Italy: A Short List of Its Best Sights

By Bryce Casselman

The time has come; you’ve finally decided to take your dream vacation to Italy. You’ve probably started a mental checklist of must-see places but since you want to get the most out of your trip, get ready to add a few more.

The following is a short list (organized alphabetically by city) of the best, most beautiful sights that Italy has to offer:

Rome, Italy

• Castel Sant'Angelo - is one of finest sites in Italy with a varied and interesting history. There is an admission fee and it’s open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday - Sunday.
• Capitoline Museums - Italy and its museums are home to some of the most renowned statues in the world. The Capitoline Museums are open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (closed Mondays); tickets cost €6.20.
• The Collosseum - one of the world’s most famous structures and the gem of Italy. Tickets are €8.00; hours are 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. during winter).
• The Pantheon - is one of Italy’s most beautiful and stunning buildings and has stood for nearly 2,000 years. Admission is free and is open during daylight hours.
• Scala Santa (Holy Stairs) - these twenty-eight marble stairs (brought to Italy in 326 A.D.) are said to be the steps Christ walked upon on his way to his trial before Pontius Pilate. There is no fee for admission.
• Villa Celimontana - a treasure of Italy and one of Rome's loveliest public gardens, Villa Celimontana is wonderful as a picnic spot or a respite from sightseeing.

Venice, Italy

• The Accademia - the best of many fine art collections in Venice, The Galleria dell'Accademia is a true artistic treasure of Italy. Open everyday from 8:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. (2:00 p.m. on Mondays); Admission is €6.50.
• Peggy Guggenheim Collection - the Peggy Guggenheim collection of modern art is considered one of the most distinguished of Italy. Open weekdays (except Tuesday) from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Admission is €8.00.
• Palazzi and bridges - spend time wandering up, down and over famous bridges that span the Grand Canal of Italy (See Rialto Bridge, below) or admire the view from the canals by taking one of the many waterbuses.
• Rialto Bridge - a historical landmark of Italy, the Rialto Bridge crosses the Grand Canal at an angle and until 1854, was the only place that the Grand Canal could be crossed on foot. Admission is free.
• St Mark's Square - easily the most famous sight in Venice, the Piazza San Marco is the charming, lively center of Italy and is often crowded and full of pigeons and surrounded by beautiful architecture. Open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays; Admission is free.

Milan, Italy

• The Duomo - Milan's Duomo is one of the largest churches in the world and easily one of the most striking attractions in Italy—boasting 135 spires and 3,400 statues. Travel up to the Duomo’s roof by stair for €3.50 or use the elevator for an additional €5.00 for a breathtaking view that stretches over the city to the Alps.
• Piazza Duomo - the square in front of the Duomo is a favorite place for young tourists to hang out; the area is surrounded by stunning architecture.
• Galleria Vittorio Emanuele - a beautiful glass-roofed area that connects the Piazza Duomo to the Piazza della Scala. This breathtaking galleria has floors intricately decorated with mosaics of the signs of the zodiac.
• The San Lorenzo Columns - once a Roman building in the 2nd or 3rd century B.C., these columns were later situated in front of the Basilica and are beautifully lit in the evening.
• The Stadio Meazza - also called the San Siro Stadium, this football stadium is the pride of Italy and considered one of the world's greatest. The San Siro Museum, housed inside the stadium (Gate 21) is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The cost to enter both the museum and a stadium tour is €12.50.

Florence, Italy

• Boboli Gardens (Giardino di Boboli) - a beautiful expanse of rich, extravagant pleasure, these peaceful gardens boast some of the most photogenic views of Florence. Admission is €4.00.
• Ponte Vecchio - this landmark of Italy means literally, 'Old Bridge,' is not only one of Florence’s most famous landmarks, but it’s one of the cities few free attractions.
• Statue of David - by Michelangelo is perhaps the most famous statue in the world today. Commissioned in 1501 by the Arte Della Lana, which was responsible for the upkeep and decoration of the Cathedral in Florence, the statue is housed today in the Galleria dell' Accademia. Admission costs €6.50 and its open Tuesday - Sunday from 8:15 a.m. to 6:50 p.m.
• Uffizi Gallery - offering one of the greatest collections of paintings in the world, the Uffizi Gallery is a living representation of Florence’s role in the Renaissance. The Gallery is open from 8:15 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. every day, except Monday; Admission costs €6.50.

Pisa, Italy

• At the edge of the town?s center is a magnificent group of monuments, each architecturally fascinating and each leaning at different angles?the grand Romanesque cathedral, a large baptistery and the legendary Leaning Tower.

Siena, Italy

• Home of the Piazza del Campo, a sloping amphitheater of a square where the Palio horserace takes place and the Torre del Mangia, a tall bell tower that offers breathtaking views of the town and countryside.

©2003 – 2008 TopTenREVIEWS, Inc.