Things to Do in Italy

One of the most famous and sumptuous squares in Rome, Piazza Navona is home to the Baroque Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone and Palazzo Pamphili, both overlooking Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s famous Fountain of the Four Rivers. Bustling outdoor cafes and rowdy buskers lend a lively air to the otherwise stately square.

With its ornate churches and palaces, lively restaurants, and riot of street vendors and performers, Piazza Navona is one of the most popular public spaces in Rome. Private and hop-on-hop-off tours of Rome’s most famous landmarks generally include a stop in Piazza Navona, as do themed tours of classical Roman or Baroque sights. In addition to this important square, skip-the-line Rome highlights tours may include the Colosseum, Vatican (and Sistine Chapel), and Trevi Fountain. You can opt for a walking or electric bike tour, or see the piazza as part of a food tour that also stops at the Campo de’ Fiori market and cafés and gelato shops.

Piazza Navona is located in the historic city center of Rome between the Pantheon and the Tiber River. To reach the square by public transportation, take one of several buses that stop on Largo di Torre Argentina a short walk away. 

Lively year-round, Piazza Navona is crowded with buskers and street musicians in summer, and is home to a charming Christmas market that lasts the entire month of December. 

The oblong-shaped Piazza Navona was built on the site of the ancient Stadium of Domitian, where citizens of Rome would watch games and races in the 1st century AD. The stadium may be gone, but the unusual shape of the space remains today, marked by three Baroque fountains: Bernini’s central masterpiece flanked by two smaller fountains by Giacomo della Porta at each end. 

The most famous scenic overlook in Florence, Piazzale Michelangelo is beloved for its breathtaking views over the city’s rooftops. From this 19th-century square set on a hillside in the Oltrarno neighborhood, panoramic views stretch over the Rose Garden, Ponte Vecchio spanning the river Arno, the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's iconic Duomo and bell tower, and the Tuscan hills beyond.

A stop to take in the stunning view from Piazzale Michelangelo is a must during any sightseeing tour, shore excursion, or day trip in Florence and can be paired with a private tour of the nearby church of San Miniato al Monte. Though the overlook can be reached on foot during a walking tour, its location along a panoramic road winding up the Florentine hills also makes it a popular destination for tours of the city by car or Vespa scooter.

By foot, cross the Ponte alle Grazie bridge near the Santa Croce basilica and make your way to Piazza Poggi. From there, climb the steps and pathways leading uphill from the river to the square. The walk is pleasant but steep, so allow at least 45 minutes. Otherwise, bus lines 12 and 13 both stop near the overlook.

Since the square is most crowded during the middle of the day, a sunrise or sunset visit means that you can enjoy the best view of Florence in relative peace.

Further up the hill, San Miniato al Monte is considered Tuscany's finest Romanesque church and one of the most scenic in Italy. The church dates back to 1013 and is adjoined to an Olivetan monastery where monks produce liqueurs, honey and herbal teas, sold in the monastery's shop.

Like many public squares in Italy, Turin's Piazza Statuto has something of a checkered past, including supposed ties to black magic.

Piazza Statuto was built in 1864 in order to make the four entry points to the city symmetrical—the other three entrances already had piazzas. The piazza is ringed on three sides by Baroque buildings, and there is a small garden at its center. Long before the piazza was built, during the Roman Empire, this spot was an execution site.

The piazza also features a monument to the people who built the Frejus Tunnel, connecting Italy and France through the mountains. The monument features an angel at the top, with figures representing the workers climbing over a mountain of boulders underneath. The sculpture is near a manhole cover in the pavement, which some say is a doorway to hell and has led the piazza to be associated with black magic over the years.

Near the main square in the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome, Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, is the Piazza San Cosimato, where a local outdoor food market takes place six mornings a week.

The market at Piazza San Cosimato has been there since the early 20th century, and although it’s smaller than some of the other popular outdoor markets in the city, it has a dedicated following. Some of the vendor families have occupied a stall at the market since its early days, with stalls and locations handed down through generations.

Along with the usual stalls offering fresh local produce, fresh fish and meat, and locally-made cheeses and cured meats, there is a used book seller at the market.

Take a food tour of the Trastevere district in the morning to see the market in full swing. It’s the perfect place to stock up on food for the pantry if you’re renting an apartment in the area.

This small octagonal church is best known as the home to Caravaggio’s The Seven Works of Mercy. Many visitors come to see the famous Caravaggio prominently hung high above the altar not realizing the extensive collection of other artists on display. Some hang in the church itself, other in the Quadreria, or Picture Gallery.

Pio Monte della Misericordia (Pious Mount of Mercy) is a charitable institution, founded in the early 1600s by seven Neapolitan nobles who strived to help those in need. The organization continues their work today.

UNESCO-listed Pienza was little more than a sleepy hamlet until the reign of Pope Pius II in the first half of the fifteenth century. Pienza, then called Corsignano, was the pope’s home town, and he enlisted the help of architect Bernardo Rossellino to transform the village into an ideal Renaissance town. The reconstruction began in 1459 and only lasted four years, but the result has put Pienza on the radar of many a traveler to Tuscany.

The town’s historic center offers excellent examples of Renaissance architecture, particularly the cathedral, Palazzo Piccolomimi and Palazzo Borgia, all flanking charming Piazza Pio II. While it’s easy to breeze through the tiny town — it only takes five minutes to walk from one side to the other — it’s also an inviting place to savor a local specialty, sheep’s milk pecorino cheese with a bit of honey drizzled over the top.

The heart of Rome’s bohemian Trastevere neighborhood, Piazza Santa Maria fills by day with young families and tourists dining at sidewalk restaurants and sunbathing on the steps of the square’s central fountain. Come evening, students and revelers flock to the many trendy bars around the piazza, one of Rome’s favorite gathering spots.

The piazza’s western flank is dominated by the ornate Santa Maria in Trastevere church. The octagonal raised fountain in the center of the square, restyled by baroque master architect Carlo Fontana in 1692, is a popular neighborhood gathering spot. Lined with sidewalk restaurants and cafés, the square offers excellent people watching.

Piazza Santa Maria is closed to traffic, and many guided walking and cycling tours pass through this atmospheric square and neighborhood. Trastevere and the nearby Jewish Ghetto are famous for their excellent cuisine, so consider taking a street-food tour to discover the local specialties. Alternatively, tour by night to mix with young Romans out for an evening on the town.

Piazza Santa Maria is in Trastevere, along the east bank of the Tiber River, south of Vatican City. Cross the Ponte Sisto on foot, or take tram 8 from the center of Rome across the Ponte Garibaldi, just north of Tiber Island.

To savor the authentic neighborhood feel of Piazza Santa Maria, stroll through the square or stop for a meal during the day. If Trastevere’s famous nightlife interests you, make an evening out of it and visit after dinner. 

Founded around AD 350, the Romanesque Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches in Rome. The facade has a 16th-century portico designed by Carlo Fontana, and both the interior and exterior of the church are covered with golden 12th- and 13th-century mosaics. 

While the Piazza del Duomo is the most important square in central Milan today, that title went to the Piazza Mercanti in the Middle Ages. The Piazza Mercanti, or Merchants Square, is in Milan's historic center, a short walk to the northwest of the Duomo. The square originally was much larger than it is today, once occupying part of present-day Via Mercanti. Some of the buildings on the square date from its heyday, including the 13th century Palazzo della Ragione (essentially Milan's city hall at the time) and the 14th century Loggia degli Osii (another administrative building).

In the center of the piazza is a 16th century well that was later fitted with two columns in the 18th century. It's covered and unused today There was a stone found nearby upon which merchants found guilty of cheating – or bankruptcy, depending on the story you read – were punished by public shaming, forced to stand on the stone with their pants down, before being sent to jail.

Pisa’s Leaning Tower may be more famous, but the nearby baptistery (battistero) is equally captivating. Clad in white marble with intricately carved rows of Romanesque and Gothic arches and a cupcake dome, the baptistery is one of the essential sights in the city’s UNESCO-listed cathedral (duomo) complex.

 

An excellent example of Pisan Romanesque architecture, the Pisa’s Baptistery (Battistero) sits just outside the cathedral (duomo) on the Field of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli). Inside, you can admire the beautifully carved pulpit by Nicola Pisano and ornate marble baptismal font, and then climb the stairs to the gallery for a bird’s-eye view. While on the gallery, try out the building’s remarkable acoustics by whispering sweet nothings beneath the dome.

 

The duomo complex is one of the most popular destinations in Tuscany and can be very crowded in the summer. Booking a skip-the-line Pisa tour in advance is essential to avoid a long wait at the ticket office and ensure a time slot to visit the cathedral, baptistery, and bell tower. Consider a small-group tour to see the highlights of Pisa, or a Leaning Tower family tour if you’re traveling with kids.

 

 

The Piazza dei Miracoli is about 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) north of the Pisa train station, across the River Arno, and there are trains from Rome, Florence, and Venice each day. From the station, you can walk through the historic center of Pisa to the Field of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli), or you can take a bus from the station.

 

The duomo complex is most crowded from late morning through the afternoon, so try to arrive in the early morning to enjoy the church, baptistery, and bell tower before the throngs of daily visitors arrive.

 

In addition to seeing the baptistery, you can tour the cathedral, Leaning Tower, Monumental Cemetery (Camposanto Monumentale), and Sinopie Museum, which displays preparatory sketches for the cathedral’s frescoes. Visit the Duomo Opera Museum (Museo dell’Opera del Duomo) to see works of art removed from the cathedral and baptistery over the centuries.

One of Rome’s hidden gems, the Pietro Canonica Museum is home to a stellar collection of works by the 19th-century sculptor and musician, all displayed against the backdrop of his luxurious fortress-style villa in the Villa Borghese gardens. Visitors will gain a unique glimpse into the artist's life a century ago. 

Canonica was a sculptor and academic born near Turin in 1869. Much feted by the aristocracy in Italy and Europe for his fine sculptural portraits of royalty and nobility, he was given this small but sumptuous "fortezzuola" villa by the city of Rome, and lived there until his death in 1959. The artist's house is now a museum dedicated to his life and work; visit as part of a Villa Borghese bike or Segway tour that also includes the Galleria Borghese, the Silvano Toti Globe Theatre, the Bioparco zoo, and the Pincio Gardens. 

The museum is located on Viale Pietro Canonica in Villa Borghese park. The nearest metro station is Flaminio; the nearest bus stop is at Piazzale Brasile.

Because of its location in Villa Borghese park, the museum makes for a great stop on a nice day. It’s closed on Mondays. 

Visitors can see original models for Canonica’s bronze and marble statues, as well as sketches and drawings, in the artist’s ground-floor studio. Upstairs, you can explore private apartments furnished with antiques, Flemish tapestries, and paintings by 19th- and 20th-century Italian artists such as Giovanni Battista Quadrone and Vittorio Cavalleri. 

Piazza Trieste e Trento is the square to see and be seen in Naples. It’s where the most fashionable Neapolitans and visitors linger over an espresso in the landmark Caffé Gambrinus after perusing the stores along Via Toledo and Via Chiaia, two of the city's main shopping thoroughfares that end in this bustling piazza.

To one side of Piazza Trieste e Trento stretches the vast Piazza del Plebiscito, one of Italy's most famous public spaces, lined by an elegant sweep of Doric columns, the glorious Palazzo Reale—formerly the royal residence and now a museum—and the domed Church of San Francesco di Paola. To the other side of the square, along Via San Carlo, is the historic Teatro di San Carlo, the oldest continuously active opera house in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It sits directly across from the 19th-century Galleria Umberto I shopping gallery and virtually next door to the imposing medieval Castel Nuovo. Visit Piazza Trieste e Trento and nearby attractions by joining a Naples history walk, or opt for a Vespa tour or a day of Naples sightseeing by vintage Fiat for a unique private tour.

The N1 and N3 buses both stop directly in Piazza Trieste e Trento, and the metro line 1 stops at Piazza del Municipio, a 5-minute walk away. Naples is the largest city in the region of Campania, and a hub for trains and ferries from the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, and Pompeii.

Naples is a popular destination, and its attractions can be very hot and crowded in the high-season summer months. Visit in the early morning to avoid the crowds, and the late evening to relax with a cocktail during the cooler hours of the day.

The 17th-century Chiesa di San Ferdinando faces onto Piazza Trieste e Trento and is known for its baroque fresco cycle by Paolo de Matteis dating from the late 1600s.

Sitting astride the steep gorge that once divided the cliff-top center of Sorrento, Piazza Tasso is the pulsating heart of one of Italy’s most popular seaside resort towns. This bustling, café-lined main square is where locals and visitors alike come to see and be seen, and to admire the square’s baroque church and 18th-century palace.

Two of Sorrento’s main shopping streets lead from Piazza Tasso: Corso Italia, a busy thoroughfare lined with elegant restaurants and boutiques; and pedestrian-only Via San Cesareo, a narrow lane of shops overflowing with an array of products made with local Sorrentine lemons and other artisan goods. The square is named after Torquato Tasso (a statue dedicated to the Renaissance poet stands in one corner of the piazza), and its main attractions include the baroque Santuario della Madonna del Carmine and Palazzo Correale, an 18th-century palace built around a home owned by the aristocratic Correale family. Be sure not to miss the dramatic scenic overlook from Piazza Tasso, with views over the gorge below and Mediterranean sea beyond.

Most small-group walking tours and shore excursions to the city center begin in Piazza Tasso before moving on to explore the maze of tiny back streets in the historic district or heading down to Marina Grande, the sleepy fishing village on the water’s edge below town. Sorrento is just over an hour from Mt. Vesuvius and the Pompeii and Herculaneum archaeological sites, making it the perfect base for a private day trip.

Sorrento is located along the southern Campania coast, halfway between Naples and the Amalfi Coast. Below the city’s historic center, the Marina Piccola port is a hub for ferries to and from other destinations along the coast, including Capri and Positano. The train station is just a 5-minute walk from Piazza Tasso, with trains to Naples that connect with routes to Rome and other cities across Italy.

Sorrento is most crowded during summer; unlike other towns along the coast, however, businesses do not close during the winter season, so you can find Sorrento hotels and restaurants open year-round.

Limoni di Sorrento, or Sorrentine lemons, are Sorrento’s most famous local product and the main ingredient in many traditional recipes. You can sample the best artisanal limoncello—a tangy liqueur made from lemon peel—along with other excellent coastal specialties by joining a small-group food tour in Sorrento.

Piazza Santa Croce, dominated by the Basilica of Santa Croce, is one of the most important squares in central Florence. Home to the intricately frescoed 17th-century Palazzo dell’Antella and the 15th-century Palazzo Cocchi-Serristori, this vibrant public space hosts a number of outdoor markets and fairs each year.

Adjacent to the magnificent Basilica of Santa Croce, which houses a treasure trove of works by Giotto, Gaddi, della Robbia, and Donatello, Piazza Santa Croce is a highlight of any visit to Florence. The basilica is among the most visited in the city and there are often long lines to enter; book a guided tour with skip-the-line entrance in advance in the crowded summer months.

Most city walking tours or sightseeing tours by Segway, bike, or electric golf cart include a stop at Piazza Santa Croce and its basilica along with other famous sights like the Uffizi and Accademia Gallery (Galleria dell'Accademia). 

Piazza Santa Croce is in the historical center of Florence, just a short walk from the cathedral (Duomo), Piazza della Signoria, and Santa Maria Novella train station.

Florence is one of the most visited cities in Italy, and its main squares are hot and crowded in summer. Visit in spring or fall to enjoy these outdoor spaces with milder temperatures and smaller crowds. Piazza Santa Croce hosts a number of markets and fairs each year, including a Christmas market, antique markets, food fairs, and a raucous historical-football match each June.

The Santa Croce Basilica was long the preferred burial place for famous Italian artists and luminaries, and the church is home to dozens of tombs and funerary monuments honoring everyone from Leonardo da Vinci to Enrico Fermi. The most famous tombs are those of Michelangelo, Galileo, Ghiberti, and Machiavelli.

Located at the western end of Rome’s prettiest bridge, the Ponte Sisto, the Piazza Trilussa is in bohemian Trastevere, the city’s hard-drinking, clubbing district that comes alive at night when the backstreet bars are packed out. Named after a Roman poet from the 19th century, the cobbled square is home to a monument in his honor as well as the stately Acqua Paola water fountain, carved with the heads of dragons and lions. This travertine fountain was commissioned by Pope Paolo V, a member of the all-powerful Borghese family, and constructed in 1613 by Dutch architect and garden designer Giovanni Vasanzio (Jan van Santen in Dutch); it bears the Borghese family crest. Originally it was located on Via Giulia on the east side of the River Tiber but was reconstructed in its present home in 1898. Recent renovation work on the Acqua Paola have seen the restoration of the gardens behind it and the building of steps leading up to the fountain; these have now become are one of the most popular meeting places for the youth of Rome, and summer nights see the piazza crammed with crowds pouring out of the neighboring clubs and bars.

The Pinacoteca di Brera, one of Italy’s most important museums, is a highlight of Milan’s fashionable Brera neighborhood. This impressive collection of medieval and Renaissance paintings includes masterpieces by Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Tintoretto, Piero della Francesca, and Andrea Mantegna.

Housed in the baroque 17th-century Palazzo di Brera, the Pinacoteca di Brera has grand interiors and a lovely neoclassical cloister, and a visit to its stellar collection is a must for any art enthusiast. The museum's headliner is The Lamentation of Christ by Andrea Mantegna, a Mannerist gem. The surrounding Brera district, a charming maze of narrow, cobblestone streets lined with boutiques and cafés near the Duomo in the city center, is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Milan. Join a walking tour of Brera that includes skip-the-line tickets to the Pinacoteca di Brera to explore both the neighborhood and its most famous attraction. Brera is also a great place to experience Milan’s excellent food and wine scene, so consider joining a small-group food walking tour that has a gastronomic bent.

The Pinacoteca di Brera is right in the center of Milan, an easy walk north from the Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Otherwise, the nearest metro stops are Lanza (M2 line), Montenapoleone (M3 line), and Cairoli (M1 line).

Try to avoid visiting the first Sunday of the month, when the Pinacoteca is free to enter—and therefore very crowded. Better to visit on a weekday morning (Tuesday through Sunday; the gallery is closed on Mondays) and take the afternoon to explore the surrounding neighborhood.

You may be surprised to discover that the cosmopolitan city of Milan is known for more than just fashion. This northern Italian capital also has a thriving food and wine scene that features both traditional dishes rooted in the area’s history and up-and-coming contemporary cuisine, especially in Brera. Take a food or wine walking tour through the neighborhood, and experience the city’s gourmet side for yourself.

Pietro Micca was a soldier in the Savoy army in the early 18th century, and during the Siege on Turin he became a national hero. There is now a museum dedicated to him in Turin.

In 1706, the French and Spanish armies marched on Turin (then part of the Duchy of Savoy) during the War of Spanish Succession. Pietro Micca's job in the Savoy army involved tunneling in the mines underneath Turin's citadel. In late August of 1706, Micca heard French soldiers making their way up into the mines. He barred his door and exploded two barrels of gunpowder just as the soldiers broke through his barricade, killing most of them. Micca himself was severely injured and died later of his wounds, but by preventing the French from getting into the citadel he helped the Savoy army eventually defeat the French.

The Pietro Micca Museum was opened in 1961 to commemorate Micca's heroic act and the Savoy defeat of the French and Spanish armies, and the building stands over the tunnels in which Micca once worked. Visitors to the museum can descend into the tunnel network.

Overlooking Rome’s Piazza del Popolo, the gardens on Pincio Hill have been present since the time of the ancient Romans. It is named for the Pincis, a noble Roman family whose estate was built on these grounds in the 4th century. The gardens were separated from the  neighboring Villa Borghese by an ancient wall. 

Filled with greenery, flowers, and bust statues of famous Italians, the present gardens were laid out in the 19th century.  Tree-lined avenues were once (and still are) a grand place to go for a stroll. There’s also an obelisk and historic water clock located in the gardens. They are accessed via a steep, winding path up from the city. Once at the top, you’ll have one of the best views of Rome, looking out to rooftops, piazzas, and St. Peter’s Basilica. The panoramic outlook is arguably best at sunset.

At the very top of the Janiculum Hill in Rome is Piazzale Garibaldi, which has a bronze statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi at its center.

The Janiculum Hill (Gianicolo in Italian) is not one of Rome’s ancient seven hills, but today is one of the best places to get an exceptional view over the city. Piazzale Garibaldi is at the top of the hill, surrounded by a road and some parking spaces.

The equestrian statue in the middle of the piazza honors Garibaldi, the man who led the fight to unify Italy in the early 19th century. The main draw of the square, however, is the view over Rome. You can see everything from the Colosseum to St. Peter’s dome to the Vittoriano monument and much more.

Piazzale Garibaldi and the Janiculum Hill get particularly popular at sunset, so if you want to see the sun go down from the top of the hill make sure you give yourself enough time to walk or take the bus up there. During the day, some Trastevere tours include the Janiculum Hill on the itinerary, too.

Of Turin’s many baroque squares, Piazza San Carlo is a standout. Lined with porticoed palaces housing historic cafés, and the twin churches of Santa Cristina and San Carlo Borromeo, this square on Via Roma between Piazza Castello and Piazza Carlo Felice is one of the liveliest in the city.

 

Piazza San Carlo is often called “Turin’s parlor,” as it has been a popular gathering spot for locals since it was built in the 17th century. Its peripheral arcades are filled with busy restaurant and cafe tables, and the center of the square is full couples relaxing on the benches, children playing around the base of the statue of Duke Emmanuel Philibert, and tourists strolling through to reach the nearby Egyptian Museum. The square also hosts important public events, including New Year’s Eve celebrations and live streams of the city’s beloved Juventus soccer (football) matches.

 

Piazza San Carlo is a highlight of many private and small-group Turin walking tours or hop-on hop-off bus tours that visit the city’s top attractions. Other sights may include the Duomo, the Royal Palace, and Mole Antonelliana.

 

 

Piazza San Carlo is set along the main Via Roma thoroughfare in the heart of Turin, a short walk from the Porta Nuova train station and many of the city’s main attractions. Turin is a popular day trip destination from Milan; a direct train runs nonstop between these two cities.

 

The square is especially fun to visit during a Juventus championship game, when the space is crowded with local soccer (football) fans cheering on their home team.

 

Turin has been famous for its literary cafés for centuries, and Piazza San Carlo has long been the center of the city’s café culture. The square is home to two of the most important and historic cafés in the city: Caffé San Carlo and Caffé Torino. Writers, intellectuals, and aristocrats gather here in the evenings to discuss politics, philosophy, and literature.