Attraction · Amphitheatre, Rome
The largest amphitheatre of ancient Rome, finished in 80 AD. One ticket covers the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill.
Piazza del Colosseo 1, 00184 RomaView on Google Maps
Top 20 Things to Do in Italy
Across Italy · 20 things to do
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Top 20 Things to Do in Italy
The 20 best things to do in Italy on one map, from Rome, Florence and Venice to the Amalfi Coast, the Dolomites and Sicily.
By Amit Keren- Across Italy, Italy
- 20 things to do
- Updated
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The 20 things to do
What are the best things to do in Italy? This map shows the top 20 tourist attractions in Italy, from the Colosseum and the Vatican to the Cinque Terre, the Amalfi Coast and the Dolomites, with what each one is known for and Google Maps directions to every spot.
On a first trip to Italy, most people combine Rome, Florence and Venice. Fast trains link all three in under two hours each, and Pisa is an easy half-day trip from Florence. Milan and Lake Como work well together in the north.
For the coast, go south to the Amalfi Coast, Capri and Pompeii, all reached from Naples or Sorrento, or north to the Cinque Terre from La Spezia. For countryside, rent a car in the Val d'Orcia in Tuscany or drive to the Tre Cime in the Dolomites in summer.
Which Italian attractions need booking ahead? The Colosseum, the Vatican Museums, the Uffizi, the Last Supper, Florence's Duomo climb and the Leaning Tower of Pisa all use timed tickets. The Last Supper sells out weeks in advance.
All 20 things to do: details & directions
Attraction · Museum, Vatican City
The popes' art collections in Vatican City, from ancient sculpture to the Raphael Rooms, ending in the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's ceiling. Book a timed ticket and go early. St Peter's Basilica is next door and free to enter.
Viale Vaticano, 00165 RomaView on Google MapsAttraction · Fountain, Rome
Rome's most famous Baroque fountain. Throw a coin over your shoulder to make sure you come back to Rome.
Tip: Since February 2026 visitors who don't live in Rome pay €2 to go down to the fountain basin between 9:00 and 22:00 (from 11:30 on Mondays and Fridays). Looking at it from the square is free.
Piazza di Trevi, 00187 RomaView on Google MapsAttraction · Cathedral, Florence
Florence's cathedral with Brunelleschi's dome, still the largest brick dome ever built. Entry to the cathedral is free; climbing the dome or Giotto's bell tower needs a booked ticket.
Piazza del Duomo, 50122 FirenzeView on Google MapsAttraction · Art museum, Florence
Florence's great Renaissance gallery, with Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera and works by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Caravaggio. Book a timed ticket online. It is closed on Mondays.
Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6, 50122 Firenze FI, ItalyView on Google MapsAttraction · Bell tower, Pisa
The tilted bell tower of Pisa Cathedral, on the lawns of Piazza dei Miracoli next to the cathedral and the baptistery. Climb the 251 steps with a timed ticket. Pisa is about an hour from Florence by train, an easy half-day trip.
Piazza del Duomo, 56126 Pisa PI, ItalyView on Google MapsArea · Countryside, southern Tuscany
The rolling hills, cypress lines and farmhouses of southern Tuscany, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. Base yourself in Pienza, the Renaissance hill town known for pecorino cheese, and drive on to Montalcino, Montepulciano and the Vitaleta chapel. You need a car here.
53026 Pienza, Province of Siena, ItalyView on Google MapsAttraction · Main square, Siena
Siena's shell-shaped main square, home of the Palio horse race, with Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia tower.
Il Campo, 53100 SienaView on Google MapsArea · Coastal villages, Liguria
Five colourful fishing villages on the cliffs above the Ligurian Sea: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Link them by the local train from La Spezia or by boat in season, and walk the coastal paths between them with a Cinque Terre Card.
19018 Vernazza, SP, ItalyView on Google MapsAttraction · Cathedral, Venice
Venice's cathedral on Piazza San Marco, famous for its golden mosaics and Byzantine domes. Go early, then get lost in the lanes and canals, cross the Rialto Bridge and take a vaporetto down the Grand Canal.
Tip: Venice charged day-trippers an access fee on 60 days in spring and summer 2026. The rules for 2027 are due by the end of 2026, so check before you go.
Piazza San Marco 328, 30124 VeneziaView on Google MapsAttraction · Roman amphitheatre, Verona
A Roman amphitheatre from the 1st century AD, still used for the summer opera festival. Visit by day, or book an opera night under the stars in summer. Juliet's house is about a 10 minute walk away.
P.za Bra, 1, 37121 Verona VR, ItalyView on Google MapsAttraction · Cathedral, Milan
Terraces daily 9:00 to 19:00 (last entry 18:00)
Milan's white marble Gothic cathedral, begun in 1386, with 135 spires. Go up to the rooftop terraces by stairs or lift to walk among the spires and see the gold Madonnina statue up close.
Piazza del Duomo, 20122 MilanoView on Google MapsAttraction · Museum, Milan
Leonardo da Vinci painted The Last Supper on the wall of the convent's dining hall in the 1490s. Visits are timed, last about 15 minutes and are limited to small groups, so tickets sell out weeks ahead. Book on the official site as soon as your dates are set. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Piazza di Santa Maria delle Grazie 2, 20123 MilanoView on Google MapsArea · Lake village, Lake Como
The prettiest village on Lake Como, on the point where the lake splits into its branches, with stepped lanes, villa gardens and lake views. It is about 40 minutes by fast boat from Como, and the car ferries link it to Varenna and Menaggio.
Via Lungo Lario Manzoni 1, 22021 BellagioView on Google MapsViewpoint · Mountain hike, Dolomites
The three rock towers that are the symbol of the Dolomites. The loop walk around them takes about 3 to 4 hours from Rifugio Auronzo, at the end of a toll road. The road and mountain huts are open from early summer to autumn.
Tre Cime di Lavaredo, ItalyView on Google MapsArea · Cliffside village, Amalfi Coast
The most photographed village on the Amalfi Coast, with pastel houses stacked down the cliff to a pebble beach. Arrive by ferry from Amalfi, Sorrento or Salerno in season, or by bus along the coast road, and add Amalfi and Ravello to the same trip.
84017 Positano, SA, ItalyView on Google MapsArea · Island, Bay of Naples
The island in the Bay of Naples, reached by ferry or hydrofoil from Naples or Sorrento. Ride the funicular up to the Piazzetta, walk to the Gardens of Augustus for the view of the Faraglioni rocks and take a boat trip around the island. Boats into the Blue Grotto run only when the sea is calm.
Capri, Metropolitan City of Naples, ItalyView on Google MapsAttraction · Archaeological site, near Naples
The Roman town buried by Vesuvius in 79 AD, with its streets, houses, frescoes and amphitheatre still standing. Allow at least three hours and wear good shoes. Take the Circumvesuviana train from Naples or Sorrento to Pompei Scavi.
80045 Pompei, Metropolitan City of Naples, ItalyView on Google MapsArea · Cave town, Basilicata
The ancient cave districts of Matera, carved into the side of a ravine and lived in for thousands of years. Walk the lanes of Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, visit a rock church and spend a night in a cave hotel.
Via Bruno Buozzi, 75100 Matera MT, ItalyView on Google MapsAttraction · Ancient theatre, Sicily
A Greek theatre from the 3rd century BC on a cliff above the Sicilian coast, with Mount Etna behind the stage. Visit early or for sunset, then walk Corso Umberto through Taormina's old town.
Via Teatro Greco, 1, 98039 Taormina ME, ItalyView on Google Maps
Recommended hotels
Where to stay in Across Italy
Hotel Hassler Roma
Spanish Steps
Best for: Splurge
Legendary five-star hotel at the top of the Spanish Steps, a short walk from Pompi.
Hotel Danieli
Riva degli Schiavoni, by St Mark's
Best for: Splurge
Legendary lagoon-front palace hotel, steps from St Mark's and the Doge's Palace.
Portrait Firenze
Lungarno, by Ponte Vecchio
Best for: Suites
Suites-only hotel of the Ferragamo family's Lungarno Collection on the river next to Ponte Vecchio.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo
Tremezzo
Best for: Lakefront pools
Art Nouveau hotel on the western shore facing Bellagio, with a pool floating on the lake and Villa Carlotta next door.
Park Hyatt Milan
Next to the Galleria
Best for: Luxury
Five-star hotel steps from the Duomo and La Scala, so you can start each day without travel time.
Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel
Montalcino
Best for: Wine lovers
Estate resort around a medieval village and Brunello winery in the Val d'Orcia, with a golf course and spa.
Grand Hotel Continental Siena
Banchi di Sopra
Best for: Splurge
Five-star hotel in a 17th-century palazzo with frescoed rooms, next to Piazza Salimbeni.
Due Torri Hotel
Verona old town
Best for: Splurge
Five-star hotel in a 14th-century palazzo, a short walk from Piazza dei Signori and Piazza Bra.
Parkhotel Laurin
Bolzano centre
Best for: South Tyrol base
Art Nouveau hotel from 1910 in its own park, a few minutes' walk from the market in Piazza Walther.
Hotel Elephant
Bressanone old town
Best for: Atmosphere
Historic family-run hotel in Brixen with a garden and pool, a short walk from Piazza Duomo.
Recommended activities
Things to do in Across Italy
Before you go
Good to know
- Take the train between cities
- Frecciarossa and Italo high-speed trains link Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and Naples. Book ahead for the cheapest fares.
- Book the big sights early
- The Last Supper, the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum and the Uffizi sell out in busy months. Book on the official sites as soon as your dates are set.
- Rent a car only for the countryside
- You need a car for the Val d'Orcia and the Dolomites, but not in the cities, where historic centres are closed to visitors' cars.
- Avoid August on the coast
- The Amalfi Coast, Capri and the Cinque Terre are at their busiest in August. May, June and September are warm and calmer.
This guide was written by Amit Keren
spotz.guide is a collection of travel maps and step-by-step routes, made to be opened on your phone and followed on the ground. Every guide is put together and checked by founder and editor Amit Keren.
Spots come from time on the ground and strong recommendations, and each one is checked before it goes on the map.
- Every spot is pinned to its exact Google Maps listing, with dates from official sources
- Edited by Amit Keren
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