Top Tourist Attractions in Italy

Italy, known as the birthplace of the Roman Empire, is very rich in masterpieces of art and architecture as well as UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites. In addition, the country’s natural attractions include wonderful lakes, great mountains, and a dramatic coastline. There is no doubt that Italy is one of the must-visit countries in the world and the only minus is that it is really difficult to pick and choose top Tourist Attractions in Italy. We have done a list of the best and hopefully, it will help you to plan your trip to this amazing country.

Colosseum

Listed as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Rome and a must-see attraction in Italy. Completed in AD 80, the construction was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, dramas in the early medieval era. Colosseum is the largest amphitheater built by the Roman Empire, it could hold up to 80,000 spectators.

Venice Canals

Riding a gondola (flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat) or vaporetto (waterbus in Venice) through wonderful Venice canals has become a tradition that tourists have enjoyed for centuries. Known as the city of islands, Venice is built on an archipelago of 118 islands formed by about 150 canals in a shallow lagoon, connected by about 400 bridges. In the old center main forms of transports are on water and on foot. The canals are lined with old buildings which have not been changed for hundreds of years. Lined with many of the grand palaces, the Grand Canal is the most famous and picturesque.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Leaning Tower of Pisa is the 12th-century freestanding bell tower of the Pisa cathedral, which is the third oldest struct in Pisa city, and famous for its unintended tilt. The tower had been built during over 199 years and has 296 or 294 steps. It began to sink after construction had progressed to the second floor in 1178.  It leaned at an angle of 5.5 degrees, which was reduced to 3.97 degrees after the phase of structural strengthening between 1993 and 2001, and lost further 4 cm of tilt from 2001 to 2018.

Pompeii

Pompeii was an ancient Roman city near modern Naples of Italy. It was buried under 4 to 6 m (13 to 20 ft) of volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.  Many of the city’s art treasures including frescoes, mosaics, paintings, and sculptures were surprisingly preserved under the volcano mud. Remains of houses, markets, baths, temples, theaters, streets, and human remains have been revealed. Travelers can walk old streets scarred by the tracks of chariots and see the engineering used by Romans. A visit to Pompeii is heart-stirring and fascinating.

Roman Forum

Roman Forum is a rectangular forum(plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings in the heart of ancient Rome. Travelers can see pillars, foundations of former temples, partial structures, courts, market halls, and public buildings pay tribute to Ancient Rome, which are a thousand years old.

Vatican City

Founded on February 11th 1929, Vatican is an independent city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy. Highlights include St. Peter’s Square where the Pope addresses followers, the Sistine Chapel with its wall and ceiling paintings by Michelangelo, Vatican Museum housing works of many famous Italian artists. The city is home to many world-class priceless art and art collections, including the great Basilica of St. Peter, with the tomb of St. Peter and the Pieta – one of Michelangelo’s most poignant works,

Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore

Built between the 13th and 15th centuries, Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore dominates the Florence skyline. It is one of top cathedrals in the world and a must-see attraction in Italy. The most famous part is the extraordinary dome, completed by Filippo Brunelleschi in 1434. The 82-meter and 414-step campanile can be climbed up to view the entire city. The bell tower is covered with marble in Tuscan Romanesque style. Some of the most impressive parts are the vast interior are the mosaics and the high altar that is covered in gold and jewels.

Pantheon

Located in Rome, Pantheon is an incredibly well-preserved building from Roman times. Its notable part is the precise proportions of the building, the height is equal to the diameter. Italian Kings, the Renaissance painter Raphael, and other great Italians are buried in the Pantheon.

St. Mark’s Basilica

St. Mark’s Basilica in the famous Piazza San Marco square is one of the most visited attractions in Venice as well as Italy. The construction is a perfect blend of architectural styles heavily influenced by the Byzantine Empire.

Milan Duomo

Milan Duomo is one of the world’s largest churches and perhaps the best example of the flamboyant Gothic style. A grand total of 2,245 marble statues are studded on the exterior of the cathedral. 135 carved stone pinnacles crowning its roof, walls decorated by the world’s largest stained glass windows, 52 immense pillars supporting the soaring ceiling of the nave, and many more things to admire when you visit the Milan Duomo.

Uffizi Gallery

Uffizi Gallery is a one-stop history of Italian Renaissance art and one of the world’s foremost art museums. The gallery is home to numerous great masters of western art, including the greatest treasure which is the collection of paintings showing step-by-step the evolution in painting from the 14th to the 16th centuries. Do not miss seeing the Uffizi’s most famous work: Botticelli’s Birth of Venus at the gallery.

Lake Como

Lake Como in Lombardy is one of Italy’s most picturesque areas, surrounded by mountains and lined with beautiful towns which house opulent villas and palaces along wooded shores, gardens, resorts, especially an 11th-century abbey.

Amalfi Coast

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Amalfi Coast is a fascinating coastline along the Sorrentine Peninsula. Highlights include hillside towns that are precariously built on the steep mountainsides that cascade down to the sea, especially Positano and Amalfi main towns with its colorful domed cathedral.

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Riviera of Italian. Also known as Five Lands, Cinque Terre comprises five lovely and picturesque small coastal villages with steep hills and sheer cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean. The area also houses old-world fishing villages. Travelers can walk or hike to explore the stunning towns.

Capri

With steep rock, craggy cliffs softened by green pines and tropical plants, walking trails, a good view of the immense sea, numerous villas and gardens, the fabled Isle of Capri is definitely a great place to travel in Italy.

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