
But movies aside, Verona has its own thing. This Italian city has been considered by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site due to the importance and value of its historical buildings. It preserves a large number of monuments from the medieval and Renaissance periods. This makes Verona one of the most popular cities in Italy.
Its bridges also play an important role because after the World War, two of them were rebuilt with original material, a task that lasted around 20 years.
Other essential things to do in Verona that you cannot miss on your visit are to visit Piazza Bra, the Arena amphitheater, the Pizza delle Erbe, the Castelvecchio, and take advantage of a getaway to Lake Gar.
How to Visit the Most Beautiful Cities in Italy
There are different ways to explore the most beautiful places in Italy, and they are all very well connected by air and land, through which you can travel by plane, train, bus, and car.
Depending on the area you are going to visit, one or another transport may suit you.
If you are visiting, for example, only the south or only the north of the city of Milan, Verona or Venice, it is better to do it by car or train since the cities are very close to each other. But if you want to go from Milan to Rome or Palermo, it is better to buy a plane ticket because by land it will be very difficult.
If you do not have a car or come from another country, you can rent a car. The highways are very good, so stopping in other nearby cities is a very good option.
Other beautiful cities in Italy that I recommend you visit are Naples, Turin, Bologna, Genoa, Palermo, Siena, Padua, Bari, Trieste, Bergamo, Sorrento, Catania, Perugia, Luca, and Parma, among others.
Also Read: 21 Top Tourist Attractions in Egypt
