Major Cities of Italy
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Below you'll find the top twenty most populous and the Major Cities of Italy, starting with the capital: Rome. However, rather than ranking them purely by population, I've arranged them by what I believe to be the most attractive and that offer the most opportunities for sightseeing.
It was a fairly easy call for the number one spot as it's really difficult to make a case for any city other than Rome. One of Italy's most enduring images is the Colosseum but this is just one of a vast number of famous sights that include the Pantheon, the Roman Forum and the Trevi Fountain. |
Just across the River Tiber from Rome's historic centre lies the gargantuan Saint Peter's Basilica from which you can enter the Vatican city while just a short walk from there you'll find the magnificent Castel Sant'Angelo.
Venice is much smaller than Rome but there are few cities in the world that can match its aesthetic beauty so it easily slots it at number two on the list. It's hard to imagine a city built on the sea but that's precisely what Venice is. As the city evolved, its marine prowess saw its traders rule the waves for much of the medieval period during which it was the most economically successful city state on the panet. The money that poured into Venice was lavished on beautiful piazzas, palaces and cathedrals but it's the stunning waterway, the Grand Canal that captures the imagination, reaching its zenith with the beautiful Ponte Rialto bridge.
The third position on the list belongs to Florence; the original Renaissance city is the global centre of fine arts and has a collection of museums and galleries that are envied the world over. The capital of Tuscany is a fitting centrepiece to one of Italy's most beautiful regions, underscored by the work of Brunelleschi whose famous dome on Florence Cathedral broke all the previous rules of geometry and set new benchmarks for human endeavour and ingenuity. The wide boulevards are punctuated by glorious Renaissance architecture and split by the River Arno which flows under the unmistakeable Ponte Vecchio bridge.
After Florence, it starts to get a little more complicated and perhaps a little more controversial when ranking the cities. I've selected Milan just ahead of Naples but not before much pondering. Milan is the financial stronghold of Italy and also one of the world's foremost fashion capitals; its parks, monuments and museums are spread across a wider area than those of Naples but its coup de grace is the incredible Duomo (Milan Cathedral), arguably the finest church in Christendom. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a 19th century shopping arcade of architectural beauty where you'll find all the modern fashion brands represented and perhaps best typifies the Milanese sense of style.
Venice is much smaller than Rome but there are few cities in the world that can match its aesthetic beauty so it easily slots it at number two on the list. It's hard to imagine a city built on the sea but that's precisely what Venice is. As the city evolved, its marine prowess saw its traders rule the waves for much of the medieval period during which it was the most economically successful city state on the panet. The money that poured into Venice was lavished on beautiful piazzas, palaces and cathedrals but it's the stunning waterway, the Grand Canal that captures the imagination, reaching its zenith with the beautiful Ponte Rialto bridge.
The third position on the list belongs to Florence; the original Renaissance city is the global centre of fine arts and has a collection of museums and galleries that are envied the world over. The capital of Tuscany is a fitting centrepiece to one of Italy's most beautiful regions, underscored by the work of Brunelleschi whose famous dome on Florence Cathedral broke all the previous rules of geometry and set new benchmarks for human endeavour and ingenuity. The wide boulevards are punctuated by glorious Renaissance architecture and split by the River Arno which flows under the unmistakeable Ponte Vecchio bridge.
After Florence, it starts to get a little more complicated and perhaps a little more controversial when ranking the cities. I've selected Milan just ahead of Naples but not before much pondering. Milan is the financial stronghold of Italy and also one of the world's foremost fashion capitals; its parks, monuments and museums are spread across a wider area than those of Naples but its coup de grace is the incredible Duomo (Milan Cathedral), arguably the finest church in Christendom. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a 19th century shopping arcade of architectural beauty where you'll find all the modern fashion brands represented and perhaps best typifies the Milanese sense of style.
ROME
Il Vittoriano, Rome
The capital city of Italy and the most populous in the country. Rome is the number one tourist destination and contains unforgettable sights such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain.
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VENICE
Rialto Bridge, Venice
What Venice lacks in size and numbers of inhabitants it makes up for in beauty. This city built on the sea was once the richest city state in the world and has an opulent legacy of sights to match.
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FLORENCE
Ponte Vecchio, Florence
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and no city in the world has a greater collection of artistic treasures. Must-see sights include Brunelleschi's cathedral dome and the Ponte Vecchio bridge.
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MILAN
Sforza Castle, Milan
The financial capital of Italy, Milan is also one of the world's fashion capitals. Window shopping is advisable in the Quadrilatero della Moda while the city's Duomo steals the show from Teatro La Scala.
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Naples and Milan belong to different worlds; away from the prosperous north of Italy, the southern half of the country has struggled economically throughout modern times. Naples was once though, the most important city in Europe and has a legacy of charms that come from a different era. Two palaces (the Royal Palace of Naples and the Royal Palace of Capodimonte) offer grace, elegance and endless corridors filled with fine art, while the Naples' Archaeological Museum is the best of its kind in the country. Naples can also boast the world's oldest theatre in terms of continual use: the glorious Teatro San Carlo, first opened in 1737 and still open today.
From Naples we move north to Turin which I've placed just ahead of Verona, something that may surprise many. Once thought of as little more than an industrial heartland, Turin has been significantly spruced up in recent times and also has one of the most fascinating histories of any Italian cities to fall back on. It was the first capital of the unified Italy and much of its architecture has a regal feel to it. Royal palaces combine with modern museums such as the National Museum of Cinema and the National Automobile Museum, while Turin's Egyptian Museum is widely recognised as the best of its kind outside Egypt itself.
The City of Love, Verona was the backdrop to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and there are tributes to this throughout the city. To many though, Verona's charm lies in its magnificent monuments from antiquity such as the Verona Arena that dominates the city centre and a separate Roman Theatre among the sights. It also has two of the most beautiful bridges in Italy: Castelvecchio Bridge and the Ponte Pietra.
Following Verona I've chosen Genoa; a once mighty nation state and rival to Venice in terms of world commerce. La Superba, as it was once known, is now a sprawling city with one of the most important ports in Italy. It features on the UNESCO World Heritage list and its historic city centre is complimented by some surprisingly picturesque bays and long stretches of seaside walkways. Around Genoa's Porto Antico area you'll find the expansive Piazza Caricamento, the "Il Bigo" biosphere and Genoa's impressive aquarium.
From Naples we move north to Turin which I've placed just ahead of Verona, something that may surprise many. Once thought of as little more than an industrial heartland, Turin has been significantly spruced up in recent times and also has one of the most fascinating histories of any Italian cities to fall back on. It was the first capital of the unified Italy and much of its architecture has a regal feel to it. Royal palaces combine with modern museums such as the National Museum of Cinema and the National Automobile Museum, while Turin's Egyptian Museum is widely recognised as the best of its kind outside Egypt itself.
The City of Love, Verona was the backdrop to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and there are tributes to this throughout the city. To many though, Verona's charm lies in its magnificent monuments from antiquity such as the Verona Arena that dominates the city centre and a separate Roman Theatre among the sights. It also has two of the most beautiful bridges in Italy: Castelvecchio Bridge and the Ponte Pietra.
Following Verona I've chosen Genoa; a once mighty nation state and rival to Venice in terms of world commerce. La Superba, as it was once known, is now a sprawling city with one of the most important ports in Italy. It features on the UNESCO World Heritage list and its historic city centre is complimented by some surprisingly picturesque bays and long stretches of seaside walkways. Around Genoa's Porto Antico area you'll find the expansive Piazza Caricamento, the "Il Bigo" biosphere and Genoa's impressive aquarium.
NAPLES
Naples
Vivacious Naples is the biggest city in the south of Italy and owes much of its charm to a glorious past. Two elegant royal palaces are unmissable as is the underground Galleria Borbonica.
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TURIN
Mole Antonelliana, Turin
The first capital of the reunified Italy, Turin has a glorious past which is underscored by a prosperous present. Great museums in the city centre lie in the beautiful backdrop of the Italian Alps.
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Verona
Verona Arena
The City of Love moniker owes much to Shakespeare but it's antiquity that comes to the fore in Verona. The vast Arena, glorious piazzas and landmark bridges make a compelling case to visit.
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GENOA
Biosphere, Genoa
"La Superba" was once a mighty maritime republic to rival Venice but the modern-day Genoa is no less inspirational. The capital of Liguria, it's one of the most important ports in the country.
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The attractions of Bologna's beautiful medieval centre with its famous porticoes are bolstered by its reputation for food. This really is a centre of gastronomic delights with the city home to many dishes we nowadays take for granted such as Lasagne, Tagliatelle al Ragù (aka Spaghetti Bolognese) and Tortellini. You can walk off any excesses by wandering around the impressive Piazza Maggiore, the city's main square which is also home to the huge Basilica di San Petronio. You can also get great views of Bologna by climbing the Torre degli Asinelli, one of the city's famous Two Towers, both of which lean in the typical Italian fashion.
In position number 10 on my list is Palermo which feels a world away from Bologna. Both cities are known for their culinary treats but as the capital of Sicily, Palermo belongs to a different climate and its vastly different history has created a unique culture. Palermo's greatest treasures are a legacy of the Arab-Norman-Byzantine era and the Palatine Chapel in Palermo's Royal Palace is the most glittering, astounding example of artistic brilliance that I've seen in Italy. Another of Italy's most important ports, Palermo is a hotbed of converging cultures with noisy, bustling street markets and a vivacity matched only perhaps by that of Naples.
The city of Bari is the capital of Puglia and one of the biggest cities in southern Italy. Its old city centre (Bari Vecchia) forms a cavernous web of intriguing alleyways that lead out to its port area. Standing guard in the centre is the imposing Castello Svevo-Normanno while the most famous sight here is the Basilica di San Nicola which draws a huge number of religious visitors.
Padova or Padua in English, is one of the most beautiful cities in the north of Italy. Its incredible Prato della Valle is an elliptical piazza adorned with statues, while the city centre is home to further glorious squares and the beautiful Basilica di Sant'Antonio. Many visitors to Padova go there just to see the incredible Giotto frescoes of the Scrovegni chapel which requires months of advance booking, such is the demand.
In position number 10 on my list is Palermo which feels a world away from Bologna. Both cities are known for their culinary treats but as the capital of Sicily, Palermo belongs to a different climate and its vastly different history has created a unique culture. Palermo's greatest treasures are a legacy of the Arab-Norman-Byzantine era and the Palatine Chapel in Palermo's Royal Palace is the most glittering, astounding example of artistic brilliance that I've seen in Italy. Another of Italy's most important ports, Palermo is a hotbed of converging cultures with noisy, bustling street markets and a vivacity matched only perhaps by that of Naples.
The city of Bari is the capital of Puglia and one of the biggest cities in southern Italy. Its old city centre (Bari Vecchia) forms a cavernous web of intriguing alleyways that lead out to its port area. Standing guard in the centre is the imposing Castello Svevo-Normanno while the most famous sight here is the Basilica di San Nicola which draws a huge number of religious visitors.
Padova or Padua in English, is one of the most beautiful cities in the north of Italy. Its incredible Prato della Valle is an elliptical piazza adorned with statues, while the city centre is home to further glorious squares and the beautiful Basilica di Sant'Antonio. Many visitors to Padova go there just to see the incredible Giotto frescoes of the Scrovegni chapel which requires months of advance booking, such is the demand.
BOLOGNA
Bologna
The medieval centre of Bologna is known for its thousands of porticoes that provide covered walkways, but "La Grassa" ("the fat one") is appropriately even more famous for its culinary delights.
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PALERMO
Palatine Chapel, Palermo
The sizzling capital of Sicily, Palermo is a heady cocktail of eastern and western culture. Its Palatine Chapel in the Royal Palace is one of the greatest treasures in Italy and worth the journey alone.
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Bari
Porto Vecchio, Bari
Bari is the capital of Puglia and one of Italy's most strategic ports both in historical and modern times. Bari Vecchia is the historic centre and home to its number one sight, the Basilica di San Nicola.
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Padua
Prato della Valle, Padua
Known as Padua in English, Padova is a glorious city in the northern Veneto region. Its Prato della Valle is an oval-shaped piazza while the city centre boasts frescoes by Giotto at the Scrovegni Chapel.
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The second city of Sicily, Catania is a celebration of Baroque architecture and a thriving port city, while Brescia, an important industrial city of the north has a beautiful collection of squares and churches, an imposing castle and one of Italy's best museums: the Museo di Santa Giulia. Further north from Brescia is Trieste, a city famed for the howling wind called the Bora that storms in from the Adriatic Sea and rattles through its streets. Trieste has a different feel to many Italian cities; its geography close to the Slovenian border but more importantly, its long history of Austrian rule accounting for that.
I've selected two cities from Emilia-Romagna in positions 16 and 17: both Parma and Modena combine beautiful medieval city centres with an enviable gastronomic history, similar to that of Bologna. Parma is of course known for its famous ham (prosciutto di Parma) while nearby Modena is the home to Balsamic Vinegar.
The Tuscan city of Prato has an attractive city centre with one of the country's most celebrated cathedrals, while occupying the final two positions are two southern cities: Messina in Sicily which lies on the straits of the same name and the industrial city of Taranto in Puglia.
I've selected two cities from Emilia-Romagna in positions 16 and 17: both Parma and Modena combine beautiful medieval city centres with an enviable gastronomic history, similar to that of Bologna. Parma is of course known for its famous ham (prosciutto di Parma) while nearby Modena is the home to Balsamic Vinegar.
The Tuscan city of Prato has an attractive city centre with one of the country's most celebrated cathedrals, while occupying the final two positions are two southern cities: Messina in Sicily which lies on the straits of the same name and the industrial city of Taranto in Puglia.
Catania
Piazza del Duomo, Catania
Sicily's second city, Catania, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its Baroque architecture. The thriving seaside metropolis is also one of Italy's most prominent commercial ports.
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Brescia
Piazzale Arnaldo, Brescia
Set in the industrial heartlands of the northern region of Lombardy, Brescia neatly combines architectural styles from the Renaissance to the fascist eras while its Museo di Santa Giulia is unmissable.
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Trieste
Borgo Teresiano, Trieste
The least Italian of all the cities listed here, Trieste owes its heritage to years of Austrian rule. Its geographical position on the border of Slovenia also shapes the culture of this elegant city.
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Parma
Piazza del Duomo, Parma
One of three cities of the Emilia-Romagna region on this page, the historic Parma shares a common thread with its near-neighbours by being a world-renowned centre of gastronomic excellence.
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Modena
Modena Cathedral
Home of Balsamic Vinegar, Modena completes the trio of Emilia-Romagna cities known for their food. Among the highlights in UNESCO Modena are its cathedral and the Torre Ghirlandina.
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Prato
Piazza delle Carceri, Prato
Situated just outside Florence, Prato is the second most populous city in Tuscany and has an attractive historic centre. Prato's cathedral is of unique architectural value and the main attraction.
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Messina
Lungomare, Messina
Straddling the southern coast of the eponymous strait, Messina is the gateway to Sicily if travelling by ferry from the mainland. A sprawling port city, it's the third most populous in Sicily.
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Taranto
Castello Aragonese, Taranto
Modern-day Taranto houses an important naval base and largely lies off Puglia's tourist trail. Scratch beneath the surface however, and you can be rewarded with artefacts from Magna Graecia.
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