9 Amazing Places Not To Miss in Italy!

Published 28 January 2018

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

Rome and the Roman Colosseum

Pompeii & Herculaneum

The Grand Canal in Venice

Vatican City

Cinque Terre and the 5 villages

Pisa and the Leaning Tower

Medieval town of San Gimignano

Positano village in Italy

Florence Cathedral

Places to visit in Italy

Rome and the Roman Colosseum

Pictured: The Roman Colosseum officially known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, commissioned in the year 72 AD by Emperor Vespasian and completed by his son, Titus, in 80.

There are many sites of importance to see in Rome, however, this massive stone amphitheatre located in the heart of piazza del Colosseo, just east of the Roman Forum, is one of the definitely-must-see sites while visiting Rome. This 55,000 seat Colloseum is Rome’s greatest gladiatorial arena and one of Rome’s most famous structures. Apparently, multiple contests would be staged in the Colosseum in a single day during the Roman times, and when the ground become too bloody it would simply be covered with a fresh layer of sand and the performances would continue.

Pompeii & Herculaneum

Pictured: The archaeological site of Pompeii that was buried under ash and pumice in 79 A.D after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

This treasure of antiquity lies in Italy’s Campania region, near the coast of the Bay of Naples. A couple of tips: the main entrance at the Porta Marina will quickly get you to the Forum, or the main piazza of the ancient town, but don’t stay there forever as there are other great sites to see like The Temple of Isis, the brothel with preserved explicit erotic paintings, the Stabian Baths with remaining intricate frescos, the gorgeous Villa of the Mysteries with stunning frescos, the Amphitheatre older by 150 years than the Colosseum in Rome, or House of the Tragic Poet also decorated with frescoes. Pompeii is impressive by its size and by design. You can spend ages wondering the streets of Pompeii. Carry a bottle of water and don’t forget your hat if it’s a hot day!

Herculaneum is Pompeii’s less famous neighbour located in the comune of Ercolano in Campania, it is a brilliantly preserved town, and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Grand Canal in Venice

Pictured: The Grand Canal main waterway of Venice, Italy.

The Grande Canal is almost 4 kilometres long and is a major water-traffic corridor in the city. Many important landmarks can only be seen from the water, therefore a canal adventure is imminent if visiting Venice. For transport you can you water buses and water taxis or you can explore the canal by gondola.

Vatican City

Pictured: Vatican City photographed from above – St. Peter's Square visible in the centre.

Vatican City is a smallest state in the world, yet there are many sites of interest to see in the Vatican City in Rome, including 11 Vatican Museums and Vatican gardens.

Cinque Terre and the 5 villages

Pictured: Manarola village perched on a sheer cliff overlooking the sea in Cinque Terre National Park.

The territory of Cinque Terre has 5 medieval cliff-side villages; Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare, and they’ve been included in UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The dramatic scenery, laid-back lifestyle, pretty villages and the gorgeous Amalfi coastline are just some of many reasons to visit Cinque Terre in Italy.

Pisa and the Leaning Tower

Pictured: The Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy’s Tuscany Region.

There are many wonderful sites to see in Pisa, however, the iconic leaning bell tower should not be missed. The tower was already leaning on its completion in 1372 – the tower started to lean during construction due to inadequate foundation on soft ground. Leaning or sinking buildings still happen in our modern age, such as the Millennium Tower aka San Francisco’s leaning tower that’s a home to multi-million dollar luxurious apartments.

Medieval town of San Gimignano

Pictured: The beautiful medieval hill town of San Gimignano in Tuscany, southwest of Florence, Italy.

Set in an enchanting rural setting, San Gimignano has a lot of striking medieval buildings and it’s a great place to visit to explore architecture and to enjoy the intact medieval streetscapes.

Positano village in Italy

Pictured: Positano village in Italy.

Positano is another cliffside village on southern Italy's Amalfi coast and a great holiday destination. Apart from enjoying great food and the scenic views around the village, there are other activities you can enjoy, such as exploring the beautiful nearby grottos that can easily be reached by private boat or tour, or even take a ferry for a day out to the Capri Island.

Florence Cathedral

Pictured: Florence Cathedral in Italy.

The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore is the main church of Florence and the cathedral dome Interior is just magnificent. The Renaissance dome was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, now known as Brunelleschi's dome, and it is the largest masonry dome ever built.