If you are planning your first holiday to Italy, you might not know which cities to visit so that is why I prepared for you a list of the best cities to visit in Italy at least once in your lifetime.

These best Italian cities to visit offer a very attractive mix of landscapes, history and ancient ruins, welcoming people and of course incredibly tasty food.

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The great news is that all these cities have really great train connections so while travelling from one city to another you can also admire the beauty of the country.

 

 

 

Now if you are wondering how much time do you need to explore this magnificent country, I want to tell you that the amount of time needed depends on the cities you want to visit.

Most tourists choose to land in one of Rome’s airports and from Rome to travel to Florence and Venice and maybe spend a few days in Tuscany, one of my favourite regions from this country.

Let’s discover together the 5 main cities from Italy which you definitely have to visit at least once in your lifetime.

Best cities to visit in Italy

Florence

Florence or Firenze is one of the most important Renaissance architectural and art centres from the whole country and even from Europe.

One of the most beautiful cities to visit in Italy was a very important centre of medieval European trade and finance and a wealthy city at that time.

 

 

This is the place where Renaissance was born, a powerful city which served as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy between 1865 to 1871.

Florence, one of the best Italian cities to visit, is a great place to set your camp and explore Tuscany, one of the most beautiful countryside areas in Italy.

 

 

Book some time to visit the wineries hidden between the hills and while in the area worth a visit to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower famous all over the world.

5 best things to do in Florence

• Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore known as the Duomo di Firenze, the centrepiece of Florence, one of the most beautiful cities in the world
• Uffizi Gallery, an absolute treasure of the Renaissance art
• Ponte Vecchio, a medieval stone bridge with lots of jewellery shops around
• Piazzale Michelangelo, one of the very few places where you can soak up the whole amazing sweep of Florence, for free
• Palazzo Vecchio, the famous building located in Piazza Signoria home of Florence city hall and the residence of the Medici family

Accommodation

Located just 4 minutes from the medieval Ponte Vecchio Bridge and 6 minutes walk from Florence Cathedral Hotel Pierre Florence is an elegant hotel dating from the 19th century with a Gothic Style facade.

This 4 stars hotel offers the best amenities and furnishings for a perfect balance between modernity and classic taste with its spacious and beautiful rooms full of charm.

Venice

Unlike any other city in the world, Venice is a unique city built on over the water, in the middle of a lagoon and one of the best cities to visit in Italy.

 

 

For sure this is one of the most romantic cities in the world that attracts tourists like a magnet.

Venice is the northeastern city of Italy and it lays on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and connected with more than 400 bridges.

 

5 best things to do in Venice, one of the best Italian cities to visit

• St Mark’s Basilica, the most famous building in Venice and a beautiful piece of architecture created in 1092
• St Mark’s Square, the largest and best-known piazza from Venice located on the grand canal, right near the island of San Giorgio Maggiore
• Canale Grande, the largest canal from Venice which looks more like a river than a canal
• Ponte di Rialto, one of the most famous bridges that span over the Grand Canal
• Galleria dell’ Accademia, home of a fine collection of pre-19th century art that contains works of famous artists like Bellini, Titian and Canaletto.

Accommodation

Hotel Dona Palace Venice is our choice for spending your holiday in Venice as it is conveniently located 2 minutes walk from Piazza di San Marco ( St Mark’s Square).

This boutique hotel is located in a 14th-century building and impresses its guests with its regal rooms decorated in Venetian style.

Rome

Rome, one of the best cities to visit in Italy, is the capital of the country and one of the oldest settlements in Europe with more than 3 millennia of history behind.

 

 

It is the third most populous city in the European Union packed with many amazing places and more interesting is that inside this city lies a city-state called the Vatican, the residence of Pope.

 

 

Rome, one of the best Italian cities to visit is located in the central part of the country in the Provincia of Lazio right on the Tiber river.

Stay safe while you travel

 

5 best things to do in Rome

• Colosseum, a Unesco World Heritage site built between 70-80 AD, an impressive monument that can host more than 80.000 people.
• St Peter’s Square located right in front of the Vatican state
  Fontana di Trevi built-in 1762 by Nicola Salvi to pay tribute to the Roman God Oceanus
• Roman Forum one of the most important ruins in Italy
• Sistine Chapel, part of the Vatican Museum complex, one of the most famous religious chapels in the world.

Accommodation

Located within a few steps from Fontana di Trevi and the Pantheon, The Talent Hotel Roma is a beautiful 4 stars hotel recently renovated, keeping the medieval vibe but with all the amenities needed for a comfortable stay.

Milan

One of the best cities to visit in Italy, located in the northern part of the country, Milan is the capital of Lombardy and the second-most populous city of Italy after Rome.

Milan is considered a leading global city with strengths in the fields of art, commerce, education, design, finance, healthcare and tourism.

 

 

Milan is one of the best Italian cities to visit and home of Italy’s stock exchange and the headquarter of many national and international banks and companies.

This amazing city is known as one of the four fashion capitals and famous fashion events took place here each year, out of which Milan Fashion Week is the most renowned.

 

5 best things to do in Milan

• Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milan) with its stunning architecture that took almost 600 years to be completed
• Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie built-in 1497 in a Gothic style using red bricks and home to the world-famous masterpiece The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci
• Grand Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the most beautiful shopping malls in Europe created in 1877
• Castello Sforzesco built in the 15th century
• Sant Ambrogio Church the oldest building from Milan built-in 379 AS by St Ambrose

Accommodation

Located just 5 minutes walk from Duomo di Milano and Teatro Alla Scala, Hotel Spadari Al Duomo is one of the best places to stay in Milan.

This is a laid back, family-run hotel that offers to its guests a family home feel and warm hospitality.

The rooms are large and beautifully decorated with artworks of Italian artists, large desks and leather armchairs created by famous local designers.

Naples

The third-largest city of Italy and one of the best cities to visit in Italy is definitely Naples, the regional capital of Campania.

The city is located in southern Italy close to Mount Vesuvius, the active volcano that destroyed the Roman city of Pompeii.

 

 

The city has a very long history dating from the first millennium BC when Greeks settled in these places.

Naples’ historic city centre is the largest in Europe and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

5 best things to do in Naples, one of the best Italian cities to visit

• Mount Vesuvius the legendary volcano that is still active today
• Chiostri di Santa Chiara a very interesting network of cloisters located right behind the Gothic basilica with the same name
• Via San Gregorio Armeno, the most famous pedestrian street dedicated to the selling of kitsch nativity souvenirs
• Castel Sant’Elmo
• Piazza Bellini, a meeting point for the younger generation with many bars and restaurants.

Accommodation

Located in the historical centre of the city, Grand Hotel Oriente Palermo is one of the best choices for your overnight stay in Naples.

The versatility of its rooms and the high quality of services have also made this hotel a reference point for business meetings and conferences not just a hot spot for tourists.

Conclusion

Besides these beautiful cities, Italy has many other spectacular places waiting to be discovered.

 

 

You definitely have to book your next trip to Italy and explore the beautiful countryside of Tuscany, or the colourful cities of Cinque Terre and why not southern Italy with its incredible Amalfi Coast and Sicily island.

Italy is definitely one of the best places to visit in Europe as it has a little bit for everybody: beaches, beautiful cities, ancient ruins and amazing sceneries and a little bit of romance from Romeo and Juliet!