Reggio Calabria
Only two towers, restored in 2000, remain of the Aragonese Castle damaged by earthquake and partially demolished in 1922. The site is used for events and…
Must-see attractions in Italy
Northwestern Tuscany
Tucked between shops on Via Mazzini is this precious chapel, frescoed with the Gate of Paradise and Gate of Hell by Fernando Botero (b 1932). Spot the…
Bologna
Climb 110 steps into the cupola of the city's postcard 18th-century hilltop Basilica Santuario della Madonna di San Luca for an 180-degree view back…
Valle d'Aosta
Around 1km southwest of the Dora Baltea river, below the town of Verrès, is the 15th-century Castello d’Issogne. This building was a castle, although you…
Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi
Located in the centre of the village, enjoy the cool decorative interior of this 17th-century parish church, famed for its polychrome marble altar, an…
Ancient Rome
Despite its name, this four-fronted 4th-century arch was probably dedicated to the emperor Constantine or Constantatius II. In ancient times cattle…
Parma
The Museo Archeologico Nazionale exhibits Roman artefacts discovered around Parma, Etruscan finds from the Po valley and a small but fascinating exhibit…
Abruzzo
The facade is a lovely low-key example of 13th-century Romanesque architecture that has survived several attacks, most notably by the Turks in 1566. The…
Ferrara
This museum houses various artefacts from Ferrara's duomo, including a serene Madonna by Jacopo della Quercia, a couple of vigorous Cosimo Tura canvases,…
South Coast
The closest beach to the centre, this narrow strip of sand forms the seaward flank of the western (lower) part of town. Lined by hotels, restaurants, and…
Golfo di Orosei
On the fringes of the historic centre, this church dates largely from the 15th century. The broad, uneven courtyard surrounding it is lined with squat…
Osservatorio Astronomico Sirio
Valle d’Itria
This observatory, connected to the Grotte di Castellana, has telescopes and solar filters that allow for maximum solar-system visibility. Guided visits in…
La Costiera Triestina
The Immersive Museum of Miramare Marine Protected Area, located at the former Miramare stables, showcases the marine biodiversity of the Gulf of Trieste…
Cagliari
Cagliari's seafront boardwalk offers breezy views back to the Marina district as it hugs the waterfront from Molo Ichnusa to Su Siccu. It's a relaxed…
Alba
There's been a cathedral here since the 12th century, though the current terracotta-brick affair is mostly the result of an almost complete neo-Gothic…
Promontorio del Gargano
Frederick II’s enormous castle shows just what a big fish Lucera once was in the Puglian pond. Built in 1233, it’s set on a rocky hillock surrounded by a…
Civico Museo Archeologico Villa Abbas
Southwestern Sardinia
At the top of the historic centre, this modest museum showcases a collection of finds from local archaeological sites. Among the finest pieces are two 8th…
Genoa
This monumental gate was one of three built from 1155 as part of a defensive wall system. It's characteristic circular towers are shared by the other…
Golfo di Orosei
Presiding over Piazza del Popolo is this Spanish-style church, with its imposing neoclassical facade and a series of tiled domes. Its terrace commands…
Eastern Sardinia
Each year about 50,000 quintals of grapes are harvested to make two million bottles of wine at the Antichi Poderi di Jerzu, the town’s modern cantina…
Calabria
In town, the 16th-century Chiesa Matrice di San Giorgio, with its splendid baroque facade and dressed-up Madonnas, houses the tomb of Joachim Murat, the…
Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
Southern Tuscany
It may be modest as far as many Tuscan churches go, but Orbetello's duomo is still attractive, retaining its 14th-century Gothic facade despite being…
Lampedusa
This minuscule strip of sand squeezed between two rocky ledges gets crowded in a hurry, but makes a convenient place to swim if you're staying at the…
Livorno
Livorno's huge concrete synagogue, built between 1958 and 1962, occupies the site of a 17th-century predecessor that was badly damaged by Allied bombs in…
Piedmont
Saluzzo's medieval rulers meted out justice from the 13th-century Castello dei Marchesi – aka the Castiglia – atop Saluzzo's old town. There are guided…
Alghero
Overlooking Piazza Civica, this Gothic palace was the governor's residence and famously hosted the Spanish emperor Charles V in 1541. It's now home to the…
Verona
The famous, rather pensive statue of Dante looking like a lost tourist, stands on Piazza dei Signori where he lived from 1312 to 1318 in Cangrande's…
Gallipoli
Founded in 1878, this dusty museum of history and natural history is a 19th-century time capsule, featuring fish heads, ancient sculptures, a 3rd-century…
Southeastern Sardinia
This lagoon often hosts flamingos in winter. On its seaward side are several stunning beaches including Cala Giunco and Spiaggia del Simius with its…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
This 1627 fountain of a sinking boat is believed to be by Pietro Bernini, father of the more famous Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It was supposedly modelled on a…
Lazio
A short walk from the castle in Bracciano, this panoramic balcony offers grandstand views of the lake and the rolling green countryside that surrounds it.
Southwestern Sardinia
The Chiesa di San Gregorio makes a fetching town landmark. Built between 1300 and 1325 in a mixed Romanesque Gothic style, it boasts a sombre, soaring…
Praiano
In the upper village, the 16th-century Chiesa di San Luca features a colourful majolica floor, paintings by the 16th-century artist Giovanni Bernardo Lama…
Basilicata
Inside Venosa’s 15th-century Aragonese castle, this small archaeological museum exhibits finds from Roman Venusia and human bone fragments dating back 300…
Southwestern Sardinia
Records illustrating Iglesias' past are kept in the Archivio Storico, the city's historical archive. Of particular interest is the 1327 Breve di Villa di…
Venice
One of a pair of granite columns bearing the two patron saints of Venice in Piazetta di San Marco, this eastern column bears a statue representing a…
Piedmont
Worth a brief stop is the forbidding Forte di Exilles, overlooking the quiet village of Exilles, 15km west of Susa. Its military role only ended in 1943…
Padua
Gracing Piazza del Santo, Donatello's majestic bronze equestrian statue dates back to 1453. On horseback is Erasmo da Narni (nicknamed Gattamelata), a…
Ancient Rome
This was originally the main square and meeting place on the Roman Forum. Its main feature is the free-standing Colonna di Foca.
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Dating from 1643, this Bernini-designed fountain piercing Piazza Barberini depicts the sea-god Triton blowing a stream of water from a conch, while seated…
