When people ask me about Italy I talk mostly about the Food. My inner fat chick, which I proudly wear as much on the outside as I do on the inside, was enamored with the Italian food options. However, I wanted to make sure that I educated myself and my audience on all that Italy has to offer. If you are wondering where to travel in Italy, here is a small guide to help you out.
Rome:
Who are you even if Rome is not on your list of places to see in Italy? Rome was my first Italian experience and I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. My first suggestion would be to see Vatican City. Don’t be like me and show up at the end of the day. I missed out on a few of the sites because I wasn’t in line by the cut off.
Vatican City is really a place that you can spend at least half a day. There is so much architecture that you can truly take in. I also had some of the most delicious pasta right outside of the city walls. Plan your trip accordingly and find the joys of Vatican City.
Beyond that you can also spend some time at the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum. I am the type of person who enjoys walking around. I put on my walking shoes and spent the whole day walking around.
Many of the biggest tourist sites are very close to each other. As you can image when these world wonders were first built, walking was a primary mode of transportation. Make sure that you buy your tickets in advance. It saves so much valuable time.
You can also find my guide about travel in Rome right here.
Florence:
During my time in Florence I was lucky enough to stay in an Airbnb that was close enough to the city center that I could walk to every location that I wanted to see. I was literally able to walk past Ponte Vecchio on my way to the open markets. If you have the time and the stamina for a bunch of stairs, I would recommend the Santa Maria del Fiore. Oh man, I love a good Basilica. Take your time and get close to the beautiful painted ceilings. Its mind blowing to see what artists in that time were able to do.
I was able to spend a half day at San Lorenzo Market. Don’t be a dummy like me and have to go twice because you can’t find the stairs to the top floor. I assure you, there is a top floor with tasty pizza and an ice cream cannoli.
If you are a hustler, this is the place for you. Prices aren’t always displayed and you can often get the price they tell you to be lowered. If you like to price haggle, you can try your hand at the market on the bags, jackets, and wallets available for sale.
Naples:
I am going to put this on the list but it isn’t my favorite city in Italy. The cannolis are dope but I had some issues with the locals. Naples is known for its high rate of petty crime such as pickpocketing and mugging. Regardless of my personal feelings, I loved the views once I got higher into the hills. There are few things as beautiful as seeing the sunset or sunrise over the water.
Make sure you start your food tour at Caffe Gambrinus. I say this because you are going to want to go back. Their desserts are drawing crowds from all over the world and it is not to be missed.
Naples also has several national galleries and museums. The National Archaeological Museum of Naples should be on the top of the list. Their collection is incredibly diverse. You can find items from Egypt as well as Pompeii and many countries in between. Overall I would suggest spending the day walking around and then finding a place to watch the sunset and the various boat activity out on the water.
Amalfi Coast:
The Amalfi Coast is made up of 13 different towns. What used to be an accumulation of small fishing villages has grown into one of the greatest tourist draws for Italy. You can either arrive by boat or by bus. Be warned though, if you are traveling by bus, the roads are winding and the traffic is often less than ideal. If you are feeling extra brave you can even rent a car and drive yourself. Taking a boat from Sorrento will more than likely afford you the best views of the coast even if it isn’t the most economical option.
The Amalfi Coast is the kind of place that you go to for a diverse trip. You can do anything from cliff jumping to hiking to wine tasting. In between all of that you can sip wine and eat delicious food. Admittedly the Amalfi Coast can often be filled with tourists and at times very sleepy. You may have difficulty getting away from the crowds but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun sitting on a terrace or beach and people watching.
Lake Como:
Lake Como is about as north as you can get in Italy. Located right below Switzerland, lago di como is where you want to be for pizza, pasta, gelato, and kind locals. It is the Italian food tour that you have always wanted.
While it isn’t the largest lake in the world, you can expect the actual lake to have some real size. Make sure that you schedule about 3-4 days in this location if you want to see the town with any sense of thoroughness. There are several villages that are around the lake and most of the experiences that you will want to have are outside of the main village of Como. This can include famous villa tours, stuffing yourself with gelato, and exploring the landscaped gardens.
My advice would be to get your accommodations in one of the local villages, especially one that has deals on ferry rides into Como and other major villages. Make sure you get familiar with public transportation. Most of the places you will go are reached by boat or bus. The public ferry system is broken down into fast and slow ferries.
Take a fast ferry to your destination and then slow down and take the slow ferry back. This way you can more properly take in the scenery while you are heading back to your villa or hotel.
Check out: http://www.worldofwanderlust.com/quick-guide-to-lake-como/ for more ideas.
Pisa:
Pisa is a great accompaniment to any Italian trip. While it isn’t the biggest town there is still enough there to cover one full day of being a tourist. You can start with “Walking Street.” This is a great place between the train station and the tower where you can find street performers, markets, and restaurants.
Of course you should see the Leaning tower of Pisa. It is THE tourist draw to the town. After you are finished standing in the line and observing the towers you can check out some of the architecture around the tower. This can include the Piazza del Duomo. If you read my other post you know that I love a good Duomo. This one is smaller than some of the others in Italy but is definitely worth seeing.
Milan:
Did you know that Milan is the second largest city in Italy? As the largest city of the north, you can expect to find all of the amenities affording a large city. Milan has become one of the fashion capitals of the world. In addition to fashion you can also find great architecture, museums, parks, and also great street art.
If there is only one place that you can see, I would suggest the Duomo di Milano. I know, another duomo, but this one is worth the sites. It is everything you could want with stain glass windows, statues, and lofty ceilings. It is legitimately a feast for your eyes.
If you are like me and you enjoy the fine arts then you can head over to La Scala Theatre for all of your opera and ballet needs. Don’t forget to see Leonardo’s “Last Supper.” You know, the famous one, with Jesus. It’s located in Santa Maria delle Grazie church. Get your tickets in advanced. It is not one of the the tourist sites where you want to risk showing up and hoping there are still tickets left.
Venice:
If you are the kind of person who enjoys running through pigeons, Venice is for you. If you don’t like birds (me) then Venice is also for you. I would suggest that you start in St. Marks square. While the square does have lots of pigeons (a plus for some people) it is centrally located to many of the other major tourist sites and a great place to take some pictures.
If you are looking for one of the best views in the city try Campanile di San Marco. Don’t worry, there is an elevator that you can take to the top. There is no need to worry about traveling up stairs. Of course, there is the most ultimate tourist experience in Venice: the gondola ride down the canal.
Take the time to visit Saint Mark’s Basilica for one of the most famous churches/ architectural sites. If you are going in the summer expect the lines to get in to be very long, I mean VERY long. To avoid these very long lines you can arrive extra early or come very late for a quicker and shorter line.
Palermo:
Greetings from the Sicilian capital! This is a place where 8 of the 12 months are summer weather. What more could you ask for? While Sicily is part of Italy it really is it’s own little country. There is a difference that you can hear and feel. Fun fact: Sicilian is its own language, not a dialect of Italian. You can feel the difference in the weather and culture. It’s experience that is worth partaking in.
A few notable places to visit would be the Palermo Cathedral. Like many of the other churches it boasts of amazing architecture. Take the time to visit the Ballermo Market for some trinket shopping. You can take the anti mafia tour, see the Norman Palace, and take some pictures at the Fountain of shame.
Sorrento:
If you are going to Sorrento it may we worth making a half day trip to the nearby town of Pompeii. It is about a 30 minute train ride for Sorrento but it will give you an opportunity to spend time at the top of Mt. Vesuvius. If you are planning on going in the summer know that the train you will take between the two towns doesn’t have air conditioning. Make sure you bring plenty of water and a little fan if you have one.
Pompeii is one of the places that you will want to pay to have an official tour. Beware of tour scams. What may look like an official tour, or maybe even a cheaper tour, isn’t your best bet for getting the most out of the experience. Pay the extra euros and get a professional. Beyond the tour scams you want to make sure that you are paying attention to pick-pockets. You don’t want your valuables to go missing.
You can spend a day visiting the Island of Capri. Not only is the scenery incredible beautiful but you will be able to visit the “Blue Grotto” for the ultimate relaxing experience. Stop into any local shop in the Sorrento area for pizza, gifts, or world famous gelato. Always get some gelato when it’s available.
There you have it! 10 different locations to visit in Italy.
Beautiful pictures. I want to visit Italy someday