Cities of Italy
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Latest update: 15 January 2024
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By Dion Protani
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The cities of Italy are the envy of the world; built up through the millennia, enjoying great success, suffering disasters, building and rebuilding.
Within the cities we find the largest populations and the majority of Italy's major museums and cultural monuments. There are in excess of a hundred official cities or provincial capitals in Italy during modern times and here we can showcase the very best of them. As there are so many great Italian cities to explore, they've been divided up into four categories from the major cities to the unmissable, simply beautiful and those of the Renaissance. |
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This allows us the chance to discover not only the most famous handful, but the wondrous Italian cities that don't get the worldwide coverage of their illustrious counterparts. It's only when you take the first step beyond those famous cities that the real beauty of Italy reveals itself.
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Within the major cities of Italy we find the ten most popular cities, although not quite the most populous. Top of the list without question is the imperious capital city of Italy: Rome.
Competing with Rome in terms of appeal is Venice, the magical city on the sea and capital of the Veneto region. The flower of the Renaissance and third most popular city in Italy is Florence, while Milan in fourth place is the financial heartbeat of the country. Naples is a city whose treasures don't appear at first sight but reveal themselves gloriously with a little exploration, while modern-day Turin can boast some of the country's best museums. |
Il Vittoriano, Rome
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Ever since Shakespeare penned Romeo and Juliet, Verona has been known as the City of Love but it's so much more than that with amazing bridges, Roman monuments and Renaissance piazzas. During the Middle Ages the city of Genoa was one of the economic successes of the world, rivalled only by Venice with its financial might built on maritime trade. The modern-day capital of Liguria is a bustling port city to this day and a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its Palazzi dei Rolli.
Bologna is famous for its gastronomic delights but also as a seat of learning with the world's oldest university within its environs. There's a little bit of everything in the capital of Emilia Romagna including leaning towers and one of the largest churches in Christendom. At the opposite end of the country we find Palermo where again, in a similar way to Naples, we often have to scratch the surface to find the hidden treasures. But oh what treasures! The Arab-Norman churches of Palermo and the surrounding area are beyond compare; among the nine sites that make up the city's UNESCO listing, is the golden glowing Palatine Chapel - just about the most beautiful thing in Italy.
Bologna is famous for its gastronomic delights but also as a seat of learning with the world's oldest university within its environs. There's a little bit of everything in the capital of Emilia Romagna including leaning towers and one of the largest churches in Christendom. At the opposite end of the country we find Palermo where again, in a similar way to Naples, we often have to scratch the surface to find the hidden treasures. But oh what treasures! The Arab-Norman churches of Palermo and the surrounding area are beyond compare; among the nine sites that make up the city's UNESCO listing, is the golden glowing Palatine Chapel - just about the most beautiful thing in Italy.
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The next group of must see Italian cities is in addition to the ten detailed above, which of course you must see as well! Most of these cities will be familiar to anyone with a passing interest in Italy but might not perhaps be the ones you'd see on your first visit.
Now I'm quite sure anyone who's reached this point knows the first city on the list: Pisa, whose Leaning Tower is just one of a series of astonishing sites on the appropriately-named Piazza dei Miracoli. Another Tuscan city is next: Siena which is one of the smallest cities in Italy but with so much beauty packed in. One of the unmissable sights here is the view of Piazza Campo from the Torre del Mangia. |
Piazza Duomo, Syracuse
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The Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna is a UNESCO World Heritage listing which forms the basis of an itinerary from which to explore the beautiful city in Emilia Romagna. The great attraction of Ravenna comes in the form of its churches and other historic monuments which are decorated with extraordinary Byzantine mosaics from the 5th and 6th centuries.
From the photo above you can catch just a glimpse of the beauty on show in the Sicilian city of Syracuse. The photo shows the Piazza Duomo in the area known as Ortigia; a little island where some of Italy's greatest Baroque buildings can be found. You can stroll around the edge of Ortigia and gaze out on to emerald seas, or explore Syracuse's mainland sights which include an astonishing Greek Theatre.
Padua, in the same Veneto region as Venice, lies further inland and has a wonderful array of sights to explore. It's home to one of the largest and most beautiful squares in Italy called Prato della Valle and boasts two UNESCO sights: the Scrovegni Chapel with its frescoes by Giotto and the world's oldest botanical garden: the Botanical Garden of Padua.
From the photo above you can catch just a glimpse of the beauty on show in the Sicilian city of Syracuse. The photo shows the Piazza Duomo in the area known as Ortigia; a little island where some of Italy's greatest Baroque buildings can be found. You can stroll around the edge of Ortigia and gaze out on to emerald seas, or explore Syracuse's mainland sights which include an astonishing Greek Theatre.
Padua, in the same Veneto region as Venice, lies further inland and has a wonderful array of sights to explore. It's home to one of the largest and most beautiful squares in Italy called Prato della Valle and boasts two UNESCO sights: the Scrovegni Chapel with its frescoes by Giotto and the world's oldest botanical garden: the Botanical Garden of Padua.
Just as the aforementioned Syracuse is famous for its Baroque architecture, another city in southern Italy can boast its own version of it: Lecce Baroque. The most beautiful church in the city in Puglia is the Basilica di Santa Croce while its Piazza del Duomo is among the very best squares in Italy. At the opposite end of the country is a town whose architecture is largely from the Renaissance period; Mantua was the home of the ruling Gonzaga family who built the stunning Palazzo Ducale there and the impressive Castello di San Giorgio next to it.
One of the oldest cities in the world, Matera has shot to fame in recent years as it was awarded a UNESCO listing and also appeared as the backdrop in various Hollywood movies. The Sassi of Matera, the historic districts of the town where the houses are clustered together one on top of the other, is one of the most beguiling sights in southern Italy. By contrast, the cities of Lucca in Tuscany and Pavia in Lombardy belong to a later period of history with much of their beauty owning to the Renaissance period. The walled city of Lucca has the amazing Piazza dell'Anfiteatro: a square created from a Roman amphitheatre among its sights, while Pavia's main attractions range from its famous Ponte Coperto bridge to the Certosa di Pavia monastery just outside the city.
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Within these four categories there is a good deal of crossover and some cities belong in each one. However, away from the list of major cities and the must see category after it, let's have a look at another ten beautiful Italian cities.
We start with a city that lies at the north-eastern edge of Italy, close to the international border with Slovenia. Trieste is perhaps the most un-Italian of all the cities listed here; its architecture is atypical of the most famous northern Italian cities and shaped by the many years during which it formed part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. |
Borgo Teresiano, Trieste
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The Emilia Romagna region is synonymous with gastronomy as alluded to further up the page in the case of the region's capital of Bologna; it doesn't stop there though as Parma is known across the world for its cured ham called prosciutto di Parma and for its Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Parma was also one of the most important cities during the Renaissance with some beautiful architecture to match.
Of an altogether different look and feel is Perugia, the capital of Umbria. Essentially one of the larger hill towns of Italy, Perugia is an ancient Etruscan city whose centre is dominated by Renaissance buildings gathered around the focal point of Piazza IV Novembre. Perugia is also home to the Perugina chocolate company who make the Baci chocolates; each one with a message of love printed inside.
Ragusa is another hill town, but this time in Sicily. The city is built on different levels, partly due to an earthquake that devastated the region in 1693. As a result of the earthquake, Ragusa and the nearby towns underwent a huge rebuilding project, unlike anything hitherto seen. The cities and towns were properly mapped out and rebuilt with an exquisite collection of Baroque buildings.
A city that doesn't usually find its name on the lips of most tourists is Brescia in the northern region of Lombardy. However, it has a fabulous collection of historic monuments from different eras; here you can find Roman ruins alongside Fascist period piazzas, early churches from the Longobard period of rule and a medieval castle overlooking the city from the hill above.
Northern Italy is scattered with medieval and Renaissance city and the Po Valley is particularly fertile ground for them. Modena in Emilia Romagna is one such city and listed by UNESCO for its Cathedral, main piazza and Torre Ghirlandina. Back down in Sicily we find another UNESCO city: Catania. It shares its listing with Ragusa and another half a dozen towns that were rebuilt in the Baroque style.
Udine in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of north-east Italy has an eclectic array of architecture from different historical periods, while another Lombard city: Bergamo, mixes a modern lower town with a medieval upper town surrounded by defensive walls. The final city in this section is Viterbo in the central region of Lazio: for many years it was the home of the Pope and its most famous building, the Palazzo dei Papi, was used for the longest ever conclave from 1268-1271.
Of an altogether different look and feel is Perugia, the capital of Umbria. Essentially one of the larger hill towns of Italy, Perugia is an ancient Etruscan city whose centre is dominated by Renaissance buildings gathered around the focal point of Piazza IV Novembre. Perugia is also home to the Perugina chocolate company who make the Baci chocolates; each one with a message of love printed inside.
Ragusa is another hill town, but this time in Sicily. The city is built on different levels, partly due to an earthquake that devastated the region in 1693. As a result of the earthquake, Ragusa and the nearby towns underwent a huge rebuilding project, unlike anything hitherto seen. The cities and towns were properly mapped out and rebuilt with an exquisite collection of Baroque buildings.
A city that doesn't usually find its name on the lips of most tourists is Brescia in the northern region of Lombardy. However, it has a fabulous collection of historic monuments from different eras; here you can find Roman ruins alongside Fascist period piazzas, early churches from the Longobard period of rule and a medieval castle overlooking the city from the hill above.
Northern Italy is scattered with medieval and Renaissance city and the Po Valley is particularly fertile ground for them. Modena in Emilia Romagna is one such city and listed by UNESCO for its Cathedral, main piazza and Torre Ghirlandina. Back down in Sicily we find another UNESCO city: Catania. It shares its listing with Ragusa and another half a dozen towns that were rebuilt in the Baroque style.
Udine in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of north-east Italy has an eclectic array of architecture from different historical periods, while another Lombard city: Bergamo, mixes a modern lower town with a medieval upper town surrounded by defensive walls. The final city in this section is Viterbo in the central region of Lazio: for many years it was the home of the Pope and its most famous building, the Palazzo dei Papi, was used for the longest ever conclave from 1268-1271.
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The Renaissance cities and towns of Italy are those where the movement between the 14th and 17th centuries flourished the most. Each of the main cities of Italy: Rome, Venice, Milan and in particular, Florence, have envious collections not only of Renaissance architecture, but art galleries and museums.
However, beyond the four listed above, there are further cities where the Renaissance was the key period of time that left its mark. One such example is the city of Ferrara which was listed by UNESCO under the heading: "City of the Renaissance" among its other attributes. From the end of the 15th century Ferrara's city centre was built upon the Renaissance principle of an "ideal city". |
Palazzo Ducale, Urbino
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Urbino in the Marche region is one of the smallest Italian cities where modern expansion hasn't taken hold. During the Renaissance, it was governed by Federico di Montefeltro, the Duke of Urbino who transformed the town and its fortunes. His stamp can be seen all around the town but nowhere more so than at the Palazzo Ducale: one of the true gems of Renaissance architecture.
One of the key figures of the Renaissance was the sixteenth century architect Andrea Palladio. Born in Padua, he later became more closely associated with another city in the Veneto region: Vicenza. Palladio took the early ideas of Renaissance architecture and refined them to such a degree that his work is seen as a benchmark for the style. In Vicenza alone he designed 23 buildings including the Basilica Palladiana.
It's impossible to talk about Renaissance cities without mentioning a small town in Tuscany: Pienza was named after Pope Pius II whose vision it was to create the ideal Renaissance town there. Among the most famous Renaissance buildings in Pienza are the town's cathedral and the Palazzo Piccolomini which uses Pope Pius II's surname just in case anyone should forget it was his town!
With Florence leading the way, Tuscany was the centre of the Renaissance and two more of its cities are synonymous with the movement: Arezzo was a hotbed of artistic genius and Livorno was a coastal backwater before the Medici turned it into another ideal city. The Renaissance left an artistic and architectural legacy on the cities of Parma (Emilia Romagna), Cremona (Lombardy) and Ascoli Piceno in Marche while aforementioned Mantua which is on the list of must see cities, earned its UNESCO inscription alongside the much smaller nearby town of Sabbioneta with both cited for their Renaissance town planning.
Another project to create an ideal city took shape in little Palmanova in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Although it's something you don't realise from ground level, the aerial views show an extraordinary nine-pointed star shape, partially created by the ramparts which form the town's defensive system, along with a moat.
One of the key figures of the Renaissance was the sixteenth century architect Andrea Palladio. Born in Padua, he later became more closely associated with another city in the Veneto region: Vicenza. Palladio took the early ideas of Renaissance architecture and refined them to such a degree that his work is seen as a benchmark for the style. In Vicenza alone he designed 23 buildings including the Basilica Palladiana.
It's impossible to talk about Renaissance cities without mentioning a small town in Tuscany: Pienza was named after Pope Pius II whose vision it was to create the ideal Renaissance town there. Among the most famous Renaissance buildings in Pienza are the town's cathedral and the Palazzo Piccolomini which uses Pope Pius II's surname just in case anyone should forget it was his town!
With Florence leading the way, Tuscany was the centre of the Renaissance and two more of its cities are synonymous with the movement: Arezzo was a hotbed of artistic genius and Livorno was a coastal backwater before the Medici turned it into another ideal city. The Renaissance left an artistic and architectural legacy on the cities of Parma (Emilia Romagna), Cremona (Lombardy) and Ascoli Piceno in Marche while aforementioned Mantua which is on the list of must see cities, earned its UNESCO inscription alongside the much smaller nearby town of Sabbioneta with both cited for their Renaissance town planning.
Another project to create an ideal city took shape in little Palmanova in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Although it's something you don't realise from ground level, the aerial views show an extraordinary nine-pointed star shape, partially created by the ramparts which form the town's defensive system, along with a moat.
