The Best Places to Visit in Italy:

A Guide to Cities, Regions, and Coastal Escapes

Italy is one of those rare countries where the hardest part of planning is not getting there. It is deciding where to go. Twenty regions – each of them like an entire country in their own right. Eight thousand municipalities. A coastline that stretches for over 4,700 miles. Knowing the best places to visit in Italy before you book makes the difference between a trip that delivers and one that leaves you wondering what you missed.

I have been traveling to Italy since long before I started a podcast about it. What I know is this: the Italy that stays with you is rarely the one on the postcard. It is the back lane in Bologna, the afternoon ferry to an island you have never heard of, the rifugio in the Dolomites that serves the best strudel you will ever eat. In Italy it pays to be curious. This guide is for travelers who want to see beyond the highlights reel.

Whether you are visiting for the first time or the fifth, here is how Italy breaks down, destination by destination.For an overview of every region and entry requirements, Italia.it, Italy's official tourism website, is a useful starting point.

Italy's Essential Cities: Where Most Trips Begin

The big three Italian cities — Rome, Florence, and Venice — are famous for a reason. They are iconic and we do not use this term lightly. Each one is also very different from the others, and the order in which you visit them matters more than most planning guides will tell you.

Rome

Known as the Eternal City, Rome is not a city you visit. It is a city you explore. Two thousand years of history layered over one another means every street, every piazza, every church is a story waiting to be told. Start in the historic center and stay there. Campo de' Fiori and the surrounding streets put you within walking distance of everything. Give Rome at least three days. More if you can. Read our full Rome travel guide or our 3 days in Rome itinerary to plan your time well.

Florence

Florence is Italy's Renaissance capital, and the Uffizi alone could justify an entire trip. But the city has more: a food culture that punishes anything less than the best, an artisan tradition worth an entire morning of shopping, and Piazzale Michelangelo at golden hour, which is one of those views that stops conversation entirely. Two to three days is never enough for Florence but it is a good start. The Tuscan countryside surrounding the city could keep you busy for another week. See our Florence travel guide or our Florence Itinerary to start.

Venice

Unlike any other city on earth Venice is unmissable but the crowds that descend on it in summer are a genuine problem. The answer is not to skip Venice. The answer is to time it well and stay a few days so you can see it once the day-trippers have left. Wander without a map. Row the canals if you get the chance. Eat cicchetti at a bacaro where locals stand at the bar. Two days is enough. More is even better. Our Venice travel guide and Venice Itinerary cover everything you need.

Beyond the Big Three: Italy Travel Destinations Worth Your Time

Here's the thing about Italy: the best places to visit are often the ones with the shortest chapter in the guidebook. If you have been to Rome and Florence and want more, or if you are planning a first trip and want to go deeper than the obvious, these are some of the destinations worth your time.

Puglia: Southern Italy at Its Most Honest

Puglia is the heel of Italy's boot, and it is one of the most compelling Italy travel destinations of the past decade. Whitewashed trulli in Alberobello. Baroque towns in the Valle d'Itria. The delightful city of Lecce, where every building face is a study in ornate stonework. Olive groves so old they should have their own museum. The food here — orecchiette, burrata made that morning, raw sea urchin at the port — is reason enough to make the trip. We lead small group tours to Puglia each year and the place never gets old. Read our Puglia travel guide or explore the Puglia towns worth visiting beyond the obvious stops.

Sicily: History, Landscape, and the World's Best Street Food

The Mediterranean's largest island, Sicily operates on its own terms. Greek temples older than Rome. Arab-Norman Palermo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a city whose architecture tells the story of every civilization that has passed through it. Mount Etna is visible from half the island and is known as by locals as “mother” – the volcano is responsible for Sicily's fertile land. The street food culture in Catania and Palermo is world class, and the kind that makes you reassess everything you thought you knew about eating. Stay at least a week. Ideally two. Start with our Sicily travel guide.

Tuscany: The Countryside That Made Italy Famous

Tuscany is everything the photographs suggest and more. Rolling hills, cypress alleys, medieval towns perched on hilltops, and a wine culture that takes itself seriously without being pretentious. The classic Tuscan route hits Siena, San Gimignano, and the Val d'Orcia. But southern Tuscany and the Maremma coastline are just as beautiful, and far less visited. Pair a few days in Florence with time in the countryside and you have one of the strongest Italy itineraries going. Our Tuscany travel guide covers the regions highlights, hidden spots and detours. Or if you would like to let us take the lead, join one of our small group tours and feel part of Tuscany

The Dolomites: Italy's Most Spectacular Landscape

In northeastern Italy, the Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and they are a genuine surprise for travelers who think of Italy as a beach and city destination. The peaks are dramatic. The hiking in summer is coveted as some of the best in Europe. The rifugi mountain huts that dot the alpine meadows are some of the most welcoming places in Italy to stop for lunch. In winter, the ski resorts are world-class and the snowscapes are like nothing else in Europe. Go in either season. Both deliver.

Umbria: The Quiet Heart of Italy

Umbria sits in the center of Italy, landlocked and largely overlooked by travelers who route straight from Florence to Rome. That is their loss. Assisi, Orvieto, Perugia, Spoleto: each one is a medieval town of real substance. The food is rustic and earthy – driven by the land. Truffles, cured meats, and a wine culture built around Sagrantino di Montefalco that rivals anything Tuscany produces. Our team lives in and leads tours in Umbria and to us it feels like home. Read our Umbria travel guide to plan your time well.

Piedmont: Food, Wine, and the Alps Without the Crowds

Piedmont is the northwest corner of Italy, and it is one of those regions that travelers who take the time to find it cannot stop talking about. Turin is a delightful city: a royal capital with a chocolate culture, excellent museums, and a food scene that punishes mediocrity. The Langhe hills south of Turin produce Barolo and Barbaresco, two of Italy's greatest wines, and the towns of Alba, La Morra, and Castiglione Falletto are destinations in their own right. Our Piedmont travel guide is the place to start.

Italy's Coastal Destinations: From the Amalfi Coast to the Italian Riviera

Italy has coast on three sides, and each stretch has a different character. Choosing the right one depends on when you are going, what you are looking for, and how much you are willing to pay.

The Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is one of Italy's most dramatic coastal roads, clinging to cliffs above an impossibly blue sea. Positano, Ravello, and the town of Amalfi itself are the headline destinations. It is not the place for an easy, low-key trip: the roads are narrow, the prices are high in every season, and the crowds in July and August are substantial. But go in May or early October and the experience is breathtaking. Pair it with Naples and Pompeii for a strong southern Italy itinerary. Our Amalfi Coast itinerary guide covers how to build the best trip.

Cinque Terre

Five villages on a stretch of Ligurian cliff face. In peak summer, they are overrun. But the hiking trails connecting them are spectacular, the seafood is excellent, and the arrival by train into each village is one of those small Italian moments that sticks with you. Stay in one of the villages rather than day-tripping from La Spezia. The evenings, once the day visitors leave, are a completely different experience.

The Italian Lakes

Lake Como, Lake Garda, and Lake Maggiore sit in northern Italy at the foot of the Alps and are the most well known of the Italian lakes. Lake Como is the most storied and some say the most beautiful. Bellagio in particular is popular but head to the tip of the lake's Y axis for a more relaxed experience. Lake Garda is larger and more accessible, with good cycling and a wider range of towns. Both are best approached slowly: a few days, a base in one town, and afternoons spent on ferries. Our Lake Como itinerary guide and Lake Garda itinerary guide have all the detail you need. 

How to Choose Where to Go in Italy

The most common question we hear from travelers planning their Italy trip is not “what is there to see” but “how do I choose.” Italy is enormous, logistically complex, and full of places that you can spend weeks exploring. Here is a quick overview of some options to consider:

For first-time visitors:

Pick two or three cities and give each one enough time. Rome plus one other destination is a perfectly complete trip. Do not try to cover everything. You will come back.

For repeat visitors:

Go regional. The Italy you have not seen is in Puglia, Calabria, Basilicata, Emilia Romagna, Friuli, and Marche. These are the places that will surprise you most.

For food-driven travelers:

Emilia Romagna is your answer. Bologna, Modena, Parma, and Ferrara form the richest food corridor in Italy. Pair it with a few days in the Piedmont wine country and you have an exceptional trip.

For travelers who want coastal breezes:

Puglia and Sicily in spring. Amalfi in May or October. The Ligurian coast (away from the Cinque Terre) for a quieter, more local experience.

If you want expert help deciding which combination of places suits your interests, our Italy trip planning services are built for exactly this. Our team has collective experience of over 60 years traveling and living in Italy. We know where you should go and, just as importantly, what you should skip.

The Regions of Italy: A Quick Reference

Italy has 20 regions, and each one operates almost as a separate country in terms of food, dialect, culture, and landscape. The north is mountainous, rich, and influenced by France, Austria, and Switzerland. The center is the Italy of golden light and Renaissance art. The south is older, rawer, and in many ways more Italian than anywhere else. Our guide to the regions of Italy breaks down each one and what makes it worth visiting. If you want curated recommendations for all regions of Italy, expert tips, and practical planning tools in one place, the Untold Italy app is worth downloading before you start planning.

Frequently Asked Questions About Places to Visit in Italy

What is the most beautiful city in Italy?

That depends entirely on what you find beautiful. Rome moves people in a way that is difficult to describe. Florence is visually extraordinary. Venice has no equal in Europe. But ask someone who has been to Lecce, or Orvieto at dusk, or the hilltop town of Civita di Bagnoregio, and they will give you a different answer entirely. Italy's beauty is not concentrated in one place. It is distributed through the entire country.

What is the best part of Italy to visit for first timers?

Rome is the single best introduction to Italy. It is a functioning city built on top of an ancient empire, and you feel that layering everywhere you go. Combine Rome with one other destination — Florence, the Amalfi Coast, or Puglia depending on your interests — and you have a first trip that delivers depth rather than just highlights.

What part of Italy is least touristy?

Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and the Marche are among the least-visited regions in Italy. Matera in Basilicata is a partial exception — it has grown in profile since becoming a European Capital of Culture in 2019 — but the rest of the region is still largely off the international tourist map. Calabria's coastline and Friuli's wine country are worth every bit of the effort to get there.

Is two weeks enough for Italy?

Two weeks is a good foundation. It is enough time to visit Rome, one or two other cities, and one region properly. The mistake most travelers make with two weeks is trying to cover too much and ending up with a series of brief, surface-level stops. We don't like to tell people how to travel but if you slow down and pick fewer places you will experience more. Our 10 day Italy itinerary and Italy itinerary ideas guide are good places to start building your plan.

What is the best time to visit Italy?

April to June and September to October are the best months for most travelers. The weather is reliable, the crowds are more manageable in the major tourist areas, and the landscape is at its glorious best. July and August are peak season: hot, crowded, and expensive in the most popular destinations. Winter in Italy is underrated, particularly for city travel. Rome in January is a pleasure. For a full breakdown, read our guide on the best time to visit Italy.

Ready to Plan Your Italy Trip?

Italy is more than a checklist. The Italy you want — the one with the long 6 course lunches, the impossibly romantic side streets, the unexpected conversations, the coastal view that makes you stop walking — is not found in a standard travel search. It is found through knowing where to go, what to skip, and how to move through the country in a way that suits your interests.

Our team of Italy specialists has planned thousands of trips across every region of Italy. If you want expert guidance on choosing your destinations, building your itinerary, and making the most of your time, talk to an Italy trip planning expert who can open the door to your Italy.

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