Bologna is instantly recognizable for its red rooftops, medieval towers, and kilometers of beautiful covered porticoes.
Piazza Maggiore forms the heart of the historic center, while narrow streets lead toward markets, churches, and traditional restaurants. Climb above the city and Bologna becomes a sea of warm red and orange rooftops.
Turin
Turin is one of Italy’s most elegant cities. Grand boulevards, Baroque buildings, historic cafés, and enormous squares give the city a sophisticated appearance. The famous Mole Antonelliana dominates the skyline, while the snow-covered Alps create a spectacular background on clear days.
Verona
Verona is famous around the world as the setting of Romeo and Juliet, but its beauty goes far beyond the famous love story.
The city has a magnificent Roman arena, romantic piazzas, medieval streets, colorful buildings, and the beautiful Adige River. Walking across Ponte Pietra around sunset reveals one of Verona’s finest views.
Matera
Few cities look anything like Matera.
Its famous Sassi districts contain ancient cave homes, stone buildings, stairways, and churches built into a dramatic rocky landscape. Matera is considered one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited urban settlements. At sunset, the entire old city seems to turn golden.
Milan
Milan combines historic beauty with modern Italian style. Its greatest landmark is the spectacular Duomo, one of Europe’s most recognizable Gothic cathedrals.
Nearby, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II offers beautiful glass ceilings and elegant architecture. Add fashionable neighborhoods, grand buildings, and modern skyscrapers, and Milan becomes a fascinating mix of old and new.
Siena
Siena feels like a beautifully preserved medieval city.
At its heart is Piazza del Campo, one of Italy’s most famous public squares and home of the historic Palio horse race. The magnificent Siena Cathedral, narrow stone streets, towers, and surrounding Tuscan hills make the city exceptionally photogenic.
Naples
Naples has a beauty that is energetic, dramatic, and sometimes chaotic.
Its historic center contains ancient churches, narrow streets, colorful balconies, markets, and magnificent buildings. Head toward the waterfront and the scenery changes completely. The Bay of Naples, Castel dell’Ovo, and Mount Vesuvius create one of Italy’s most spectacular urban landscapes.
Florence
Florence looks like an open-air Renaissance museum.
The enormous dome of Santa Maria del Fiore dominates the skyline, while Ponte Vecchio crosses the Arno River below. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, and many other great artists are connected to the city. For the classic view, visit Piazzale Michelangelo as the sun begins to set.
Venice
enice could easily take first place on any list of the Most Beautiful Cities in Italy.
Built across 118 islands connected by more than 400 bridges, Venice replaces ordinary streets with canals filled with gondolas and boats. St. Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace, Rialto Bridge, and Grand Canal are famous landmarks, but getting lost among Venice’s smaller canals can be even more memorable.
Rome
Rome takes the number-one position because few cities combine beauty and history on such an extraordinary scale.
The Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and countless churches and piazzas make simply walking around Rome an experience. Its historic center contains layers of history stretching across nearly three thousand years. Modern cafés and busy streets exist beside ancient temples and Renaissance palaces.
Around almost every corner, another famous monument appears. For its combination of ancient history, architecture, fountains, piazzas, art, and atmosphere, Rome takes our top spot among the Most Beautiful Cities in Italy.
